Ruger American Rim-fire

[angrybear]

Having decided that there was after all a place for a .22lr in the cabinet, on renewal of ticket I put in a variation & started looking.
I handled everything on the shelf in various dealers & decided that nothing really stood out, when there on the cover of Aprils Shooting Sports was a Ruger American Rim-fire.
Spoke to the RFD (Country Sports Shop, Newton Abbott) who agreed to order one sale or return.

It comes in a solid feeling synthetic stock with a very nicely shaped fore end that gives plenty of grip even when wet, and I think is clever, in that you get two stock cheek inserts one with a low combe for the fitted open sights, & one with a raised combe for use with a scope (held in place by the rear sling stud).
The mag is the normal Ruger 10 shot rotary which has so far been flawless, I'm told the mag release is larger than previously (?) & the 18" barrel comes screw cut for a mod.

For me the safety catch is in the perfect place right behind the bolt for a flick with the thumb, and I really like the Accu-Trigger within trigger set up.
The bolt was a bit stiff out of the box but a splash of dri-slide & a bit of action has it running nice & smooth.

Initially I fitted a Hawke Vantage 3-9x40 with the .22 subs reticle, which was very nice but fixed focus so no use with a NV add on, It now wears my trusty Mamba-lite 3-12x44.

So far I've only put about 300 rounds through it and the accuracy seems to be improving the more use it gets, 1/2" at 50yds & 1"-1.25" at 100yds in the field with fiocchi subs, and its put plenty of rabbits in the freezer already.

Best of all it weighs about half what the HW60 HMR does at a smidge over 6lbs, so is a joy to carry on a walk around the fields.

pics.

[Rob Edge]

I have the Ruger M77 American in WMR. It came with the lightweight cutaway synthetic stock and shoots better than me.

[verminatormjc]

I have a Ruger American and I love it too, also you can use the bx25 mags too

[angrybear]

I have a Ruger American and I love it too, also you can use the bx25 mags too

Actually one of the reasons I dismissed most other 22's was because of the magazine sticking out interfering with my grip

[billm]

I have the 10/22 carbine stainless steel and synthetic stock and mod, magic.

[angrybear]

I have the 10/22 carbine stainless steel and synthetic stock and mod, magic.

Very good, but a totally different rifle from the American bolt action of this review thread.

[IanSea]

Do you mind me asking how much you paid? I like the look of the RAR but the eye watering prices being asked for what should be quite a cheap gun would put me off. The Sportsman are listing the 18" threaded version of the RAR at £515. The Ruger list price in the US for this version is $389 and they can be had for $320. The Sportsmans price for a CZ455 16" threaded synthetic stock version is £355.

I've read a lot of US users opinions on Rimfire Central and the general consensus seems to be that the RAR isn't quite as good as a CZ 455 but "what do you expect for $40 to $50 less". In the UK however the RAR (based on the Sportsman's prices) is £160 more expensive than the CZ so, unless better discounts are available, I can't see many being sold over here. Shame, as it looks like a well designed rifle.

If semi auto rifles were to be banned I could see a lot of us 10/22 users, doing mini rifle type events, turning to the RAR in droves as as the existing 25 round mags could still be used.

[verminatormjc]

Actually one of the reasons I dismissed most other 22's was because of the magazine sticking out interfering with my grip

Well I don't hold the rifle that far back, but you can use the 10 shot mag, or the bx15? Still more rounds then most other 22's

[angrybear]

Do you mind me asking how much you paid? I like the look of the RAR but the eye watering prices being asked for what should be quite a cheap gun would put me off. The Sportsman are listing the 18" threaded version of the RAR at £515. The Ruger list price in the US for this version is $389 and they can be had for $320. The Sportsmans price for a CZ455 16" threaded synthetic stock version is £355.

I've read a lot of US users opinions on Rimfire Central and the general consensus seems to be that the RAR isn't quite as good as a CZ 455 but "what do you expect for $40 to $50 less". In the UK however the RAR (based on the Sportsman's prices) is £160 more expensive than the CZ so, unless better discounts are available, I can't see many being sold over here. Shame, as it looks like a well designed rifle.

If semi auto rifles were to be banned I could see a lot of us 10/22 users, doing mini rifle type events, turning to the RAR in droves as as the existing 25 round mags could still be used.

I paid £395, from the Country Sports Shop, Kingsteignton, they ordered it in for me, sale or return.

[angrybear]

Well I don't hold the rifle that far back, but you can use the 10 shot mag, or the bx15? Still more rounds then most other 22's

I don't hold them that far back either but the longer mags on most rifles dig in to my wrist / forearm so I have to twist my wrist so my arm is down the side which I find less stable.

[IanSea]

I paid £395, from the Country Sports Shop, Kingsteignton, they ordered it in for me, sale or return.

Thanks. That sounds like a much more sensible price!