First outing Ruger American Ranch 7.62x39

C

ciwsguy

New member
This looks like a keeper to me. Used factory brass cased S&B 124 FMJ ammo, indoors at 50 yards. This ammo had 0.311 diam lead core bullets. Also shot Fiocchi 123 FMJ with .310 bullets, which resulted in a slightly larger grouping. Looks like a keeper to me.
 

Attachments

  • 5BFA4235-9F7F-47BC-B248-D16BD2D58959.jpeg
    5BFA4235-9F7F-47BC-B248-D16BD2D58959.jpeg
    722.7 KB · Views: 290
Handy

I think a tidy x39mm bolt rifle is a very handy rifle. Powerful enough for most of what we do with rifles. Not too expensive to feed nor too abusive to shoot to allow for ample practice. I've not got an American Ranch, but I do have it's big brother, a 77MkII lightweight, and it is one of my favorite rigs.

My experience has been that x39mm ammo quality is all over the map. We have to shoot what we can find these days, but W-W white box 123 FMJ has been a good performer in several of my rifles so chambered. The Hornady SST bullet does very well in my reloads as well.

Plunk a tidy scope on your Ruger and you'll have a vey useful rifle.
 
I have a Ruger American Ranch as well, but in .300 BLK. Once my suppressor came in it has become my favorite range toy. Shooting steel with subsonic ammunition makes me giggle like a little kid at Christmas.

I really thought the rifle was so-so until I got a suppressor. However, it has been pretty accurate from the start with just about any ammunition I feed it. This year I'll use it deer hunting in Oklahoma with some 190 grain Hornady Sub-X loads, it has worked okay with supersonic loads on deer in the past.
 
Try some PPU rounds in your Ruger. My CZ 527 does well with PPU soft points. I was disappointed with the SST rounds that shot well in my AKs. Each rifle has it's preferred ammo. Lately, I've just been shooting Golden Tiger 124's which give decent accuracy for plinking. Out of my rifle, the SSTs shoot about the same as the GTs.
 
Haven’t found any PPU 7.62x39. Have Wolf steel case, S&B and Fiocchi. Just ordered some Norma. Most of what I buy is brass cased to facilitate reloading.
Speaking of reloading, for those who reload the 7.62x39, what powder/bullet combination do you find works well for you?
 
I've had good/excellent results using hornady 123 sst's and cavity back 125's with AA1680, shooter's world blackout, H4198, and CFE BLK.
 
In general I’ve used H335, AA1680, Bl-C(2) and RE7 with good results. The best bullets I’ve used are the Hornady SST’s. RE7 and the SST’s have given me right around 1MOA consistently in my AR47. Most other bullets and powders can give between 1-2 MOA.
 
I like a nice, accurate little rifle in 7.62X39. I built a couple of Mauser 93s in 7.62X39 and they are a joy to shoot. With Wolf ammo you will be lucky to get better than 1-1/2" to 2", but that's plenty good enough for anything up to deer size out to 300-ish yards. Low recoil and good terminal performance.
 
I don’t care much for polymer stocks, but admit they are
1) lightweight
2) they work

I have read that some folks try to replace factory polymer stocks with a Boyd’s or other laminated stock, but sometimes the results aren’t so good.
 
Started reloading 7.62x39 and

Using Lee premium die set with .310 expander ball. Very difficult to resize. Yes, I’m lubing the brass. Using once fired S&B, Fiocchi and Norma. Using Federal LR primers. Difficult seating the primers, though all seated successfully.
So do any other reloaders have similar experiences with 7.62x39 resizing and primer seating?
Brass has been wet tumbled with SS pins and Hornady brass cleaner.
Wondering what others experience
 
I bought my RAR in 7.62X39 when they were first announced and I find it to be an exceedingly accurate and handy rifle.



I have hand loaded hunting ammo using both Nosler .308 diameter 110 grain Varmageddon and Nosler 123 grain “tipped” .310 bullets with great success (although groups with the .308 diameter bullets were not as good as the .310’s)

This is 5 rounds at 100 yards using a max charge of Accurate Arms 1680 and the .310 123 grainers:


Groups with the Varmageddons similarly loaded were twice that size with odd flyers here and there.

Accuracy with the Varmageddons was definitely good enough for hunting and I have taken several coyotes with that bullet and a max charge of AA1680:

At 2600 fps the 110 grain Varmageddons are devastating at 85 yards


I have fired what I consider an inordinate number of steel cased ammo through mine and accuracy (depending on brand) is quite good with that as well with groups hovering around 1.5 to 1.75” at 100 yards.

If you want a very nice, inexpensive, relatively cheap to shoot (at todays prices) you can’t go wrong with an RAR in X39.
 
ciwsguy said:
Using Lee premium die set with .310 expander ball. Very difficult to resize. Yes, I’m lubing the brass. Using once fired S&B, Fiocchi and Norma. Using Federal LR primers. Difficult seating the primers, though all seated successfully.
So do any other reloaders have similar experiences with 7.62x39 resizing and primer seating?
Brass has been wet tumbled with SS pins and Hornady brass cleaner.
Wondering what others experience
Click to expand...
Try wet tumbling without the pins.
 
I also have Norma 7.62x39 brass. The primer pockets were tight when they were new. They will loose up after some loads. No problem with resizing. What lube do you use? Is it difficult going in or coming out?

Most semi autos are over gassing. They tends to chew up the extraction rim. Not good for brass life. Adjusting gassing is way easier on a mini-30 than my sks.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 
What Lube? Hornady one shot on the outside of the case and in the neck. Most difficulty is on the downstroke on my Redding T7. I have no trouble resizing 223 Remington brass cases on this press.
 
ciwsguy said:
What Lube? Hornady one shot on the outside of the case and in the neck. Most difficulty is on the downstroke on my Redding T7. I have no trouble resizing 223 Remington brass cases on this press.
Click to expand...
It is just me. I don't want to get close to Hornady one shot lube. I still have 2 cans of it and I am happy to give them to you for free if you pay the shipping.

Down stroke of the handle or the ram?

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top