Okay, I have not been paying all that much attention lately, but I have a question.

I have not been thinking real hard about buying any new rifles for a while, but saw something a few days back that really caught my eye.

The rifle is one that I will use occasionally but I am looking at buying it for Lora to use.

She normally uses a Model 77 Ruger Ultra-Lite in .257 Robert's, but sometimes if I am in a hurry and don't have shells loaded, we have to resort to factory loads. Sometimes even at Cabela's, factory ammo can be hard to find.

What caught mine and surprisingly her attention recently was a Ruger American in 7mm-08.

Do any of you have any experience with the rifle, not the caliber. I have talked and been around plenty of folks that have a real high opinion of the 7mm-08, so that is not my concern, and I have noticed 7mm-08 ammo in stock whereas there was no .257 Robert's.

For an occasional hunter that is not interested in MOA but in Minute Of Doe, what are your thoughts?

Hey Randall,

Hope all is well and Merry Christmas to you and Lora! Re the rifle I was not that impressed looking at them. For the dollars, I'd look to a whole slew of other choices beginning with a Model 77. A good Interarms Mauser comes to mind. If you don't see the caliber you like, an outfit like IT&D can duplicate a factory barrel for a reasonable sum.

I can't determine what Ruger was trying to do with that gun which isn't done with the 77 already.

Good luck!

Jeff

IMO it is one of the rifles chasing the dollar down the toilet. Why they shoot, not much more warm and fuzzy to them...savage axis,ruger American,Ect...I agree a slew of others...m700, M77, even the ol savage 110 and 116...better buys. I bought my wife a lady hunter by savage in a 308. She had a blaser r93 before...it did not fit her, but the little savage fits like a glove.they did there homework for the lady's check it out.

Ed

In this day and time why will 7mm-08 shells be easier to load or find than the 257 Roberts???

Why not buy a few hundred dollars of factory 257 Roberts ammo, or a few hundred dollars of 257 reloading "stuff" and get busy in the upcomming off season. Load her up a thousand rounds or so...

Then she can use the rifle she is used to...

What NE 40 No2 says +1

It's not just the cost of the rifle it's the cost of the dies, plus the 'scope and etc. I'd just buy a few empty cases for your "Ned" and reload them.

Sod's Law anyway says that if you do go down the Ruger American route that when you do run out of ammunition that what the gun shop has in stock will be a different weight/rand of 7mm-08 and won't match the zero you've set on your rifle!

I have been around several Ruger American rifles and own one in 270Win myself and have yet to find one that is not a shooter (.25 MOA +/-). Now when I say they will shoot I am talking about handloading for them. I have seen horrible accuracy from one of them with factory loaded fodder but I shoot only my own homemade loads and nothing to reference from, so maybe store bought ammo shoots this poorly in all rifles. Also, they are a pleasure to carry since they are lightweight, the barrels clean up easily and whats not to like about all this?

The Ruger Americans are the 'best' of the race to the bottom rifles. Three locking lugs, short bolt throw, tang safety, aluminum bedding and free floating barrel. All of them seem to shoot extremely well and they all seem to function properly, as well.

Personally, I'd rather own a $150 sporterized Mauser but I'd take the American over the rest of the el-cheapo rifles being produced.

I'd actually like to see Ruger make the American in different grades, a walnut stock with high polished blued steel would be awesome. A Heavy barreled varmint with laminate stock, I actually think the American could be a better option than the Ruger 77 or Rem 700's. Everything is there to make the Ruger American a 'big deal'. All of which is my personal opinion, of course.

Just a couple of parameters I left out unintentionally. With the exception of 117 grain RN Remington factory load Core-Locts that Lora's .257 likes real well, everything else we shoot thru her rifle and all of mine are handloads. In fact the first center-fire rifle I ever bought was a 670 Winchester in .300 Win. Mag. in the 20+ years I owned that rifle I can only remember shooting maybe a dozen factory loads thru it, I started handloading/reloading in 1968.

The only reason that I mentioned factory loads, is that such things as misplacing luggage or getting away from home and forgetting to pack the ammo, does happen to even the best hunter. From observations over the past few years, Wally World, which in many instances is a person's only available source of ammo comes closer to having 7mm-08 on a regular basis than ever having .257 Robert's.

Many Thanks for the comments and observations so far.

I have one of the M-77 SS ruger 7mm-08. Mine has the grey finish and a pencil thin short barrel.

I threw away the shitty Ruger stock and bought a B&C carbon stock. The barrel is so thin on the gun, I had to fill the channel in with epoxy to make it look good. I also left a little lump of epoxy in the channel to put "up" pressure on the barrel. It's a 1-inch gun all day long.

I also threw a Leupold 2x7 on it. It is my lightweight bad weather go to gun. Accurate, bulletproof and easy to carry all day.

Highly recommend this setup!

CHC-Just want to say that I enjoy your posts.
Do you like or own any lever rifles? I'm a BLR shooer mostly,and a 7mm-08 is a fast handling deer killing round in that rifle!

I own and shoot two lever actions. In fact I was hoping to get in a situation on the elk hunt I just got back from where I could have killed the elk with my Chief Crazy Horse Commerative Model 94 Winchester in .38-55, things just did not work out that way. I did use it to kill the only bear I have killed, so far in 2010.

I also own and carry daily when making my rounds an 1894 Marlin in .44 Rem. Mag.

I don't have an American but I have a similar rifle, the Marlin XS7 in 308. It's very light and accurate. Has a nice trigger. I'm not sure how durable it is, it feels delicate compared to any of my other rifles. They are cheap shooters, almost disposable. I wouldn't want to be on an expensive hunt with it. I'd rather have something with a little more solid feel.

My neighbor picked up an American compact in 7mm-08 for his son. They love it. I have shot a Roberts for 30 plus years and I agree with your concerns of misplacing ammo while on a trip.

Some reasons I would get her the Ruger American in 7mm/08...

1. SHE likes it and it is going to be HER rifle.

2. You can get a mountain of used .308 cases (which you probably already have a bushel or so of) and it is no big trick at all to turn them into loaded 7/08 ammo.

3. See reason #1 again.

4. You can buy many sets of perfectly sound used reloading dies here in the U.S. for almost nothing at any gun show. So what you will pay for the dies will be only a tiny fraction of what you save on the cost of the rifle.

5. Re-read Reason #1 yet again.

6. A happy wife hunting with you is the very best hunting trip there is, whether for shrews or Tembo. So you may think you are buying it for her, but actually you'll be buying more pleasure for yourself in the field.

quote:

I'd rather have something with a little more solid feel.

We won't be going on any expensive hunts, it will just be used for culling does and shooting feral hogs and coyotes and maybe trips to high fence places shooting exotic deer/antelope does.

She will still have the .257 and will use it, I am just looking at getting her something that will handle a little heavier bullets without beating her up.

7mm-08 is a great caliber and easy to load for Varmints or Elk, anything in-between. 115 Speer for prairie dogs and 139-160 for big game worked for me. The rifle was the original Cheap Remington, the 788. Shot every load into the same POI and even interchanging bullets, less than an inch. I gave it to my cousin for his first rifle.

Several buddies have purchased the same rifle for their children. They all seem to think it is a good value.

I had the same thoughts several years ago. I had ordered a Model 7 CDL in the 260. Then thought about being separated from the ammo and called the next day. As the dealer had not placed the order, I changed to the 7mm-08.

Having a top 20 chambering is a good thing, particularly during the hunting season.

Many Thanks to all for their comments and suggestions. Merry Christmas to all.

Plus one on the cheap rifle craze. Their sole function is to be cheap and affordable for the nimrod hunters.

I have been watching the decline of American rifle manufacturing all my life and what is really sad is that we are buying this crap. The black gun craze is infiltrating the bolt action market and I am watching great rifles go away to make room for this crap. The ruger No. 1 will be gone within a couple years and is only offered in a handful of calibers. Presumabley because they are builing off what inventory of parts still sit the shelves.

I realize the average american dollar is not what it used to be and gun makers have to produce for the masses but that being said, one good rifle will last a lifetime.



Added note: The 257 Roberts is a great round but factory loadings do suck. The 7mm 08 does offer a greater range of versitlile quality ammo that far exceeds that of the Robers. Too bad the 260 didn't catch on the same way.

There is nothing wrong with the modern inexpensive sporting rifles and the Ruger American is a clever and effective design.
I certainly started out hunting with cheap entry level rifles and they taught me a lot about design and function.
The Ruger American is a rifle I recommend and I hope they sell a ton of them

Doesn't matter what anyone here thinks about the rifle as your Lora has to like it.
Take her to your favorite LGS and show her some choices and let her pick out the rifle she wants. Not the one you want to buy for her.

Lora looks at two things when it comes to getting a gun for her use, cost of the gun, and whether or not I think it is something she will not have any trouble shooting.

The 7mm-08 interests me because of the number of good reports I have had from folks that use that caliber. The rifle with scope should not be that much if any heavier than her .257.

My reasons for steering her toward another rifle lies solely in my belief that stepping up from 117/120 grain bullets to 130/140 grain bullets will give her a little more killing power if she places her shots correctly.

Many Thanks for all the input folks.

I have shot a number of the Ruger American rifles in a number of chamberings.
They are excellent rifles. They shoot far better than what they cost. They are light, handy and reliable. They are a good hunting rifle. They can be a bit hard on the bench due to light weight. The direct replacement recoil pad is worth buying.
That is the rifle I would buy if wanting one that is less costly than a Tikka which I would buy before a Rem/Win etc.

Why not go 308 and make ammo a no brainer.

Dull and mundane cartridge it is, but will do the job, and can be found most any place that has ammo for sale.

Even though I will occasionally shoot this rifle if we get it, same as I do her .257 Robert's. It will however be her rifle and after 21 years of watching her shoot, I feel the felt recoil of the .308 out of that light a gun would be uncomfortable for her, and I don't want to do anything to discourage her from wanting to use it.

Never ever buy a cheap gun new.

If you want cheap buy a used rifle from a company that has a good repair and warranty policy.

The used rifle has already depreciated.

For the cost of the new boat paddle you could buy a good used rifle.

Remember those terrible 1964 M70s?
They improved them a little in 1968.

A guy I know wanted to go moose hunting.
He found one of the 1968 rifles like new in 338 Win. It was $300. You have to search a little.

I just bought my daughter a Howa 7-08 Muddy Girl wrap rifle. She has a 257 Roberts.

I think everyone should wait to buy a car until they can get a classic corvette or big 3/4 ton diesel 4 wheel drive......come on - cheap accurate rifles are good for the shooting sports. A deer doesn't know the rifle and scope price when the bullet goes through its lungs. My next knock around hunting rifle will be the Ruger American based on bang for the buck in a popular caliber like 270,30-06,7mm-08.

Novice shooters can buy a very accurate rifle and scope combinations today without having to resort to Ford Pinto quality.

Light handy rifles that shoot well make a great deal of sense for women and young hunters and its hard to beat the 7-08 for your targeted animals.


The older style cars and rifles might be more attractive but technology and innovation make newer products more efficient and less costly. My ugly Savage 243 will get loaned out to another friends son next week for his first pig hunt - another hunter added to the fold.

It seems like everyone is talking like rifles wear out. Ironically they mostly show a little wear and tear around the edges but continue to shoot well for a life time.

Plus one again for buying an older rifle vs cheaper new.

Many great comments from everyone. Thank you all.

We are going to look at the rifle again, but knowing the purposes it is intended for and the type use/abuse it will be put thru, from our initial inspection it has a lot going for it. I have a couple of used K6 weavers that I got off of eBay and one of those will be mounted on the rifle, regardless of what rifle we decide upon.

While I prefer wood stocks, Lora is not as picky, so a synthetic stock won't be an issue and in its favor won't get as chewed up as a wood stock will.

Other considerations we look at are things like between the two of us, this rifle might only get shot a dozen times in a year, and most of that will take place during the initial sight in.

The comments that have been made has given me some other aspects to consider however.

I hunted for years with a Weatherby Vanguard. Then for a few more years with a Savage 110. I was not knowlegable enough at the time to understand that they were too cheap to be reliable, a good rifle, or to even function at all. And it is just a good thing that I didnt understand that at the time, because they both served me well for over a decade..

With that said, one of my latest aquisitions was a M-98 sporter in 30-06 from a pawn shop for less $$ then the new el-cheapo rifles. There are also a lot of such 270 win's to be had thesedays that seem to find their way to pawn shops. Maybe something to think about. But something like a Ruger American is affordable enough that I wouldnt hesitate to try one just because. I mean it is not like you're droping 5 grand on a new custom build. So why not?

quote:

Originally posted by Wstrnhuntr:
I hunted for years with a Weatherby Vanguard. Then for a few more years with a Savage 110. I was not knowlegable enough at the time to understand that they were too cheap to be reliable, a good rifle, or to even function at all. And it is just a good thing that I didnt understand that at the time, because they both served me well for over a decade..


With that said, one of my latest aquisitions was a M-98 sporter in 30-06 from a pawn shop for less $$ then the new el-cheapo rifles. There are also a lot of such 270 win's to be had thesedays that seem to find their way to pawn shops. Maybe something to think about. But something like a Ruger American is affordable enough that I wouldnt hesitate to try one just because. I mean it is not like you're droping 5 grand on a new custom build. So why not?

Big 10-4 roger

quote:

Maybe something to think about. But something like a Ruger American is affordable enough that I wouldnt hesitate to try one just because. I mean it is not like you're droping 5 grand on a new custom build. So why not?

That is pretty much the conclusion I have reached.

Get her a Savage 99 carbine in .308 Win. That would be my advice. Great little rifle. Machining masterpiece. A classic. Not a Walmart special. Lightweight and accurate. Ammo cheap and everywhere. The best for your best.

i have one in 308. why i dont know. complete POS.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
Get her a Savage 99 carbine in .308 Win. That would be my advice. Great little rifle. Machining masterpiece. A classic. Not a Walmart special. Lightweight and accurate. Ammo cheap and everywhere. The best for your best.

I finaly got me that model 88 308 that I have been wanting forever. LOVE it!!

I can appreciate CHC's position though. Somehow I dont think the average rifle toteing wifey has the same appreciation as us old curmudgeons for a classic (see used) rifle.. Most of them would look and see; new rifle, old used rifle, same price. And think, "looks like a no brainer to me, get the new one"! But iffin your better half does appreciate the finer points of rifle craftsmanship, by all means, get a keeper for that keeper!

Yes, she is not one of the ones that waxes longingly at classic rifles and the nostalgia they bring. She is more into utilitarian functioning at reasonable costs. As long as it goes bang when she pulls the trigger and hits what she is aiming at, that covers the whole concept for her.

Its probably a good enough rifle..My only concern is "IT AIN'T MAUSER LIKE"...and at my age that ain't gonna change...I'll give way to a Ruger African, a pre 64 mod. 70 and such, but never anything modern, I'm too old for modern..but I would fight to the death for your right to own any gun you wanted.