Ruger ranch rifle magazine problems .

[steenroller]

I bought the Ranch rifle when it came out in 5.56 and just a few months later they came out with the AR magazine version. Never really liked the rotary mag so I looked at converting mine but was told on a couple of sites the conversion would not work because the bolt was different. Talked myself into getting a new one for about a $100 difference when I sold the old one. Looked at gun shops and pawn shops in the area one day last November and could not find one. I was going to order one and happened to stop by a pawn shop before I headed home and found a used one in new condition. Turned around and sold my rotary magazine model to my nephew and out less than $50 and have exactly what I wanted.
It is a handy little rifle. I wish they made the same thing in 6.8mm. I have even started looking at the .350 Legend although I really don't need to start another cartridge right now.

 

[wanderson]

Not sure about the bolt but if your Ranch has the modular insert for either rotary or AR mags, the Ruger kit for $20 is a drop in replacement, that's all you need.
The 1st gens that only had the rotary mags may have a different bolt from the 2nd gens with modular mag wells.
I think Boyd's makes a stock for AR mag Ranch rifles but not sure if anyone's tried dropping a gen1 action in one. That's a question Boyd's could probably answer if Google doesn't.
The most common fix for rotary mag issues I've seen is just sending them back to Ruger for replacement, although I've read not all the replacements will work either, so this isn't a matter of an earlier fault that was fixed.
On my .300bo I've had no issues with feeding from a half dozen different brands of metal & poly .300bo and 5.56 AR mags. The action isn't as smooth but I can feel the difference in smoothness between brands. CPDs seem to feel the smoothest/least effort. I also tried an OKAY/Surefeed 10 round mag, and removed the plastic extension and replaced with a std. metal baseplate. It limited capacity to 6 rounds but is a good inch shorter than my shortest 10 round, so it sticks out less than an inch from the stock. It uses a std. 30 round anti tilt follower but I could probably get a few more rounds of capacity with a tilt follower and cutting a loop or two off the spring but all 6 rounds are 100% reliable.