I am actually intrigued by this thing. I'd go with either the 6.5 Creedmoor or the .243.

http://www.gunsamerica.com/blo...ger-precision-rifle/

I am too; I put one on order; first one the distributor gets is mine. 6.5; 243 is too mundane.

Would normally agree, as I love 6.5s. But the .243 has a 26-inch barrel and a fast twist that would let me play with the heavy VLDs, something I have never done. Could also Ackley the chamber.

That's a hard concept to wrap my head about.

6mm: If you are used to Jewell triggers, Kelbly actions, Hart barrels, etc., I can understand. That 2.5-pound trigger would have to go, for starters.

Bill,
All of the above

From past experience Ruger and precision rarely go together. Now Ruger and reliable....Ruger and tough... You bet.


.

I agree!!

I tend to agree with JTEX and butch (I think)! The latest American Rifleman has a review of this gun. It costs (list) around $1400 but they admit will probably sell for less. My Remington HB in 308 will shoot as good if not better than that gun, and cost me a lot less. But, it is not as tacticool. It is an interesting design which is good to see, but, as the AR article points out, opportunities to shoot beyond 800 yards are hard to find. There is one range within 50 miles that allows me to shoot out to 850 yards, but logistics are difficult (may be better now). They don't allow shooting at steel, and spotting bullet holes at that range is impossible, therefore you need pits, a pit crew, markers etc. or else you drive down after everyone has shot and see where the bullets went. Video cameras might be the answer.
Having said all that, the price point is certainly a lot better than Accuracy International and GA guns.
Peter.

Peter, I'm building a 1000 yd hunting rifle for a friend. It is a 300 RUM shooting Alan Warner's new 200 grain 780BC bullets. That is G1. They will be so long that it will have to be fed single shot. Kim has a Swarovski in 6X18 X5. Kim has a bench set up 1000 yards from a corn feeder to shoot hogs.

They are readily available on GB now. The .243s and .308s seem to be falling below list already but the 6.5s seem to be holding closer to the $1400 MSRP. I think you can buy them now for about $1300 +shipping.

I may buy one, but I'm going to wait until the dust settles from the Am. Rifleman article, hopefully for less than $1200.

I have to wonder what these are capable of with good handloads and a better trigger. Thinking that the Savage 12 BVSS may finally have serious competition in an affordable factory rifle.

Bill, interesting point. I did not mention my Savage 110FP in 223. It is amazingly accurate with match bullets, but I have not shot it beyond 800 yards. Can't see anything at that range! No bullet splashes, nothing! I had a BVSS in 300WM but was disappointed in the accuracy ie. not as good as I expected.
butch, I have very good success with the 190 SMK's in my 308 and 300WM's but they are expensive! Curiously, the equivalent Nosler match bullets do not shoot as well (IMHO) as the Sierra's ie. the 150's, 155's, 168's etc.
Peter.

Peter, I had a similar experience with a 12 BVSS in .300 WinMag.
I was occasionally able get into the high .2s at 100 yards with the same rifle in .223 using the 69-grain Sierra MatchKing with a 12BVSS just before the Accutrigger came out. I had replaced the factory trigger with one from Sharpshooter Supply. I shot this rifle out to 600 yards with MOA accuracy of about 6 inches, but I am no long range wind/mirage doper. Love to spend more time shooting at mid and long ranges. I think either the 6.5 C or the .243 would be very pleasant calibers for this work.

Bill, in my limited experience, 2 rifles, one a Sako Heavy Barrel and the other a Rem 788, I was very disappointed in the accuracy of the 243. I am just not convinced that it is an inherently accurate cartridge, whatever that means! I think that any cartridge that is used in F class would be a good starting point.
Just my 2 cents!
Peter.

John Whidden just won the NRA Highpower Longrange title again with the 243.

I mentioned my limited experience with the 243, but isn't High power limited to 600 yards or so? I would think that lighter bullets would cause more problems as the range increased. But, like I say, my experience is limited. I have shot Highpower at reduced targets at 200 yards with my Colt HBAR. That standing bit is just crazy!!!
Peter

After doing some more reading on the calibers available, it seems likely the .243 would have the shortest barrel life, leaving the 6.5 Creedmoor as the most logical choice for me.
Peter, some years ago I read a very interesting article on the .223 at 1,000 yards by an Australian fellow whom I later met in the company of the late Chick Donnelly. The "little" .223 is a very capable cartridge with the right bullets.

Bill, agreed. However I have had no luck in my Savage 110FP with the 77 or 80 grain bullets accuracy wise. Wrong twist presumably. However, the 69 gr. SMK's are superb. haven't tried them at 1000 yards though!
I think the 6.5 in it's various manifestations is probably the best there is right now, although out to 800 yards or so I would still prefer the 308! Cheaper to shoot.
Peter.

Hmmm, interesting rifle. In Germany, we will get the first rifles at autum, priced about 1450Euro. I´m thinking about the 6,5Creedmoor. But, by the way, why isn´t there any feedback about the .308Win chambering in the www. I saw only very good groups with the 6,5.

Martin

I saw one at the range this past Sunday. 6.5 Creedmore. I wasn't really impressed. Seems way too "gadgety" for me.

The guy who had it was doing barrel break in and it was shooting about MOA with factory loads.


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It seems one of the primary selling points is that one can festoon the thing with AR accessories. I think it might not be a bad basis for an F/tr rifle in 308. I am mildly interested except that I already have three Winchesters and a 40X; all of which shoot just fine. It costs less than either of two actions I have under the bench. Regards, Bill.

MOA would be dreadfully disappointing. Hope after barrel break-in he can find a handload that does much better.

quote:

MOA would be dreadfully disappointing

Agreed! This is after all a "Precision Rifle"! Still early days yet, and the American rifleman tests were quite rigorous and definitely better.
Peter.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
MOA would be dreadfully disappointing. Hope after barrel break-in he can find a handload that does much better.

He is one of our better shooters, used to play the bench rest game and such. I am sure he can wring the most out of it. It'll be interesting.

They say they have a 5R barrel? I thought Ruger used cold hammer forging? Can you cold hammer forge 5R rifling? Or did they outsource the barrels on these? If they outsourced 'em they might have a better chance at accuracy???



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The title of "precision rifle" should be taken with a bit of reservation for that name always brings to mind those shooting in the bench rest world where precision is measured in tenths for the group. I do see the new Ruger as a real bargain for NRA Long Range match shooting. Regardless of calibers offered, if the rifle will maintain 1 moa at Long Range matches, (600yds is the starting line for NRA Long Range)
the rifle offers real value. Shot Long Range and Palma matches for several years and some shooters had stocks that were equal in price to this rifle. There is much to said for the fact that you can change out the barrel on your bench when needed with basic tools and go with different calibers as long as .473 bolt face and the magazine functions. With .750 diameter muzzle easy to install globe front sight w/ barrel band, universal rear sight base for your Warner, Zelenak, etc. micrometer rear sight, front hand stop/swivel for sling, easy adjustable butt stock, and you are good to go. Rifle comes with 20moa rail so most any good quality optics will get you to the 1000yd line.
The 60deg. bolt opening is said to be easy to operate and in prone with sling a "heavy" bolt opening will work against you during the match.
I don't see any real advantage to the folding butt other than portability, but similar stocks with this feature cost as much as this entire rifle. IF the rifle proves to be as good as the American Rifle review I can see LE folks considering it. Providing the trigger is dependable I would not opt to change it for in Long Range a super light trigger can work against you for the basic reason in using micrometer sights, prone, sling, changing light conditions, sudden wind changes, etc. you will want to "hold up" and with 1lb trigger or less, that shot will go when you should have waited a bit. Due to age and health don't compete anymore in Long Range matches, but had such a rifle been around 30 years ago would have saved me a whole bunch of money and time waiting on the 'smith to finish my rifle in time for the season to start.

Thanks for your post, Instructor. I hadn't thought about this as a platform for iron sights. Dunno if my 62-year-old eyes are up to it, and I know for certain that my fused lower back would kick up some fuss with getting up and down from prone all the time. Still, I like the idea.

Yes you can, and Ruger does, hammer forge 5R rifling.
It ain't a bench rest rifle.
Look at the price; you can't touch anything remotely similar for 4 times the price and up.
The NRA tests showed some very nice groups.
I am getting one as soon as the distributors get them.
Iron sight platform; very viable, but I will use a scope.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Yes you can, and Ruger does, hammer forge 5R rifling.
It ain't a bench rest rifle.
Look at the price; you can't touch anything remotely similar for 4 times the price and up.
The NRA tests showed some very nice groups.

Iron sight platform; very viable, but I will use a scope.

+1

Trying to sort out which optic I would mount on this in 6.5 C for working out to 1,000 on occasion.

I like Instructor's line of thought. I was thinking this rifle might be a good platform for an over-the-course competition rifle. Match sights to fit the rail are available and it should be possible to add a hand stop to the forend tube. A poor man's Tubb 2000.

I believe the rules are changing to allow a 4 or 6X scope in cross the course shooting.

Our club member with 6.5 Creedmore was back with it this Sunday. After break in.....yeah,yeah....he shot two groups with factory Hornady at two hundred yards that where right around an inch and a quarter.

I was impressed. Handloads, and he is a handloader, oughta be interesting.

On another note I was looking at the construction..... that rear stock is neat as heck, but the free float tube is just "squeeze" clamped to the barrel nut and would move around pretty easily. Seems like Ruger could have done a bit better there.....

.

So I wonder how to Ruger would compare to the Tikka Master Sporter? Heavy gun, but seems to have a good reputation. I have several Tikkas and they ALL shoot very well. The Tikka MS seems to go, used for around $1400 or so.
Peter.

My father recently bought one of the Rugers in 308 and reports that it shoots sub moa with his own 155gr bullets. In general, he likes the rifle and reports that the trigger is OK but the stock will take some getting used to. He is finding the recoil from a 308 to be a little rough on his 90 year old shoulder so is planning on a brake.