GUNBLAST.COM Review of new Ruger American Bolt Rifle

[rangerbob]

FYI, the new Ruger American has a dealer price of less than $300, which means they'll sell for around $325/$350 price range. My first impression was it looks like a Marlin XS7 more than anything else. There is a buying segment that will buy these! It's been mentioned that Ruger copied Colt in the 50's when the Blackhawk was introduced. Please remember that Colt had given up on the Single action during WW II and it was not in production. Ruger simply filled the gap with a better product. When Ruger introduced the M77 in the late 60's, Winchester and Browning had dropped the claw extractor rifles for new push feeds, and again Ruger filled the gap. Granted their AR-15, 1911, and LCP are copies of existing designs, but they sell too. and they are in the business to sell firearms. Bill has left the building!! Bob! :wink:

 

[Sham22]

Well Ruger has done it again for me. It's made my next gun purchase easy. I was looking to purchase my first hunting rifle and was considering Savage. This seems to fit all my needs and the price doesn't get any better than that. The Gunblast review sealed the deal. I love the adjustable trigger and the flush rotary magazine. Picking one up in. 270 for pig.

 

[buckeyeshooter]

I like the tang safety and the trigger by the sound of it----- but I want rugers on the other end of the price scale with these features---like the express rifles and the Magnum that have been discontinued.

 

[Vic]

Yep - the Ruger engineers beat this rifle with an ugly stick for sure !!

 

[slimatsea]

Jeff,

Where is the recoil lug?

Exactly what I was thinking. I looked at the exploded view on Ruger's website and watched the videos. It seems as if they're using the metal bedding in the stock as a recoil lug. Other than that I think this is a great rifle (compared to the other cheap rifles). No recoil lug is a design feature that would be a deal breaker for me.

 

[Rumrunner]

I would like to see some of the features on the "American" rifle used on the 77 Hawkeyes. Particularly the tang safety, new trigger, and the detachable magazine.

I do plan on getting an American in the near future.

 

[slimatsea]

I would like to see some of the features on the "American" rifle used on the 77 Hawkeyes. Particularly the tang safety, new trigger, and the detachable magazine.

I do plan on getting an American in the near future.

Not to pick a fight Rumrunner but I hope we don't see any of these features added to the Hawkeye. I'd accept a tang safety if it was a 3 position that locked the bolt closed. I'll always welcome a better trigger if it doesn't have some silly flappy lever in the middle of it. I'd never want a detachable magazine on a hunting rifle. Anyway, I'm glad they came out with this rifle that is different from the 77 in every way. Now maybe they can refine the 77 for those of us who are willing to pay for a high quality classic rifle. For instance, I bought a brand new synthetic 06 last week for $600 even. I'd gladly pay $800 for the same rifle with a more polished action, better trigger, and a real composite stock vs the injection molded plastic this one came with. At that price it would still be $200 cheaper than the model 70 extreme weather ss and it would be a Ruger which automatically makes it better than a winnie. There are plenty of push feed lever triggered detachable magazined rifles out there. There a few with CRF, 3 position safeties, integral recoil lugs, and hinged floorplates. Please be carefule what "improvements" you ask for on the 77.

 

[Jeff Quinn]

The bedding blocks are also both recoil lugs, giving the rifle dual recoil lugs, instead of just one. They mortise into the bottom of the receiver as the rifle is bolted into the stock. Seems like a very good idea, passing a bolt through each recoil lug/bedding block, into the receiver.

jeff

 

[TRanger]

I would like to see some of the features on the "American" rifle used on the 77 Hawkeyes. Particularly the tang safety, new trigger, and the detachable magazine.

I do plan on getting an American in the near future.

Not to pick a fight Rumrunner but I hope we don't see any of these features added to the Hawkeye. I'd accept a tang safety if it was a 3 position that locked the bolt closed. I'll always welcome a better trigger if it doesn't have some silly flappy lever in the middle of it. I'd never want a detachable magazine on a hunting rifle. Anyway, I'm glad they came out with this rifle that is different from the 77 in every way. Now maybe they can refine the 77 for those of us who are willing to pay for a high quality classic rifle. For instance, I bought a brand new synthetic 06 last week for $600 even. I'd gladly pay $800 for the same rifle with a more polished action, better trigger, and a real composite stock vs the injection molded plastic this one came with. At that price it would still be $200 cheaper than the model 70 extreme weather ss and it would be a Ruger which automatically makes it better than a winnie. There are plenty of push feed lever triggered detachable magazined rifles out there. There a few with CRF, 3 position safeties, integral recoil lugs, and hinged floorplates. Please be carefule what "improvements" you ask for on the 77.

Let me add a heart "Amen!" to those sentiments. I, too, would like to see the 77 Hawkeye refined into a classic rifle like the Express models sold a few years back. The new satin blue was a step in the right direction. With just a bit more "spit & polish", the 77 Hawkeye could be the premier American hunting rifle; worthy successor to the pre-64 Model 70.

 

[Unconverted]

The bedding blocks are also both recoil lugs, giving the rifle dual recoil lugs, instead of just one. They mortise into the bottom of the receiver as the rifle is bolted into the stock. Seems like a very good idea, passing a bolt through each recoil lug/bedding block, into the receiver.

jeff

The designers went in a bunch of new directions (for Ruger) with this design. It looks more like a Steyr product than a Ruger product, but I can't wait to handle one. The stock dimensions look like they'll fit a taller shooter better than Ruger's prior bolt actions; which was my only gripe about them.

 

[JimMarch1]

What are the odds somebody will build jumbo mags for this thing? Because I've got the words "ghetto scout rifle" in my head .

 

[JasonH]

So far I like what I'm seeing. I think Ruger would be foolish not to jump on the "budget rifle" bandwagon. If the production rifles shoot as well as the one in Jeff Quinn's review Ruger is going to sell a boatload of them. Hell I might even pick one up just to support Ruger in their quest to donate 1 million dollars to the NRA.

However, I ve got to agree with previous posts regarding the Hawkeye line. I believe Ruger is going to have to update the Hawkeye in order to justify the price difference between it and the American Rifle. Dont get me wrong, I love premium bolt guns and Ive got plenty in my safe but it's going to be hard to convince someone that the Hawkeye is worth $300-400 more than the American Rifle, especially in this economy. I certainly hope Ruger will at least add an adjustable trigger to the Hawkeye, and perhaps offer a kevlar/carbon fiber stock instead of the injection molded one they currently offer. While they're at it, I would love to see a Hawkeye "Supergrade" of sorts.....higher grade of wood, shadowline cheekpiece, ebony fore end tip, and high gloss bluing. If Ruger would do those things to the Hawkeye, they would have both ends of the price spectrum pretty well covered IMHO.

 

[chancesr]

Last night I saw a Ruger American in 30/06 in the flesh. This is a very nice gun. It has an extremely smooth action, a great bedding system, adjustable trigger and a great rotary mag. Fit and finish are very good and I am biased againest plastic stocks. On looks I would take this one hands down over the Savage!

 

[Leucoandro]

Am I the only one that is left feeling a bit cold when a company introduces something nearly identical to another company's offerings and acts like it really is new and innovative? Should I be excited or should I feel like they are ripping off something and re-branding it(think Kel-Tec or Savage/Tikka in this case).

Just my take, but on the savage are you referring to the double trigger system? Marlin, Mossberg and others have introduced similar systems. Savage was the first (that I know of) to put a double trigger on a rifle, but it is basically a copy from Glock.

If you are refering to the Savage Axis, it does not have a double trigger, and looks totally different. I see that it appears Savage retained the barrel nut. While this is a cost effective (read cheaper) way of attaching a barrel to an action, it works very well and offers outstanding accuracy potential, even though it bulks up the action/barrel interface quiet a bit.

The only similarity I see with the Tikka is a similar forearm configuration.

It would be nice if you when you accuse a company of copying someone elses design you specify what was copied. I can fin very few similarities, other than a similar design on the forarm.

Here is a picture comparison between the Savage and Ruger
Ruger

Savage

I must sake that the Ruger looks much sleeker than the Savage. Look at the rear of the bolt on the Savage and compare to the Ruger.

I imagine the rifle will have a great feel with the light weight and the (X-bolt) magazine blending into the (X-bolt styled) stock. I really like the rounded carrying point of the Browning X-bolt as Ruger obviously does, too. Heck, the receiver even looks like an X-bolt! An X-bolt function and accuracy at half the price. Not bad.

Just some thoughts
X-bolt Magazine - Ruger has been making rotary magazines since 1964
X-bolt styled stock - ? Savage, Tikka, Mossberg, etc all have similar stocks.
X-bolt Bolt - Function of the Merkel KR1 at a lower price. (I.E. I think the Merkel had the design that Browning calls the X-Bolt first).



Charlie

 

[Leucoandro]

I have been thinking about an inexpensive, compact, high power, ceterfire for a while now.

I have a Ruger No.1 Int in 270, but it is no beat around rifle. I have not gotten the chance to accuracy test it yet, but I doubt it is capable of 5/16" at 100 yards. It is also by no means inexpensive

I have a Ruger M77 MKII VLE with Leupold VXIII 4.5-14x40 LR B&C in 308, but it no where near light and compact with an overall length of 46", and loaded weight of about 11lbs.

I had been considering the edge/axis, but the Ruger looks quiet a bit better. It also has more of the functionality of the higher end Savage line (double trigger the edge/axis lacks).

I think one of these Rugers cut down to 18" in 308 with a target crown would make quiet the potent woods rifle. Throw a 3-9 Leupold scope with BDC and you would have a good rifle for everything from woods work to ranges of 400-500 yards.

Or maybe one of these Rugers cut down to 20" in 270 with a target crown. Throw a 4-12 Leupold scope with BDC and you would have rifle good for everthing from woods work to ranges of 500-700 yards.

Now I have to decide which one I want to build (308 or 270).


Charlie

 

[Jeff Quinn]

[/quote]Now I have to decide which one I want to build (308 or 270).


Charlie[/quote]


Why just one?

 

[this_is_nascar]

I was almost sold on this American, however I see it doesn't have iron sights and relies solely on a scope. Don't like that at all.

 

[rangerbob]

Very few bolt action rifles are equiped with iron sights these days. A lot of potiental buyers have never seen or owned a rifle with sights, wouldn't know how to use them it they were installed. I bought 3 Ruger 308's last year, all had sights, a GSR, a #1A, and the Compact Magnum. I like sights, walnut, blue steel, but I'm not the normal buyer. Bob!

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

Why does Ruger call a "Euro-chic" styled rifle the "American?"

Somehow I kinda had the idea that while CZ uses that name specifically, it had taken on a generic meaning of foreign rifles "restyled" to be more like "classic" American bolt action rifles, in the Rem 700, Win M70, Ruger M77 style?

Not my cup o' tea, but like others, I hope for Ruger's sake it's done well enough to take off.

Rick C

 

[TnTnTn]

Saw a picture of Newt Gingrich holding a Ruger American on the Drudge report. Guess the candidates were making the NH rounds.

As for the rifle I like it a lot although having never seen nor handled one. Of the current offerings I would get a .243 but would like a 22/250. I expect they will be real shooters. TTT