Ruger American rimfire

[American_Fusilier]

I've been thinking about picking up a Ruger American rimfire in .22lr.

It would be a target gun, suppressor host, and a critter getter.

What are you experiences with these rifles?

Any problems with them?

Any info would be great, thanks!

 

[American_Fusilier]

I'm looking at getting this one: https://lockedloaded.com/product/rug-american-rimfire-22lr-18-bronze-go-wild

I'm not a fan of the camo stock, but that could always be spray painted...

 

[jmr40]

I can't find the version I had on their website. It was basically this rifle, but with a synthetic stock.

Ruger American® Rimfire Target Bolt-Action Rifle Model 8348

ruger.com

It was no more accurate than a typical 10/22 and wouldn't fully eject empty brass unless you worked the bolt vigorously. Pull the bolt back slowly and it left the empty brass in the receiver. I didn't keep it long.

I replaced it with a Tikka T1x

Buy Tikka T1x MTR 22 LR 20 Threaded Barrel Synthetic Stock 101 Online

The Tikka T1x MTR rimfire rifle is designed to handle a wide range of shooting tasks. The action shares the same bedding surfaces and inlay footprint with the centerfire

www.budsgunshop.com

They were about $200 cheaper when I bought mine. So was the Ruger. It was well worth the price difference to get an accurate rifle for me.

The Tikka at 250 yards. Fired 8 shots, 6 connected. The bigger mark was from a 223 fired earlier. I'm fighting a little wind and I ran out of scope adjustment. My aiming point was the last visible chain link on the left.


50 yards, 5 shots



Five shots in 1.5" @ 200 yards. I'm a bit high, but...

 

[.308 Norma]

What are you experiences with these rifles?

My wife loves hers. As per her instructions, it's the rifle I bought for her for her birthday a few years ago. And so far, I don't think she's had a single failure of any kind with it.
She wanted the one with the component stock because she's only 5'1" with short arms to match. Consequently, every long gun she's ever owned (before the American Rimfire) had to be shortened to fit her. With the American Rimfire though, all she did was order the component kit from Ruger and swap components until the rifle fit perfectly.
That's her shooting ground squirrels with her American Rimfire on our friend's ranch the spring before last. I pretty sure the extended magazine is one of my extended magazines for my 10-22.

 

[American_Fusilier]

Wow! Nice groups!

The Tikka looks like a shooter! A little out of my price range though.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I have one in 17HMR. I like it. No issues with it so far.

 

[American_Fusilier]

@.308 Norma that looks like the exact one in looking at. I like the ceracoated barrel and action, as well as the cool muzzle break

 

[American_Fusilier]

Anybody else have ejection problems with theirs?

 

[Buzznrose]

…

That's her shooting ground squirrels with her American Rimfire on our friend's ranch the spring before last. I pretty sure the extended magazine WAS one of my extended magazines for my 10-22.
View attachment 1191929

I fixed it for you…LOL!!!

 

[wesmonster]

I've had a 18" Ruger Am. rimfire compact for about six years now and a 16" Tikka T1x for two years now.
The Tikka is hands down my most accurate rimfire and doesn't seem picky with ammo, great groups with plain ol CCI std. so it's not living on just a diet of match grade ammo.
The Ruger's accuracy is just good but still fun to shoot and both have been 100% reliable.
The Tikka makes good use of it's scope for long distance shooting while the American sports a red dot for fast shots up close.
I also have a rotary mag modified for shorts (easy to find on ebay) which the Tikka can't.

Both have configurable stocks. I got a Ruger compact just cause it was super cheap and added the longer stock adaptor, and having two versions with and without a riser is a clean look.
The Tikka has the accessory pistol grip, butt pad and a pic rail in place of the swivel stud for my QD bipod. So neither needs an aftermarket stock for my needs.

I also have twice the money in the Tikka vs the American, based on today's msrps that gap isn't as large.

But if you've got Tikka money then a CZ isn't much more. I almost went that route til I shot one, the CZ won with match grade loads but the Tikka handled CCI std. better. And the CZ wood was just too nice to take in the woods.

 

[CraigC]

They're excellent, I have three of them.

My .22LR is in a factory green stock with a Burris mini 4x in Leupold mounts. Allows me to use the short stock and low comb.

My GoWild is a .22Mag that I put in a Boyd's stock.

 

[American_Fusilier]

They're excellent, I have three of them.

My .22LR is in a factory green stock with a Burris mini 4x in Leupold mounts. Allows me to use the short stock and low comb.

My GoWild is a .22Mag that I put in a Boyd's stock.

Nice looking rifles man! That green one is exactly the setup I'm looking to do!

 

[Spats McGee]

I've got a couple of them, and I like them a lot. I've had a 10/22 since I was about 12, so being able to use 10/22 mags played a role in my decision to buy them as opposed to some of the other .22 rifles on the market. Neither one has given me a moment of trouble.

First up, one with a copper mica stock and a 22" barrel. I had the barrel threaded and put a scope on it, with the idea that it would be my Squirrel Sniper. Eventually, I decided that simple was better for this rifle, and took it back to iron sights. (A 22" barrel + suppressor makes for a loooooong rifle.) I use it as a plinker, and a trainer for teaching new shooters to use iron sights.

At the other end of the spectrum, I have The Rat. It's one of their Target models, with an 18" bull barrel, a Dead Air Mask, and a Nikon scope. It's heavier than I'd like for a plinker, but shooting it from the bench is fantastic.

 

[SC45-70]

Anybody else have ejection problems with theirs?

During the "pandemic" I had extraction problems with CCI standard velocity ammo. At the time CCi seamed to use too much bullet lube, you could see it on the brass case. If I would wipe the lube off the case I had no problem. I never have the problem with any other ammo or with older or newer CCI standard velocity ammo. I had the same problem with my Marlin XT22 with the same ammo. My extraction problem was ammo related. I love my Ruger American 22.

 

[ditmo]

I have the American Compact. No issues with extraction or ejection. I've never put it on paper so no idea of group sizes. I can hit clays and pop cans no problem out to 100yds. Bought it because it uses 10/22 mags and I have a ton of those.

 

[CarJunkieLS1]

I have a Ruger American Rimfire Target model. The one with the laminate wood stock and 18" stainless bull barrel. Mine has been perfectly reliable and accurate enough for shooting golf balls, rocks, cans etc. at the 54 yard range I shoot it at. It ain't as accurate as some 22's I've seen and definitely not as accurate as the Tikka T1 I've seen posted above.

My only thing is it absolutely HATES any and all ammo that is lead, like 2 inch groups at 54 yards. As soon as I shoot plated bullets it does good and even great. Lucky for me it likes the plain jane CCI Mini Mag 36gr HP.

Here is a quick 3 shot group I did last weekend just to make sure it was sighted in to go squirrel hunting with it. Shots were at 54 yards off a front sand bag and resting against my shoulder. Id say not bad but not great, for sure good enough for my uses, plinking, and hunting tree rats.

 

[HJ857]

Anybody else have ejection problems with theirs?

I have one of the early models and put a Boyd's stock on it. I didn't mind the plastic stock but the bluing is so nice that I thought it deserved a nicer stock.

It did develop ejection problems. It will accumulate fouling and schmutz under the extractor over time. Enough that the extractor won't be able to move enough to engage the rim of the case. Just disassemble and remove the extractor and clean that area and the ejection issues will go away. It's a very easy job.