quote:

Originally posted by Jim C. <><:
Not my cup of tea but disparaging a competant entry level hunting rifle as less than beautiful equals junk is a bit overboard, IMHO. For those who want and can afford it nice blueing and wood stock rifles are still available after all! I suspect a LOT of new hunters neither need that or care what we old hands might think about their deadly new Ruger American deer rifles. Nor should they.

Well put, Jim!

Having re-read this whole thread, it kind of reaffirms my faith in AR.

At first I was saddened and dismayed. A lot of normally nice people, NONE of whom owned or had shot one of the new Rugers were knocking them down, then kicking them while they were down.

Is THAT the practical American fair-minded way? I hope not.

As for those who say Ruger and Accuracy don't belong in the same sentence, that is simply ignorance. I have a box-stock dog-leg Ruger M77 with tang safety which I would match against any accurate hunting rifle any of you own, for deer and other similar herbivores.

The last time I took it to the range, some loudmouth there made an even worse remark about Ruger accuracy, very VERY loudly. Amazing how silent he was after I sat down at the bench and fired 4 consecutive sub-half inch 5-shot groups with it at 100 yards.

Anyway, back to this thread...I was very pleased to see that as it proceeded, wiser (and more typically mature) Americans chimed in pointing out WHY this rifle exists, and how it will likely perform and serve us well, even if it isn't an artistic triumph.

And I went to some of the links, read the material, saw the targets, looked at the rifle, and made a decision....

This next week I think I'll mosey over to some place like Cabelas (which I normally avoid like the plague), use up my "points", and come home with one of these new Rugers in .243 Winchester.

I don't need a .243.....I currently have a very excellent one with a Schneider barrel, MPI stock, and other tweaks, all on a Remington 600 action. BUT, it will give me an opportunity to actually evaluate Ruger's new introduction without having yet another .308 or .30-06. If it flops for me, well, at least any of my criticisms will be based on personal knowledge, not just hubris.

And if it works out? I can see another .260 Remington barrel coming my way....

Amusing all the "experts" who don't own one, never shot one and probably have never seen one.
Ruger is just responding to the marketplace as they did when they rolled out their AR.
Anyone ever see Phil Shoemaker's backup rifle ?
Makes the Ruger look like a Rigby BUT when Mr Brown Bear is wounded in the willows, it works.
The more people who can afford a good hunting rifle, the more hunters afield and the better for all of us who love guns and hunting.
Most of the critics sound like elitist gun snobs who really have not spent much time "out among them" in the pouring rain or a blizzard.
It is possible to like all guns .... four of mine:

Since Remington sold/sells lots of the crap 710 and 770, then Ruger should have a winner in this gun.
It is by far a much much better gun than those.
If we didn't have the stupid gun laws here in Norway limiting the number of guns I can own, I would buy one in a heartbeat and cut the stock down for my kids to use.
I couldn't care less about how a gun looks like when I shall use it for hunting. Performance is everything.

You need to buy a Savage. With the the nut wrench (Shown in my last picture), a barrel vise and a new factory cartridge (for head spacing) you can have any caliber you wish. You can also buy a "youth stock" for them that is suited to people of shorter stature. You can also change bolt heads.
The last rifle in my pics is the new Marlin XLC which came as a tack driving 270. I picked up a new/defective (bad throat) from a pal at Savage and rechambered it to 22-06. (The savage barrels fit the Marlin if you rechamber or take a bit off the back of the barrel. same threads, same nut.) Just a silly project (total cost $15.00) and shoots a 50 gr bullet at 4250 fps.
I just bought a Savage perfect for your "Elk". They were all intended for Europe but 3 "got lost" over here. 9.3x62, 20" heavy barrel, fiber optic sights, accu-bedding and the new center feed magazine. The "experts" hate it too but they don't live with the largest concentration of Grizzly bears in the lower 48 either.
Good hunting!

Would have liked to see them go the stainless route on this or at least that as an option.

Many guys (myself included) like to have a true "beater" or bad weather gun. A blued one isn't really all there for that purpose. You can't just come in and set it in the corner after a rainy day, and forget about it until the hunt is over.

Tikka still gets my vote...Oh, and Ruger is not making a LH version yet either, so that's another negative.

Have a couple of Stevens 200s, one rebarreled, and two Marlin XL or XS rifles. Not much pretty about them except maybe for the stocks I made for a few of them. LOL, well my stocks are pretty to me. Just a retired guy here on a limited gun budget that enjoys these lower priced rifles.

Anyway, for any southerners in U.S., your Academny Sports and Outdoors stores may be carrying the Ruger American in near future. Stopped into my local Academny recently, asking about the rifle. Academny clerk checked his computer and found rifle listed in their system, but none in stock in their warehouse. Clerk commented "looks like we've ordered it from Ruger, but not received them yet." Academny selling price will be around $380 according to what clerk saw in their system. MSRP on rifle is around $440.

How low can you go? POS! Garbage! A disgrace to American gunmakers! Ugly as homemade sin!!

And on and on.

Am I talking about the new Ruger? No, I'm repeating what I heard 40 years ago or a little bit longer.

The rifle they were cussin about then was designed to sell new for about 2/3 of the price of the "nice" factory rifles of the day, or a little less.

Remember it? Yeh, The Remington 788, which was aimed at exactly the same market as the Ruger American. First MSRP was $99.00.

Turned out to be a really crummy shooting flop, didn't it?

So bad the makers discontinued it so it wouldn't cripple their market for their pricier M700.

Tried to buy one of those POS M788s recently? Really worthless, aren't they?...especially the ones in .30-30, .44 Mag, and .222 Rem.

Aren't you glad you never paid out $99 each (or the street price which was about $92.50) for a boat load of those suckers?

Yeh, me too...HAH!

quote:

Originally posted by 45-70 shooter:
You need to buy a Savage. With the the nut wrench (Shown in my last picture), a barrel vise and a new factory cartridge (for head spacing) you can have any caliber you wish. You can also buy a "youth stock" for them that is suited to people of shorter stature. You can also change bolt heads.
The last rifle in my pics is the new Marlin XLC which came as a tack driving 270. I picked up a new/defective (bad throat) from a pal at Savage and rechambered it to 22-06. (The savage barrels fit the Marlin if you rechamber or take a bit off the back of the barrel. same threads, same nut.) Just a silly project (total cost $15.00) and shoots a 50 gr bullet at 4250 fps.
I just bought a Savage perfect for your "Elk". They were all intended for Europe but 3 "got lost" over here. 9.3x62, 20" heavy barrel, fiber optic sights, accu-bedding and the new center feed magazine. The "experts" hate it too but they don't live with the largest concentration of Grizzly bears in the lower 48 either.
Good hunting!

Sheesh!
Thats smokin velocity (4250 fps). Nice lil project that one. Is it a shooter too? Damn bullet must be near melting point goin that fast. LOL
Sabbatti makes a rifle just about identical to that Savage
link to Sabbatti info http://www.sabatti.it/dettagli...=4&categoria=8&id=51

I could do without that nice bright stock but that rifle looks like it wants to go hunting.

I can see one as a great 'truck gun'...

have to handle it to see how it compares to Marlin XS 7...but it has potential..

While I like the Marlin, it's bedding system sucks. You need to replace the plastic guard with an ADL steel one, glass bed the action, put a dowel and acraglass in the forend to get out its floppyness, freefloat the barrel, do a bit of work on the trigger then it will shoot bugholes. The Savage already has the Accubed system, a center feed magazine and a great trigger. Don't see many Marlins on the F Class trphy boards.
In my world, all guns are "truck guns" because no car would navigate where we haul our horse trailers to BEFORE the hunt even begins.
As for the 22-06 melting bullets.... Barnes don't melt.
For those who think "stainless" does not rust, guess you've never lost a mast overboard due to crevice corrosion in the standing rigging.
(100 % marine quality stainless) It is exciting !

Im an old fine wood and blue steel type that reloads ammo and tunes up my rifles. But What counts is how accurate the new Ruger American rifle or any rifle will shoot five shot groups at 100 and longer yards. When shooting big game at 300 or less yards a rifle shooting under two inch groups at a 100 yards will be all that is needed.

They ought to do that Savage, or another large bore, with a handguard stock, like a military model with a barrel band. Have it use a spacer system like on the Ruger scout to get the length of pull right for the shooter,

Some kind of neat peep sight, too, along with provision for a scope.

Not blued but some kind of newer protective coating.

ya know

I had pics of a '98 in .458 that was done up like a military carbine- coolest thing you ever saw.

quote:

The same as your American cars and look what happened to them.

LMAO... who won Le Mans.... chevy
what is rated one of the best sport sedan in the world a Caddy
You have an Euro trash truck that can whup my MOPAR Cummins ?
My son just got nailed $2500 to fix the tranny in his "wonderful" Honda. My 97 Neon twin cam with twice the miles still has the original clutch.
Ruger is reading the market and making a very smart move. They also got rid of the POS Red Label O/U.
When any of you "experts" ACTUALLY buy the gun and wring it out, I may listen, for now it's just a case of "I don't like it" so it is bad.
Oh yeah I almost forgot: Scout rifles are stupid, Barrel bands went out decades ago and an AR 10 with an adjustable buttstock is superior in every way. Jeff Cooper is dead.....get over it.

I think of a gun as a tool and expect them to work might be nice if they look pretty but they dont stay that way for long if they are being used.If you want to mince around a rifle range keeping your prize what ever in cotton wool fine but dont condem something that a real man or women or god forbid youngster can take out into the bush forests praries deserts ice fields and use accuratley and confidently.Didnt realize there was so many prima donnas and rifle snobs out there .you should be encouraging people to take up the sport and GOOD inexspensive rifles are a great help i think Ruger Savage Weatherby Howa mossberg etc should be roundly applauded and supported

quote:

Originally posted by sambar02:
I think of a gun as a tool and expect them to work might be nice if they look pretty but they dont stay that way for long if they are being used.If you want to mince around a rifle range keeping your prize what ever in cotton wool fine but dont condem something that a real man or women or god forbid youngster can take out into the bush forests praries deserts ice fields and use accuratley and confidently.Didnt realize there was so many prima donnas and rifle snobs out there .you should be encouraging people to take up the sport and GOOD inexspensive rifles are a great help i think Ruger Savage Weatherby Howa mossberg etc should be roundly applauded and supported

Hard to fault that line of thinking.

Rather than dumping on a new rifle, these dolts have never seen, handled or fired, they should remembering the immortal words of Yuri Orlov: "There are over 550 million firearms in worldwide circulation. That's one firearm for every twelve people on the planet. The only question is: How do we arm the other 11?"
More guns =s less crime !

I can't resist responding to the comment criticizing American cars. I'm sure whoever said it really believes it. I believe it too.

That is, I believe it is absolute bullshit.

I have owned European, and American cars for over 60 years, starting with a 1939 Plymouth, and an Austin Healy 100-4, followed by a 1950 Ford and an Austin Healy Sebring.

Sure won't name them all, but have had many, many since then, including Pontiacs, Fords, Chevys, Corvettes both stock and highly modified, by Gulstrand and Traco Racing Engines, etc., from America, and half a dozen Mercedes SLs, my current daily driver Mercedes M Class, 2 Loti, an XKE Mk. 1, a Volvo Sport Coupe (P-1800), DB Mk. V, Porsche 911 Turbo, Porsche 944, and on and on over the years.

My most recent comparison is two vehicles I still have...My '98 Chevy Z-71 4x4 with ALL the option packges, which I bought new, and my similarly equipped Mercedes M class.

Both get about the same gas mileage, but the Chevy uses regular unleaded, while the Mercedes requires premium petrol at about 40 cents per gallon more.

Both are equally comfortable to ride in for the most part...if there is any advantage to either, it is certainly to the Chevy with its plush bucket seats, as the wheelbase is longer, so it rides with less "chopiness".

Both carry the same number of passengers. Both have 4x4 at driver's option, with a low range transfer box too. But the Chevy is practical to motor offroad in, whereas the Mercedes doesn't have enough clearance to safely leave the highway even in the flat desert area we live in now.

I can get a complete tune-up on the Chevy at the local Chevy dealer for just over $100. That is impossible with any of the local Mercedes dealers, who want double that sum or more.

The Mercedes isn't quite wide enough to carry an uncased 24" barreled bolt action rifle in the cargo section. The Chevy will tote 3/4 of a ton of just about anything you want to put in it, including a sick horse if need be (though I wouldn't endanger a horse that way).

And the Chevy is more reliable to boot.

All in all if I had to buy one vehicle and keep it forever, I'd buy either American or foreign, but the "foreign" sure as hell wouldn't be European.

It would be Japanese. The last one of those I bought new, A Toyota 4x4, I kept for 31 years and it was still running like a good watch when I sold it because it wasn't practical for us to have three cars here in Arizona where licenses and insurance are multiples of what they were in Oregon. And with it I only changed the oil about once every 4 years, changed the spark plugs maybe four times in those 31 years, never had to rebuild any part of the fuel system or the drive train. Replaced the shock absorbers once, and the muffler once.

But no sense going on.

Y'all got the point, I'm sure.

American cars work. European cars are over-engineered, often impractical in ways there is no need for them to be, too expensive for what one gets in them, and are more useful here in the U.S. simply as status jewelry. Status jewelry can be advantageous when you're doing business deals, but a better vehicle? Male bovine feces!!

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:

This next week I think I'll mosey over to some place like Cabelas (which I normally avoid like the plague), use up my "points", and come home with one of these new Rugers in .243 Winchester.

I don't need a .243.....I currently have a very excellent one with a Schneider barrel, MPI stock, and other tweaks, all on a Remington 600 action. BUT, it will give me an opportunity to actually evaluate Ruger's new introduction without having yet another .308 or .30-06. If it flops for me, well, at least any of my criticisms will be based on personal knowledge, not just hubris.

And if it works out? I can see another .260 Remington barrel coming my way....

Might want to put off that trip to Cabela's in search of the Ruger American rifle for a while. 30-06 will be the first caliber available, with the 270, 308 and 243 to follow in the coming months. All of these calibers should be in distribution channels by the end of April. FWIW, Ruger will likely be 'allocating' these rifles for the first 6-8 months. The demand is HIGH. DAMHIKT

If you MUST make a trip to Cabela's and fondle a gun - an American gun - consider the T/C Venture. Aside from its recall - it too is a good value and available in FAR more calibers and its accuracy stands up to the guarantee.

Thanks for the advice and info, 2Barrels. As it is a 70+ mile drive from here to Cabela's and back, I really appreciate the saving in time and money you have given me. Think I'll just wait 'til April to go there.

Again, muchas gracias.

quote:

Originally posted by cobra:

quote:

Originally posted by sambar02:
I think of a gun as a tool and expect them to work might be nice if they look pretty but they dont stay that way for long if they are being used.If you want to mince around a rifle range keeping your prize what ever in cotton wool fine but dont condem something that a real man or women or god forbid youngster can take out into the bush forests praries deserts ice fields and use accuratley and confidently.Didnt realize there was so many prima donnas and rifle snobs out there .you should be encouraging people to take up the sport and GOOD inexspensive rifles are a great help i think Ruger Savage Weatherby Howa mossberg etc should be roundly applauded and supported

Hard to fault that line of thinking.

Yessir a nod to the cobber from south O the equator! ;>

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:
If the most disparaging remark is that this rifle is "UGLY" than it stands a chance to be a success, ergo Philis Diller.
If it were chambered in .257 Roberts with a reasonably long throat I'd get one tomorrow !!! I really would. roger

I have to admit, if they offered it in 6.5x55 or .260 Rem. I also would buy one tomorrow. I have been very happy with my Stevens 200 in .243, especially after my son sanded and painted the stock with a nice camo pattern. It also outshoots my new Sako A-7 in the same caliber. (Actually, in my opinion, the Ruger stock bears a slight resemblance to the A-7 stock) I just hope Ruger doesn't want $85 for a magazine for the American....

Got the DIY dipkit for the Savage, now it looks right. Might buy one of those POS (LAFFIN) new Ruger Americans and do it all in Red Cobra. That would be wayyyyyy cool !

Savage:



RED COBRA:

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
Thanks for the advice and info, 2Barrels. As it is a 70+ mile drive from here to Cabela's and back, I really appreciate the saving in time and money you have given me. Think I'll just wait 'til April to go there.

Again, muchas gracias.

Actually had my hands on 2 of the Ruger American Rifles today - a 270 and a 30-06.

Let's just say that Ruger is easier off the tongue than Tikka/T-C/Browning/Savage, no matter what order you put them in. The stock is very Tikka-like; the action very T-C Venture-like; the magazine very Browning-like; and the trigger very Savage-like. Roll it all together and you have the Ruger American. Fit and finish are on par with the Venture, stock is a little more 'course' than the Tikka T3, and while the trigger is Savage-like in appearance, I was not impressed with it out of the box. The 2 I held came with Weaver #46 bases (IIRC, the same as the Savage 10/110 round-top.)

This gun will fill a niche at a very reasonable cost - $349 was what the retail on the 2 I held would be. A young man's first rifle; a truck gun, a beater, or a rifle that didn't cost an arm and a leg were my first thoughts. Much better bang for the buck as compared to the Rem 710 or 798 and will likely take a bite out of Tikka T3 and T-C Venture sales. Time will tell.

If it were my money and I was looking for a rifle to fill any of the above requirements, I'd consider it, but would more than likely lean toward the Venture for a few dollars more. JMHO, YMMV.

Well the T3 is at least $150.00 more. The Ventures are heavy. I'm sure once the initial hype is over the street price will be about $300-325. Waitin for the short action one.

Short actions should be available in late March and April - .308 and .243. Not entirely sure which will be released first.

I'll be waiting for the 338 Federal. That is a wonderful round!

quote:

Originally posted by 45-70 shooter:
I'll be waiting for the 338 Federal. That is a wonderful round!

That could be a L O N G wait . . . . . . . .

Well there is no real rush. Not like I am "short on rifles".

I handled one the other day...

was not overly impressed.. for the money, I'd go with a Marlin XL7 or XS7...

however if one is looking for a rifle that's service life will be a brush gun and truck rifle..

its not a bad package...a Tasco Scope on top would look more in place than say a Leupold...

but like comparing the two scopes side by side, they both get the job done, the Tasco has more than enough to do what you need it to do, while costing only $59.00..

the same with the Ruger American, as compared to a much nicer Remington 700, or Winchester Model 70, or Ruger 77... or whatever your pick may be..

the price was $359 on it. and consider a set of $10 rings and a $59 Tasco 3 x 9, you have a rifle you can bash all over the place, have it show no signs of worse for the wear..

and some of us see a lot of beauty in that kind of utility...

Marlin doesn't make one in a 223, so if Ruger has one come out in that chambering, I can see one of those riding in my truck...and I already own a $59 Tasco World Class to go on it..

quote:

was not overly impressed.. for the money, I'd go with a Marlin XL7 or XS7...

That's a lot to spend on a tomato stake . . .

quote:

Originally posted by Boss Hoss:
That rifle is so ugly I would hope that if I were killed in an accident that someone would have the decency to take it out of the picture!

Hey someone's got to pick up the ugly ones, if only to save us from doing it after six scotches and six beers ...

Chuck you m ean "ugly" like this one ?



chuckle.

quote:

Originally posted by 2Barrels:

quote:

was not overly impressed.. for the money, I'd go with a Marlin XL7 or XS7...

That's a lot to spend on a tomato stake . . .

You mean a tomato stake like this, that shoots like this ?





Always amazing how folks who don't own em' know all about em'. chuckle.

(that's five shots from a <50 rounds Marlin barrel)

I hope Ruger sells several million of these to new gun owners who would not be able to afford a more expensive or more well appointed rifle. I also hope that they enjoy the sport so much that they will in turn join and support organizations such as the NRA. I also hope they will be compelled to vote in a manner that supports our 2nd ammendment rights.

All to often I see gun snobs at the range who leave a bad impression on new gun owners who may have less costly equipment and are frowned upon. We should be encouraging the growth of our sport and more understanding of budget conscious shooters. I remember my first rifle and it was nothing special by any standard but I was proud of it. I am at a point where I can afford better guns but it took time. Most on this forum are past that point also but we still need to remember where we came from. Hopefully this Ruger will be a stepping stone for many shooters. While I am not impressed by its appearance I do understand its potential.

Good word, Sid.

quote:

Originally posted by 45-70 shooter:
Chuck you m ean "ugly" like this one ?



chuckle.

That's a beauty, never said all Rugers were ugly ... or even most of them ...

quote:

Originally posted by seafire/B17G:
I can see one as a great 'truck gun'...

have to handle it to see how it compares to Marlin XS 7...but it has potential..

was finally able to handle one...

I'd pick the Marlin First, and the Stevens 200 over it...but it would be a great truck gun or back up rifle, or rifle for a kid..

I refuse to judge worth based on beauty or sophistication, I remember when I thought beauty and sophistication equaled worth, I have two divorces to prove how mistaken I was. When I finally figured out that a woman of worth was a spouse that was a good match for my needs in life (I still think she is beautiful and sophisticated), the marriage took and has provided me with much happiness and joy. 22 years together and 2 arguments later, I still have a wife “worth” more to me than all the rest of the women in my life combined. IMHO, this applies to guns too. I remember when the HK VP70 was the only thing uglier than a Glock - look at Glock now, How many MILLION shooters swear by them? IMHO, Ugly is in the eye of the beholder and the beholder could be wrong (as I often am). If it were not for people buying what we like to call "junk" most of the "gunsmiths" out there would be starving and taking jobs as machinists for non-gun related manufacturers. "Junk" has put meals on my table when the economy was rough. Now I like to manufacture for myself and customize for friends, If I can make their “junk” more beautiful or useful for them, I am happy. The really nice thing about my wife? She buys me good scotch, good cigars, and the occasional rifle. If she were to show up with one of these for me, it would be “worth” more to me than most of the rifles I have owned over my life. I raise my red SOLO cup to the concept of “junk”.