Ruger American Aftermarket stocks
- Thread starter Bilzer
- Start date
The stock that comes on it works just fine, both of mine out shoot many $1,000 rifles just as is. Buying a $350 budget gun and wanting to spend more on an aftermarket stock makes no sense. Just buy a $500-$600 gun in the first place if you don't like the stock.
It is going to be hard to make a wood stock that works anyway. The triggerguard is molded into the stock.
It is going to be hard to make a wood stock that works anyway. The triggerguard is molded into the stock.
Interesting !!
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Why not give them a call and see if they have one available or plans for such. If not, you may be able to work up a deal with them and get a free stock. I do think that these Ruger Americans, are going to catch on and perhaps, Boyds will want to support them ....
Not necessarily so as they do this all the time. They have replacement guards and hardware .....
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I suggest you go on the Boyds website and fill out a product request form, the more people that request a certain stock the apt they are to make one. I filled out the form for my Tikka like last october, about 2 months ago I got a call from Boyds and they asked to use my Tikka Lite as a pattern to make stocks for it. I sent it to them and in return I got a free stock.
i've posted about this here before, in another thread ...
i contacted boyds over 3 weeks ago and they are working on a ruger american centerfire rifle replacement stock. they say it will be ready by the end of this month (but i doubt it), and they're not offering up any details about it, nor how they'll care for the "V" blocks or replacement for the integral plastic trigger guard. there is no mention of the ruger american predator, with its slightly heavier barrel.
fwiw, the problem with most plastic stocks is that they're not stiff enough, particuarly in the fore end, and most need help with floating the barrel (even though they claim the barrel is floated, some just aren't). both can easily be remedied for the RAR.
first, make sure the barrel more than clears the stock. i used 50 grit abrasive paper around different dowel diameters. pay particular attention to the end of the fore stock - you want the barrel to fully clear any plastic, all the way back to the barrel nut (action). the plastic is quite pliable and doesn't sand as well as wood, but keep at it. some folks use a dremel, and screw up the stock because the dremel wanders - but sandpaper on a dowel is more precise, but much slower going with the rubbery plastic.
make the fore stock really stiff so it won't bend and touch the barrel. i used rockite to stiffen my RAR's fore end and add weight to the butt stock. rockite is a type of cement powder that will harden like a, well, rock, inside of 15 minutes. mix it to the consistency of a watery syrup and pour it in. there's a you tube vid of the process on an RAR stock ...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=suh0feCDaHA
here's my RAR with rockite in the fore and butt stock areas, added about 2# total. most of the weight is in the butt stock and can be controled by adding more air tubes or other lightweight material so that less rockite is used ...
don't look any different, but it's a totally different shooting rifle, for the better ...
i contacted boyds over 3 weeks ago and they are working on a ruger american centerfire rifle replacement stock. they say it will be ready by the end of this month (but i doubt it), and they're not offering up any details about it, nor how they'll care for the "V" blocks or replacement for the integral plastic trigger guard. there is no mention of the ruger american predator, with its slightly heavier barrel.
fwiw, the problem with most plastic stocks is that they're not stiff enough, particuarly in the fore end, and most need help with floating the barrel (even though they claim the barrel is floated, some just aren't). both can easily be remedied for the RAR.
first, make sure the barrel more than clears the stock. i used 50 grit abrasive paper around different dowel diameters. pay particular attention to the end of the fore stock - you want the barrel to fully clear any plastic, all the way back to the barrel nut (action). the plastic is quite pliable and doesn't sand as well as wood, but keep at it. some folks use a dremel, and screw up the stock because the dremel wanders - but sandpaper on a dowel is more precise, but much slower going with the rubbery plastic.
make the fore stock really stiff so it won't bend and touch the barrel. i used rockite to stiffen my RAR's fore end and add weight to the butt stock. rockite is a type of cement powder that will harden like a, well, rock, inside of 15 minutes. mix it to the consistency of a watery syrup and pour it in. there's a you tube vid of the process on an RAR stock ...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=suh0feCDaHA
here's my RAR with rockite in the fore and butt stock areas, added about 2# total. most of the weight is in the butt stock and can be controled by adding more air tubes or other lightweight material so that less rockite is used ...
don't look any different, but it's a totally different shooting rifle, for the better ...
reynolds357
New member
If you make a "sythetic" stock rifle heavier than a laminated, whats the point in having synthetic? Ruger American stock is a joke. A bad joke at that.
you know not what yer talking about and yer shootin' from the hip.
there is NOTHING wrong about the CONCEPT of a synthetic stock, some of which are extremely well thought out, using top shelf materials, and are quite Expensive, as expected.
the RAR and RAP synth stocks are typical of a low-budget rifle (ruger, remington, marin, mossberg, weatherby, savage, winchester, the list goes on ad nauseam). AND, they are NOT A JOKE at all, and work well for most shooters.
right now, there is NO aftermarkert lam stock for the RAR or RAP, so 'til that becomes a viable alternative (c'mon boyds!), ya gots ta work with what ya gots.
to make a cheap synth stock work better, it needs to have added what it's missing most - STIFFNESS. it's NOT about adding weight, though that can be a good by-product (particularly in the butt stock), it's about making those bendy, flimsy, not-so-stiff stocks get a woody and become STIFFER. along with properly floating the barrel and making sure the action is well bedded.
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Magnum Wheel Man
New member
wiggily... not just a plastic trait... I had a very nice BRNO light weight hunter in 30-06, with a set trigger, & light weight walnut stock...fine, fine rifle... except that the fore end of the stock was so light, ( reads thin ) that pressure from your grip, could steer shots left or right, by applying pressure on the barrel, on one side or the other...
I've read plenty of "look how accurate my Ruger American is" threads, & have no reason to doubt them... I just have issue with how thin, or flexible the fore end of the stock is... surely there is some low cost way the stiffen the fore end, that the factory could do ??? but I also applaud those owners that have found a way to stiffen it up...
& yup... seems everyone is making an entry level rifle... Rugers seem to be highly accurate, as long as the fore end isn't contacting the barrel unevenly...
I'm not partial to the plastic trigger guards either, but that is really an area of the rifle, that being plastic shouldn't effect it's performance...
also, even when hunting in the mountains, I'm really not worried about the weight of my rifle... granted I'm not toting around a heavy varmint barreled rifle, but 4-8 ounces one way or the other doesn't matter to me, so long as I'm completely confident in the package I'm carrying
I've read plenty of "look how accurate my Ruger American is" threads, & have no reason to doubt them... I just have issue with how thin, or flexible the fore end of the stock is... surely there is some low cost way the stiffen the fore end, that the factory could do ??? but I also applaud those owners that have found a way to stiffen it up...
& yup... seems everyone is making an entry level rifle... Rugers seem to be highly accurate, as long as the fore end isn't contacting the barrel unevenly...
I'm not partial to the plastic trigger guards either, but that is really an area of the rifle, that being plastic shouldn't effect it's performance...
also, even when hunting in the mountains, I'm really not worried about the weight of my rifle... granted I'm not toting around a heavy varmint barreled rifle, but 4-8 ounces one way or the other doesn't matter to me, so long as I'm completely confident in the package I'm carrying
reynolds357
New member
RFD, I know exactly what I am talking about. I have been building using synthetic stocks since synthetic stocks were pure fiberglass and they would stick you if you dinged the paint. I have modded several Ruger Americans. The stock is a piece of junk. I have worked on synthetic stocks ranging from Ruger American (the Worst) to some carbon fiber impregnated stocks costing more than high end hunting rifles including their high end scopes. Working on a build with a high end McMillan right now. Having to cram a synthetic stock full of a bunch of material that add weight defeats the purpose of a synthetic stock on a hunting rifle. For the record, Weatherby has never put their name on anything even remotely as crappy as the Ruger American stock. Roy always demanded stiff stocks due to his nation of controlled application of fore end pressure being preferable for improved accuracy. They are building some free floated rifles today, but they are the exception and not the production rule of WBY.
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reynolds357
New member
Did you read my post? I plainly told you I have modded several Ruger American stocks. So, I have done stock work on several Ruger Americans. I did not use Rockite, (not a big fan of using concrete patch on a rifle) but I used a polymer that is much stronger than Rockite and every bit as stiff. When you get finished, you have a junk stock with a remedy in it that makes it a junk stock that will shoot better. The Polymer added noticeable weight and it is lighter than Rockite.
A time and place for everything !!!
One advantage that I use, is to buy a rifle with a synthetic and replace the synthetic, with a Boyd and really gain some value. ....
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I agree but I think we can all agree that synthetics are over-used and a high percentage are just plain junk. I recently worked on a Tikka and that was one fine, well made synthetic. There is a time and place for these and it all depends on the service. ...
One advantage that I use, is to buy a rifle with a synthetic and replace the synthetic, with a Boyd and really gain some value. ....
Be Safe !!!
not at all, if the action (and perhaps barrel, too) were of value.
i bought a rem 700 sps in 7mm-08 and a winch 70 ultimate shadow in .30-06 - would you say those actions were "el-cheapo"? or their barrels, for that matter? i restocked both, one with a stocky's and the other with a boyd's. far less dollars than spending lots more dollars on those same actions/barrles but with factory wood stocks, and ending up with a better rifle, to boot.
my remlin xs7vh .308win is a fine action, and barrel, and i restocked that with a boyd's. my new savage 12fv in .204 ruger is another excellent action/barrel, and the new boyd's stock is on order. when the boyd's RAR stock becomes available, i'll restock my RAR in .243 win with that, too.
the typical achille's heel to the bottom feeder synth rifles is that synth stock (but not always). when you figure out the cost of restocking, you will more than likely be saving dollars over that brands higher price tag models, and ending up with a far better rifle.
Really not a bad way to go.
Be Safe !!!
Not at all and that is exactly what I did, on my last one. I now have a Boyd thumbhole laminated stock for the bench and a synthetic for the woods. Oh, I did replace the recoil pad on the synthetic. The Boyd cost me right at about $100.00 and the fit was perfect...
Be Safe !!!
reynolds357
New member
I wish the manufacturers would sell barreled actions at the prices they should be sold at. $10 less for a barreled action than a complete rifle assanine. I would rather use aftermarket stocks on all my rifles in the first place. The only factory stocks I am truly happy with are the stocks on my Sendero rifles, but the stupid recoil pads melted off all them and cost me about $75 each to replace. Guess Remington just had to put some crappy part even on a high end rifle or it just would not have been a true Remington.
I took my Ruger American rifle out to my picnic table to see how it would group while twisting the stock from left to right at 100. I was shooting the .223 off bipod with Fed american eagle ammo and 3-9 simmons 8-point scope. I got 10 shots in 2'' group. I don't think the cheap poly stock hurts it that much.
as too many profess unwisely, it ain't really the synth stock that's a major issue, nor the fact the the firearm was a "cheapo". just make sure the barrel is floated, it do help to stiffen the fore end (i think it's mandatory for any cheapo synth stock), then learn how to aim and press the trigger.
range shooting on 7/10/2014 - my RAR in .243win, swfa 10x32, caldwell bipod, sierra 60hp, 37.5g h4895, fed 210 primer, first 7 bullets out of the new rifle ...
range shooting on 7/10/2014 - my RAR in .243win, swfa 10x32, caldwell bipod, sierra 60hp, 37.5g h4895, fed 210 primer, first 7 bullets out of the new rifle ...