Huge thumbs down for Ruger American

ok some facts

the ruger american is a LIGHT hunting rifle, meant to be easily carried and used on long hunting trips and have easy balance as to not cause fatigue


the placement of the magazine is to create a flush magazine to stock look, which when loaded also adds weight to stabilize shooting (a little)

the rifles magazine is plastic, but so are my howas legacy sports mags and the howas are looser than the RA , and both shoot and function well

my buddy has the RA in 30 06 (yes the kick in a light rifle is annoying)

but weve only had issues when using some Remington soft point rounds(tips were malformed) but otherwise ever had any issue with the actual rifle functioning
 
and both shoot and function well
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Of course they do! At the range. That's not the issue. The issue is Murphy, who is my constant companion on hunting outings. Murphy makes any branch, shrub, briar, doodad hanging from my fanny pack, or errant body part hit something it shouldn't. A mag catch should be STIFF, not light enough to practically disengage by a heavy breeze then free fall like Rosie O'Donnell after stepping on a banana peel (why else would OTHER Rugers like the 10/22 be so danged hard to disengage?). AND (nor or but AND), there should be some friction resistance by the mag walls engaging the stock surface on the way. AND, it should never have a front-to-rear disengagement direction - the same way that brush acts on it when walking in a ya know, forward direction. The Ruger fails on all three counts - each one exacerbating the other exponentially. It's a deal-breaking fail under actual hunting conditions. But for those of you who areN'T affected by Murphy's law, due to living under a special sign, it's the perfect budget hunting rifle, without a doubt! And also for those who don't hunt or just walk 50 yards from the pickup to a tree stand over even terrain. Not knocking that; it's a perfectly valid way to hunt. It just ain't reality for me and others like me. If you're on public land, as I am sometimes, if you're NOT crawling through briars, you probably ain't gonna get to where the game IS.
 
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If it was not for the mag . Would you consider the RAR the best tool for the job ?

If so -

1)put a stiffer spring in the mag release .
or
2) bring an extra mag with you
or
3) piece of duct tape over the mag release

If not the best tool , who cares how the mag works ? Get the better tool for the job . :)
 
It is definitely not the best tool for the job. Comparing the American to a good rifle is about like comparing the new Chinese made Craftsman hand tools to Snap-On or Wright.
 
reynolds357 said:
It is definitely not the best tool for the job. Comparing the American to a good rifle is about like comparing the new Chinese made Craftsman hand tools to Snap-On or Wright.
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I got a tear in my eye the other day walking around Sears and seeing all the tools were now made in China. I wasn't aware they had made the switch. There was a young girl working the tool register and she asked me if I needed help. I told her,"I may need an ambulance because my heart is dying inside from seeing that all these Craftsman labeled tools are now Made in China". Too bad my son won't be able to get an affordable set of American tools when he grows up, like his dad and his grandpa did.
 
Dangit, I now wish I'd said "Big" instead of "Huge" thumbs down... since the rifle has aforementioned very good points - and then added "....for ME". Carry on.
 
Probably the wrong thread for what I want to ask...

Does anyone have any idea if Ruger might have -ANY- thoughts of chambering the new American in .357 Magnum like the 77/357?

My knee-jerk reaction would be NO, since the few folks who are willing to chase such an oddball as a .357 Mag chambered bolt gun will probably just spend the dough for the 77...

In any case, the subject of this thread and opening post seems to make perfect sense to me. OP thinks the new budget rifle has a large flaw that really ruins it's effectiveness as a tool for his needs at ANY price point. He's made a solid argument to that effect. Perhaps it might have been received better if he titled the thread "man, I hate the magazine system on the new R.American"

My needs for a .357 Magnum bolt gun?
I want to slap steel plates at 100-300 yards, probably with open sights or a low-dollar optic. Pure fun, no need for match or varmint accuracy, I just want to lob lost-cost ammo and make the gongs sing loudly. :D
 
Okay, but then...
Who ever figured that Ruger would produce a Model 77 bolt action in .357 Magnum?

Who else has ever built a bolt action rifle in .357 Magnum?

There was the old Timber Wolf pump rifle and we've seen the lever action rifles in .357 Mag, but what other repeating rifles have been produced in .357 Mag?
 
I was looking forward to getting my hands on the new American rifle... But, like many others, I was severely disappointed. The whole thing just felt cheap and cheesy. From the flimsy, gritty trigger to the weak stock that rube the barrel with the slightest pressure to the clumsy light mag... The whole thing just felt wrong. It seemed like the Remington 770 reincarnated, only worse.

I think Ruger missed the mark on this one, at least for me. I'm sure they'll sell like hotcakes, but that doesn't mean its a good rifle in and of itself.
 
@jgcoastie
what did you expect for 300-400 rifle?

engraved script in wood stock?

No.. you went in with eyes wide open. its a BUDGET rifle.

its high points are in function and light weight for long treks

its nothing to compare to a howa or a higher end savage or Remington 700

it is what it is, a LOW cost budget rifle that deliver accuracy and performance

@Unlicensed Dremel

from what i understand of your issues with dear old murph, id think you'd invest in better equipment and be more prepared for these issues, if youve dealt with them on multiple occasions, so id think you'd make some countermeasures ...

i wouldnt blame the rifle, even if its mags are cheapo plastic
 
Only a moron would expect engraving on a budget gun, and contrary to the condescending and assumptive nature of your post; I am no moron sir.

I expected something with Ruger's name on it, something that they've marketed as an American rifle, would be a quality rifle for the money. The RAR is not a quality gun, even at $250, IMO.

Sock is flimsy, trigger is creepy, gritty, and breaks clunkily. You can put a decent stock that doesn't let the forend warp at the lightest touch on a gun without breaking the bank. Likewise, Savage has proven that a good trigger can be installed on a budget-conscience gun.

I understand that some people are in a love affair with Ruger, and with this rifle in particular. I'm not one of them.
 
When the Ruger American first came out, I remember reading a magazine article that contained a statement that that sums up the Ruger American in a nutshell. It was something to the effect that "if William T. Ruger were still alive, he would use the Ruger American to shoot those in the company that made the decision to put his name on that rifle."
 
I bought a .223 about 6 weeks ago. I wanted a cheap pest control rifle that I could leave out in my shop. I had to call Ruger about the mag that would not feed on a Friday. Monday I had one that works great. I love nice wood stocks but, the poly stock does not hurt the accuracy. It shoots between 1 and 2 off bipod with hornady v-max. I really like the flush mag as long as it feeds. I don't think I could ask for more for $346+tax!
 
Now there is a problem I have not yet run across:
I had to call Ruger about the mag that would not feed on a Friday.
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So it typically worked just fine any time you wanted to use it, but the magazine in question just wouldn't work on Fridays? :confused:


:p
 
Seven, I will explain it to you in case you rode the short bus with tinted windows. The .223 Ruger is new and the mags had issues feeding because the follower needed some adjustment. Mine had trouble with the last round out of the box. I called them about it on a Friday and received the updated one on Monday. Just joking about the bus! I bet you rode to school with your Mom.:p
 
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Well, I could do worse.
Mom bought me a Model 17-6 as a Christmas present. I walked to school, actually. And I suppose it all worked out. They taught English and composition and I managed to pick up on it. I'd guess the idea may spread to Kentucky eventually, I suppose over time... we'll see.
 
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