Ruger American Ranch?

[wesmonster]

I have two AR mag version Rugers in .300bo & 6.5Grendel.
Light, accurate, reliable.
Action isn’t as smooth as other bolt actions but the AR mags are uber cheap, reliable and your choice of capacity.
I also made a super short mag for my .300bo with an OKAY/Surefeed 10 round mag. Removed the plastic extended base and used a std. flat base plate. Only holds 6 rounds but an inch shorter than anyone else’s 10 round mag.

 

[brewer12345]

wesmonster, it is interesting to hear you mention the action. I noticed it wasn't anywhere near as smooth as my Tika, but didn't know if it would smooth out over time. No biggie either way since we are talking about a bolt rather than a lever.

 

[Armored farmer]

Dang! Yall are making me want one now! And I remember that I still have an ammo can full of 7.62x39 from when I had my sks. It's just sitting there....with no gun to shoot it.

He's hooked.

 

[792mauser]

Love mine. A 7.62x39 homely damsel.
With Tula 123gr ammunition it smacks a 16" steel square at 350 yds with monotonous regularity.
With 154gr sp Tula is still good for 250-300 yds.

Ruger sure knows how to build 'em.



With my not so inconsiderable Chinese 7.62x39 stockpile, I'm better off firing my Brown Bess smoothbore at the target.

 

[wesmonster]

wesmonster, it is interesting to hear you mention the action. I noticed it wasn't anywhere near as smooth as my Tika, but didn't know if it would smooth out over time. No biggie either way since we are talking about a bolt rather than a lever.

Yes, both Rugers have smoothed out quite a bit with use. Nowhere near as smooth as my old K98 Mauser but good enough. I’ve never cycled a rotary mag Ruger bolt for comparison but the AR mags take a bit of effort to strip. The Ruger bolt is pretty small, a decent aftermarket one would give a lot more leverage.

 

[HOWARD J]

I have the ruger american ranch in 762x39, and i love it! Whats holding you back from getting one?

@Armored farmer, what kind of muzzle device is that one yours? I slapped a standard A2 birdcage, but want something better.

Possibly the fact you can't find one in 223 & 7.62 x 39 around here or anywhere many miles from here

 

[CraigC]

They are fantastic rifles! I have two in .300Blk and .450BM. If I can ever find one in 6.5Grendel, I'll have three.

 

[earlthegoat2]

If your not into ARs but want AR designed cartridges, you can get the Ruger American Ranch for around the price of a slightly above the cheapest option upper.

 

[Skylerbone]

They aren’t much to look at, and some take a bit of massaging before they cooperate. My 6.5 Predator got a facelift in the form of a Compact stock, conversion from AICS to rotary mag, bolt work, and trigger shims/job. Good rifle.

My 350 Legend was a bit of a problem child in the feeding department. Now I’m not running CMMG mags as I had read Duramags were the sure thing and bought spares.

To date: I polished the bolt, re-profiled the bolt’s extractor lug which was catching the ejection port, chamfered the inside edge of the port, lapped the rails with valve compound, and chamfered the front edge of the mags to eliminate case mouth snagging. Finished it off with a Kaw Valley Precision linear comp (9mm 1/2x28) I’ll do a trigger job and shim it as time allows and I may further modify the magazines beyond their present file work. Last bit, as always, grease the lugs.

I concur that feed is rather finicky as delivered but the work has eased it greatly as does a vigorous cycling. With so much slop within the raceway it's rather easy to cant the bolt so an enlarged knob may be of assistance here too.









It was a tiny bit rough.


Results to date are promising. This set was so close to camp I had forgotten to chamber a round but my daughter managed to do so once she squeezed on a dead trigger.

 

[CraigC]

I wish they would do an 18" 6.5CM, either Predator or Ranch. I'd also LOVE to see them do a Scout version of the American. I have the scout mount from Skinner but am waiting for the 6.5G to put it on.

 

[Skylerbone]

Here’s a side-by-side of a modified and standard magazine for 350 Legend.

 

[mavracer]

My 300 blackout version is great I got it for a suppressor host. I ordered up a Boyds Spike Camp stock

 

[marksman13]

I’ll be the odd man out. I hate mine. I rate it as one of the worst rifle purchases I’ve ever made. Mine is a 223 and it does not group. It patterns like a shotgun. Does not matter what I feed it, the absolute best group it has ever given me is 2” at 100 yards and that was Federal GMM 69 grain ammo. I would have gotten rid of it long ago if it were not a birthday gift to my daughter.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I’ll be the odd man out. I hate mine. I rate it as one of the worst rifle purchases I’ve ever made. Mine is a 223 and it does not group. It patterns like a shotgun. Does not matter what I feed it, the absolute best group it has ever given me is 2” at 100 yards and that was Federal GMM 69 grain ammo. I would have gotten rid of it long ago if it were not a birthday gift to my daughter.

As of right now, I would not say I love mine. I have only shot it once and it’s around 3-3 1/2” groups so far. I need to clean it and shoot it again to see if they close up.

I knew what I was getting when I bought it. Other than their reputation as being functional and accurate, they are cheap piled on top of more cheap. They are a bit better in their cheapness than their contemporaries, the Savage Axis and the probably defunct Rem 773.

I bought mine because it was the only production left handed 450 BM bolt gun and it was a special limited run. I know it is a compromise and if I like it I will get something nicer. Probably a custom 450 lefty Savage or Rem 700 type.

 

[marksman13]

As of right now, I would not say I love mine. I have only shot it once and it’s around 3-3 1/2” groups so far. I need to clean it and shoot it again to see if they close up.

I knew what I was getting when I bought it. Other than their reputation as being functional and accurate, they are cheap piled on top of more cheap. They are a bit better in their cheapness than their contemporaries, the Savage Axis and the probably defunct Rem 773.

I bought mine because it was the only production left handed 450 BM bolt gun and it was a special limited run. I know it is a compromise and if I like it I will get something nicer. Probably a custom 450 lefty Savage or Rem 700 type.

They are better than the Savage and Remington competitors. I don’t dispute that. I’ve just spoiled myself on nicer rifles.

 

[If1HitU]

I want to add one of those to my rifle family, I don't own a bolt action rifle as of now.

 

[HankC]

I see it a step up over Savage Axis but still in the same class. Ruger is over $400 and Savage Axis can be had less than $300, Ruger has a heavy threaded barrel and metal mag are the plus, but you pay more. Ruger offers calibers that Savage doesn't would be the only reason for me to go with Ruger if I wanted one. I wanted to add a 7.62x39 bolt gun, but I went with Howa Mini, partly because I like top open receiver and Howa offers that. I bought the Howa action from Brownell, added a Boyd's stock and I get a nice gun in wood for less than $400.

 

[brewer12345]

Well, I used my 350 Legend AR in the field today. It is accurate enough that I was able to make a 40 yard head shot on a moving muskrat with WWB FMJ. On the other hand, it is a good thing I made a head shot because the skrat's head vaporized. Had I hit it in the body I might have been collecting pieces of skrat. When I got home my 350L mold from Accurate had arrived, so I am looking forward to casting and working up a subsonic load for the American Ranch.

 

[army_eod]

I had the 350 Legend. Excellent rifle. Extremely accurate.

 

[Crosshair]

I had the 350 Legend. Excellent rifle. Extremely accurate.

Any idea if it uses a .355" or a .357" bore?

 

[LoonWulf]

I’ll be the odd man out. I hate mine. I rate it as one of the worst rifle purchases I’ve ever made. Mine is a 223 and it does not group. It patterns like a shotgun. Does not matter what I feed it, the absolute best group it has ever given me is 2” at 100 yards and that was Federal GMM 69 grain ammo. I would have gotten rid of it long ago if it were not a birthday gift to my daughter.

Shoot Ruger an email, I'd bet they take it back and either get it shooting right, or replace it.


I've had a pile of Americans and besides their stock designs there's very little I can really find to complain about.
None of mine (ok to be fair none of my guns period) stay original very long, but the only things I've actually spent much money on have been stocks.
Triggers are usually just "OK", but with a few mins of stoning and replacing the return spring with a 2 dollar AR spring (or cutting one from spring stock, as I'm prone to do). They can be brought to "good"

Beyond that and a fluff and buff on the action (or coating it) I haven't felt the need to change much.

I also feel there are nicer guns for not much more right out of the box. The Mauser m18 springs to mind, while still being in the price range.

 

[army_eod]

Any idea if it uses a .355" or a .357" bore?

I don't but Ruger would know.

 

[BigBL87]

I don't but Ruger would know.

You would think, but IIRC there was some confusion over it which caused some states to not allow the 350 Legend for deer. Some states specify ".357 or larger" and I think the mixed signals from Ruger caused some problems.

 

[Crosshair]

I don't but Ruger would know.

They havn't returned my email, so maybe not?

So much I'm seeing says .357" is a no go most of the time. Which really kills any interest in the cartridge.

 

[Skylerbone]

I haven’t slugged mine so I can’t say for sure, but it is adequate in the accuracy department. Inside 3” out to 200 yards if you’re dialed for drop. That was 16 clicks with American Whitetail and beyond 200 yards 350 Legend starts dropping fast.

In any case the bore diameter doesn’t appear to be a problem and most States will list acceptable calibers.



Shot by a (then) 14 year old with ~2 years of shooting experience, off sand bags and a rear rest. First time shooting the Ruger for her, the odd center is ink where my dad attempted to make a black circle out of a diamond.