American target models?

Help Support Ruger Forum:

Merle1948

Buckeye
Joined
May 10, 2008
Messages
1,395
Location
Mercer County, PA
Greetings,

what are the current thoughts on these?
I am contemplating one of the laminated models.
totally unfamiliar with this series of rifles, so experience (and opinions) are welcome.

TIA
 

recumbent

Buckeye
Joined
Nov 2, 2005
Messages
1,044
Location
South West Indiana
A friend of mine has the standard model with black synthetic stock. It is very accurate. He has a bipod on it and shoots clay birds on the 100 yard berm then breaks the little pieces.
 

Merle1948

Buckeye
Joined
May 10, 2008
Messages
1,395
Location
Mercer County, PA
recumbent said:
A friend of mine has the standard model with black synthetic stock. It is very accurate. He has a bipod on it and shoots clay birds on the 100 yard berm then breaks the little pieces.


OK, thank you! :)
 

Chief 101

Hunter
Joined
Feb 14, 2007
Messages
2,613
Location
Idaho
I have the RAR Target model with laminated stock. It shoot inexpensive standard velocity ammo quite well and I am sure it would shoot the better ammo much better. I is a nice looking rifle that functions flawlessly using the 10 round standard Ruger mags. I have a few thousand rounds thru it and only complaint is that after cleaning it can take a few rounds to get back the accuracy. https://ruger.com/products/americanRimfireTarget/models.html
Mine looks like the rifle on the opening page of the video at the bottom.
 

Merle1948

Buckeye
Joined
May 10, 2008
Messages
1,395
Location
Mercer County, PA
Chief 101 said:
I have the RAR Target model with laminated stock. It shoot inexpensive standard velocity ammo quite well and I am sure it would shoot the better ammo much better. I is a nice looking rifle that functions flawlessly using the 10 round standard Ruger mags. I have a few thousand rounds thru it and only complaint is that after cleaning it can take a few rounds to get back the accuracy. https://ruger.com/products/americanRimfireTarget/models.html
Mine looks like the rifle on the opening page of the video at the bottom.


OK, thank you.

FWIW, I have found that the more accurate the rifle, the longer it takes to "settle down" after cleaning.
 

Chief 101

Hunter
Joined
Feb 14, 2007
Messages
2,613
Location
Idaho
Then my RART should be real accurate. I am happy with it, I use it for Silhouette shooting at ranges from 40 yards to 200 yards and it does admirably. Now if only my 70 year old eyes would do the same.
 

Merle1948

Buckeye
Joined
May 10, 2008
Messages
1,395
Location
Mercer County, PA
Chief 101 said:
Then my RART should be real accurate. I am happy with it, I use it for Silhouette shooting at ranges from 40 yards to 200 yards and it does admirably. Now if only my 70 year old eyes would do the same.


I share your pain - I'm 71... :(
 

Chief 101

Hunter
Joined
Feb 14, 2007
Messages
2,613
Location
Idaho
I saw the 1948 Merle...I feel lucky to have made it this far and still able to shoot open sights...not well mind you but still and with Cataracts fixed and working. I do have a nice big scope on the RAR Target tho and I use every bit of it.
 
Joined
Mar 24, 2002
Messages
6,242
Location
Oregon City, Oregon
I have two American rimfires. A standard sporter, and a precision rifle. In both cases, in spite of the miniscule price, they are extremely accurate. I've owned many rimfires of all varieties over multiple decades. The most accurate rimfire I've ever owned is my American Precision Rimfire Rifle, and my third most accurate is my American Rimfire Sporter. So I would expect nothing less of the target model. The Precision Rifle is cumbersome, so if the Target Model would have been available, that would have been my choice.
 

Merle1948

Buckeye
Joined
May 10, 2008
Messages
1,395
Location
Mercer County, PA
Chief 101 said:
I saw the 1948 Merle...I feel lucky to have made it this far and still able to shoot open sights...not well mind you but still and with Cataracts fixed and working. I do have a nice big scope on the RAR Target tho and I use every bit of it.


The 17th of next month I get the first cataract surgery. Since both eyes are bad - and I have thickening of the retina - it will probably be a long process. :(

But hopefully I'll be able to shoot open sights again - I can still muddle along with receiver sights, for a few shots anyhow if the target is generous enough. :)
 

Merle1948

Buckeye
Joined
May 10, 2008
Messages
1,395
Location
Mercer County, PA
WAYNO said:
I have two American rimfires. A standard sporter, and a precision rifle. In both cases, in spite of the miniscule price, they are extremely accurate. I've owned many rimfires of all varieties over multiple decades. The most accurate rimfire I've ever owned is my American Precision Rimfire Rifle, and my third most accurate is my American Rimfire Sporter. So I would expect nothing less of the target model. The Precision Rifle is cumbersome, so if the Target Model would have been available, that would have been my choice.


OK, thank you. I'm 99.99% settled on the 18" target model - now to shop for price. :!:
 
Joined
Mar 24, 2002
Messages
6,242
Location
Oregon City, Oregon
Merle1948 said:
WAYNO said:
I have two American rimfires. A standard sporter, and a precision rifle. In both cases, in spite of the miniscule price, they are extremely accurate. I've owned many rimfires of all varieties over multiple decades. The most accurate rimfire I've ever owned is my American Precision Rimfire Rifle, and my third most accurate is my American Rimfire Sporter. So I would expect nothing less of the target model. The Precision Rifle is cumbersome, so if the Target Model would have been available, that would have been my choice.


OK, thank you. I'm 99.99% settled on the 18" target model - now to shop for price. :!:

Best I've found online is $380-$390. There's no chance any dealer in these parts would stock such a rifle.
 

Merle1948

Buckeye
Joined
May 10, 2008
Messages
1,395
Location
Mercer County, PA
WAYNO said:
Merle1948 said:
WAYNO said:
I have two American rimfires. A standard sporter, and a precision rifle. In both cases, in spite of the miniscule price, they are extremely accurate. I've owned many rimfires of all varieties over multiple decades. The most accurate rimfire I've ever owned is my American Precision Rimfire Rifle, and my third most accurate is my American Rimfire Sporter. So I would expect nothing less of the target model. The Precision Rifle is cumbersome, so if the Target Model would have been available, that would have been my choice.


OK, thank you. I'm 99.99% settled on the 18" target model - now to shop for price. :!:

Best I've found online is $380-$390. There's no chance any dealer in these parts would stock such a rifle.


OK, thanks for the tip. I haven't started to search locally, so......
 

Chief 101

Hunter
Joined
Feb 14, 2007
Messages
2,613
Location
Idaho
I didn't find mine in stock, but less than a week to get it from a distributor. It was at the $400 price arena.
 

Doug in Alaska

Bearcat
Joined
Dec 2, 2012
Messages
61
Location
Wasilla, Alaska
I have the RART stainless in .22 Mag and it is one heck of an accurate rifle. Best ammo is Federal Premium V-Shok (30 gr. Speer TNT). I plan to use this rifle a lot this winter calling fox. .22-250AI and .556 are a little to rough on fox. Wife bought a FoxPro electronic call for my birthday, I'm looking forward to using it. Anyway, this rifle is extremely accurate. But of course, I'm younger than most of you so that may be the reason. Heck, I'm only 62! Also newly retired. I've spent the past 50 years looking for the perfect job and finally found it, and I'm really good at it!!!!!
 

Merle1948

Buckeye
Joined
May 10, 2008
Messages
1,395
Location
Mercer County, PA
Doug in Alaska said:
I have the RART stainless in .22 Mag and it is one heck of an accurate rifle. Best ammo is Federal Premium V-Shok (30 gr. Speer TNT). I plan to use this rifle a lot this winter calling fox. .22-250AI and .556 are a little to rough on fox. Wife bought a FoxPro electronic call for my birthday, I'm looking forward to using it. Anyway, this rifle is extremely accurate. But of course, I'm younger than most of you so that may be the reason. Heck, I'm only 62! Also newly retired. I've spent the past 50 years looking for the perfect job and finally found it, and I'm really good at it!!!!!


thanks for the feedback
congrats on your new job! :lol:
 

Latest posts

Top