Skylerbone
Member
I posted a few weeks back about my new Ruger American Predator with modifications. What I really wanted was not available at the time so I settled and began an arduous search for the solution to the dilemma I created. Today began the first stage in ernest toward winding up with a compact rifle for my daughter to shoot.
The rifle: began as a new for 2018 Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor. In previous years Ruger offered several versions of the American (Centerfire) as a standard or compact stocked rifle using proprietary rotary magazines. This iteration offered a “modular” magwell using AI magazines but as yet no compact version.
I read more than once the older versions only differed in LOP and barrel length but received mixed reports on whether the new version was backward compatible, because after all, who would willingly choose a proprietary over AI magazines? This guy! but only insofar as doing so would get me a shorter stock. Why would a guy 6’2” with ape arms want a compact stock? Because his daughter is 11 and wants to hunt.
I’m pleased to report that so far the only hitch in my plan were the too long action screws which I replaced after carefully eyeballing then cutting a pair of 1/4 24 thread fine machine screws to the correct length with a cutoff wheel. So far, so good and I’ll report back once the correct magazine arrives later in the week.
Moral of the story: if you want a compact Ruger...buy it that way! It’s not a complicated swap (so far) just more expensive than it had to be. If all goes well it should also indicate that those with older versions with rotary magazines should be convertible to AI magazines by purchasing the newer modular stock from Ruger. A note on that; shopruger.com was out of stock on the Compact stock so I went through Ruger’s Customer Service department instead.
Started here.
Chancing cutting the stock and finding a recoil pad to fit was an option, one I did not relish.
L to R; Ruger Compact, T/C Compass, Ruger full size. Note length of pull.
The two Ruger stocks side by side.
The Ruger “Compact” and T/C Compass with very similar LOP, about 1/2” difference but the bolts lined up in nearly the same spot.
The rifle: began as a new for 2018 Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor. In previous years Ruger offered several versions of the American (Centerfire) as a standard or compact stocked rifle using proprietary rotary magazines. This iteration offered a “modular” magwell using AI magazines but as yet no compact version.
I read more than once the older versions only differed in LOP and barrel length but received mixed reports on whether the new version was backward compatible, because after all, who would willingly choose a proprietary over AI magazines? This guy! but only insofar as doing so would get me a shorter stock. Why would a guy 6’2” with ape arms want a compact stock? Because his daughter is 11 and wants to hunt.
I’m pleased to report that so far the only hitch in my plan were the too long action screws which I replaced after carefully eyeballing then cutting a pair of 1/4 24 thread fine machine screws to the correct length with a cutoff wheel. So far, so good and I’ll report back once the correct magazine arrives later in the week.
Moral of the story: if you want a compact Ruger...buy it that way! It’s not a complicated swap (so far) just more expensive than it had to be. If all goes well it should also indicate that those with older versions with rotary magazines should be convertible to AI magazines by purchasing the newer modular stock from Ruger. A note on that; shopruger.com was out of stock on the Compact stock so I went through Ruger’s Customer Service department instead.
Started here.
Chancing cutting the stock and finding a recoil pad to fit was an option, one I did not relish.
L to R; Ruger Compact, T/C Compass, Ruger full size. Note length of pull.
The two Ruger stocks side by side.
The Ruger “Compact” and T/C Compass with very similar LOP, about 1/2” difference but the bolts lined up in nearly the same spot.