Honest opinions on Ruger Precision Rifle

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ezmiraldo

New member
What's the deal with this rifle, folks? What makes it so special? I see glowing reviews on the web, but not sure why it is so much better than any other decent rifle... It seems one can accurize a standard savage or remington to be sub MOA, for the same or even lower price. What am I missing, folks? Why is this rifle so beloved? 20-moa rail bolted on the top? Threaded barrel? Folding stock? Ability to use different types of mags? Sexy looks? Is that it?

Also, am I the only one who thinks folding stock on an ultra-long-range precision rifle is a bad idea? It seems to me that as hinges inevitably wear off, this will create less than tight contact -- screwing ups harmonics, and repeatability, no? Tacticool, yes; helpful for extra-precise shots, prob no...

I'm actually seriously considering getting one in 6.5 creedmore, but wanna make sure I'm getting it for the right reasons (e.g., I'm mainly looking for .5 MOA or better rifle for long-range precision shooting, and possibly competing with it later in PR competitions), not for some other reasons (e.g., overhyped gun magazine reviews, artificial scarcity created by vastly underestimated demand by ruger that creates an impression this rifle is from out of this world, tacticool looks, etc.). Or, will I be better off getting something like Remington 700 or Save 110 (or some such) with bull barrel and then drop it into a mcmillan (or some other high quality rigid) stock, and spend the rest of the saved $$ on a decent scope?

Help me out, folks...
 
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ezmiraldo'

I really not going to be much help to you in answering your questions.
I've been wanting the new Ruger Precision rifle in 243, however none of my distributors has received any yet.
The rifle has a lot of nice features and some rifle chassis will cost as much as the new Ruger.

I've pretty much talked myself out of the rifle now as I have an older Remington 700 Varmint model (back in the 70's) in 243 that shoots very small groups consistently.
I doubt the Ruger will shoot groups as good as my old Remington and that would disappoint me.
Good luck with your new rifle.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter
 
Thanks, Hunter! No, your opinion is definitely helpful. I'm with you - if cheapo savage or remington or even ruger american can produce groups that are similar or better than RPR, it will be disappointing to a new owner of RPR.
 
The differences between the Ruger Precision rifle and the lower priced ones probably isn't about accuracy as much as the incidentals.
Today's rifles are amazingly accurate, just about across the board.
The differences are most likely finish, stock quality, triggers and such.
 
You are DEFINITELY paying for the "tactical" look that everyone wants right now. Supply and demand... if they can raise the price and keep selling the rifle, you know they will. The adjustable stock (length of pull and cheek weld) is never a cheap option. And certainly the interchangeability of AR accessories (pistol grip, hang things on the rail, etc) is going to add a little to the price.

I've never held one, but I have shot a Sako TRG. I didn't understand why they were so much more expensive before I held it Then you hold it and put it up against your shoulder... and you know that there is something different about them. They are purpose built. They are incredibly solid. They fit so much better than a standard rifle. This particular rifle was a 308 and it had less recoil than the scoped Stevens 200 chambered in 223 than I brought to the range that day. There was no "getting used to it" period. It inspired confidence from the moment I held it. I instantly put 2 shots on target at 375 yards (farthest that range had) using surplus ammo. That's not something that is easily quantified or explained in an online forum. I would be willing to guess the RPR will have that same basic feel when you hold it - but as the person swiping the card, that's for you to decide.

As a comparison, you could build a 1998-2002 Camaro to be as fast as a high end BMW or a Ferrari, but would anyone say that the Camaro is better than the other 2? Not a chance, unless their only criteria was acceleration for cheap. You get other niceties like a luxurious interior, finely tuned suspension and incredibly precise steering with the bigger price tag.

If that's the rifle you want, I'd say go for it. If you want options, they cost money. If you want purpose built, it costs money. If your main concern is accuracy for cheap, then it's probably not the rifle for you. I would be very interested in them except I recently built my long range rifle with a Savage action, Shilen barrel and B&C Medalist stock. Total cost wasn't much cheaper than the RPR, for the record.

In regards to the caliber, the 6.5 cartridges really are worthy of all the attention they are getting right now. My rifle is chambered in 260 Remington and I wouldn't change to a 308 or magnum if it was given to me. Mine is perfectly capable of any distance I have access to shoot at within about an 8, 10 hour radius of my house. 6.5 Creedmore I read is just as good.
 
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And my final comments...

You asked about saving money for a better scope. I'm not going to say you have to spend $1200 on a scope to get quality, but I recommend you get the best scope you can afford. Buy the nice one and cry once. Buy the cheap one and you might be crying every time you use it.

As a general rule, I recommend the scope cost about half of whatever you spent on the rifle ($1000 rifle should wear a $500 scope). But if you can afford the $1500 Nightforce or Leupold Mark 4, it certainly wouldn't be wasted money for long range, precision shooting.

I know some will disagree, but that's my opinion.
 
On the other hand, modern manufacturing technology has allowed for better and better optics at lower costs than ever before.
And amazingly so.
For example, just for laughs I bought a kiddie telescope at a local toy store for a whopping $15.
Not really expecting anything much from it, I was plumb amazed that it clearly showed the screws in the window frame of a neighbors house half way down the street.
It's going to be plenty good as a spotting scope for .22s at the local 100 yard rifle range.
While the high priced scopes should be worth the money, there's a lot of lower priced ones nowadays that will really do the job, too.
It could be that the more expensive ones just hold up better to abuse and maybe be a little better in fading light.
Refrain from dropping them or running into things, and the high priced versions might not be all that necessary.
 
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I have a couple of friends who have the Ruger rifles...and I have shot them. They are nice rifles, but not head and shoulders above anything else. Just a high- quality "tactical" style rifle.

In terms of accuracy, reliability, etc., etc......the Ruger rifle is really no better than many others. Certainly, far cheaper rifles can produce results just as good, if set up properly and with suitable ammo.

So, what is the "justification"/ reason for the Ruger Precision Rifle ? I dunno.....marketing ? The "tactical" style ? Different strokes for different folks. I have no interest myself, but others do. Nothing wrong with that.
 
Some shooters only know that style pistol grip/butt stock and the rifle may feel right to them. The stock will require the scope be mounted high and that might be ok, with use of a bubble to prevent canting. Canting must be controlled anyway, for long range, it is critical. I am wild guessing that some shooting sport will benefit from a high scope where the bullet path follows a very high parabola and use up a lot of adjustment. Reminds me,... the integral moa base is a great idea, i did not realize that ruger did that. I dont see this as a good stock for long range work, but; the best for another guy might be what he is comfortable with (or trained with?).

The RPR butt stock also seems flimsy. The parts are AR interchangeable. A shooter could find a heavy solid replacement butt. I dont know all the models, but I have seen better and I am sure there are choice out there.

Normally an adjustable cheek rest is a highly desirable feature. the RPR, starts out TOO HIGH, so the adjustment is useless if it wont go lower. It only adjusts from too high, to even more high. A high comb is good for off hand shooting. This gun is for prone position. Right? Seriously, now, what sport exactly is this gun to compete in. Let us read the rules and see some you tube matches.

As for finding a rifle of EQUAL accuracy that is EASY. I own rifles of BETTER accuracy than reported and did not require spending a lot of money or custom. The Ruger accuracy is NOTHING special, except perhaps by Ruger standards. It is good, ok, or call it 'acceptable'. Some buyers already talking about replacing the RPR barrels right from day 1.

My not so humble 2c, if you have a certain sport in mind this might be a good purchase to gain entry. You tell me the sport, I am sure it is out there? If, on the other hand, the buyer just wants the most accuracy for the dollar this is a waste of money. You could buy a Sako varmint rifle, to mention one many sporting rifles, that would out shoot and out class the RPR all day long. Or many for less money - CZ varmint, Tikka,.. what do you like? Even a Savage, - heck that heavy Savage Cabela special can get it done for 600 bucks. With a 2k budget, there are so many choices.
 
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I like to add, there is nothing wrong in buying a gun - just to feel good about it. I dont think every decision has to be practical or follow my concept of style or function or for serious competitive shooting.

I have a Shiloh Sharps and that is as far from practical as you can get. I dont compete in any sport with it. I just like the history, design, quality, and enjoy shooting it. The Ruger Precision Rilfe, may appeal to many buyer at a similar emotional level and I would not use any negative words like tactical cool, fad or black rambo gun. I did some of this in the past and it was wrong. It is all good. And spending and extra money to mentally play sniper is not any different than playing buffalo hunter.
 
Ruger's PR is intended to be a decent quality "entry level" bolt gun for those just wanting to dip their toe into the sport of long-range precision shooting, but not sure yet if they'll stay for the long-term. Typically the ranges for precision shooting run from 400-yds out to 800, depending on the host range, but possibly in some competitions to 1000yds if the geography allows for it.

The game of LR shooting isn't cheap if the newbie expects to achieve any sort of competitive result at those distances. Happily, the price-point of Ruger's PR allows said newbie to also buy a quality LR optic and quality ring-mounts (i.e., non-Chi-Com crapola) to anchor it on the rifle.

After that, add a Harris bipod and a rear bag, then handload some quality ammo, and you're ready to compete.

Sure, the RPR isn't a $3,500 GAP stick, but it's still a great entry level PR for the money.
 
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My wife and I both own RPR's in 6.5 Creedmoor. We love them and their looks (I'm 62 btw). Both shoot under 1 MOA at 100-200 yards ( furthest yet on our range) using Hornady factory ammo. Wife is small in stature and the adjustable length of pull is needed for her. The cheek rest makes things ideal. The buttstock is not flimsy and no loosening yet (each have 800+ rounds down the tube, still same accuracy). Don't have to worryabout nicks and scratches ruining their looks since a dab of paint on a Q-tip fixes those. Should be great for PRS as scope mounts, slings, bag rests and such are plentiful. I was going to go with a Savage at first but decided I like the look of the RPR better. We will be shooting in F-class as soon as we qualify on our 600 yard range and that was our goal heading into long range rifles. We both use Mueller 8-32x44 scopes I they are perfect for our level of shooting skill and price range.
 
Is there a good you tube that explains the shooting positions & time allowed, legal equipment and targets & scoring for this sport? I am curious to learn more. F class?
 
* * * Should be great for PRS as scope mounts, slings, bag rests and such are plentiful. * * * We will be shooting in F-class as soon as we qualify on our 600 yard range and that was our goal heading into long range rifles. We both use Mueller 8-32x44 scopes I they are perfect for our level of shooting skill and price range.
Click to expand...

Exactly what I'm talking about ...

Regardless of specific caliber, Ruger gets the average workin' dude into the LRS sport at a price-point where he can still afford the other necessities for the rifle which are needed to practice with and compete.

Good luck. :cool:
 
F-class is a classification of NRA high-power rifle competition. Rules are found on the NRA website. Basically this is " belly-benchrest". Matches are shoot at 600 yards from the prone position. Can use front rest and rear sandbag. No 1-piece rests. FTR (FTR: F-class Target Rifle) is limited to .223 & .308 calibers only and must use bi-pod, may use rear bag. All classes are shoot from a shouldered hold, no free recoil.

One other consideration using RPR for PRS is the magazine capacity. The shooting can get hot and heavy time wise so bigger magazine capacity, availability of magazines plays a part in selection of the rifle.
 
Post #13 describes the rifles niche perfectly. I don't have any desire for that type of rifle but for the person interested in that type of shooting I think they are a bargain.

I have one of the Predators in 308 and for a sub $400 rifle it shoots great. I may end up with another in 6.5 Creedmoor. The Predators use the same actions and barrels as the Precision rifle and there are aftermarket options for stocks and magazines that will turn the Predator into a Precision rifle and come in a little cheaper.
 
OK, fellas, quick question: Can I replace the folding stock with some high-quality fixed stock (that doesn't fold to the side) but that's adjustable for length and height?

Many of you made me see the light and I think this baby's got what I'm looking for... It's nice to have an option to upgrade components, if one's heart so desires (handguard, barrel, butt stock, etc). My only concern is mechanism for folding the stock to the side wearing off over time and creating problems for ultra-precise long-distance shots. If I can completely remove the stock hinge mechanism, and replace it with solid fixed (but adjustable) stock, I might be pulling a trigga on this puppy...
 
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