Ruger American in 6.5 CM

Have had a 6.5 CM RAP for a couple years now.
It only goes to the range to punch paper.
Its well under an MOA at 400 yards and it likes 140 gn projectiles over H4350 or H100V.
The Boyd's stock is a bit bulky & heavy for hunting, but do have a (new) B&C on a 243 RAP I like better for hunting.
Here's the 6.5CM RAP with Glades bolt handle, metal bolt cover, and metal trigger guard upgrades

I've had one about 2 years. The only factory ammo I've used is Hornady 143 eld-x. Accuracy is 1 MOA or better, usually better. I handload mostly 143 eld-x ammo. The factory ammo is no more or less accurate than my handloads, but around 100 fps slower than advertised. If I ever decide to hunt with it I'll use my handloads. I ordered some Barnes 140 gr Match Burner bullets for range use. I've not shot many of them, but I'm using the same powder charge and I'm getting equal speeds and accuracy. It is just a little less expensive bullet.

I have "nicer" rifles that I like better for hunting. I bought the Ruger simply because I wanted to see what the 6.5 fuss was all about and figured it was the cheapest way into an accurate rifle. I've not been disappointed in the rifle and am convinced the 6.5 round lives up to the hype. I also had a 308 Predator with the rotary mags, but bought another that uses the AI mags. I gave the 308 with rotary mags to my son-in-law. I really like the AI mags that much better.

Just at the beginning of hunting season I ran across a deal on a Bergara in 6.5 CM. Since I was focused on hunting I've shot the Bergara very little, but so far it matches the Ruger in performance. It is much more pleasing aesthetically however. I plan to get a lot more trigger time with it this winter and I'll probably sell either the Ruger or Bergara before next fall. Nothing at all wrong with the Ruger, but I don't see keeping both. And I may well decide to sell the Bergara.

While I've not personally shot any game with it I've read enough reports to know it'll work. There is no reason it shouldn't kill anything a 270 will kill. It shoots the same bullet weights as 270 a little slower at the muzzle, but the better BC's let the 6.5's almost catch up in speed within 200 yards or so.

Magpul hunter stock, glades bolt handle.

I've had excellent results with all the Americans I've owned. Accuracy has always been sub MOA or very close with the loads I like....not necessarily what the gun shoots best.

The 6.5 I've got has only been fired a dozen times or so, and took 2 deer for a buddy.

I'll weigh my long action Boyd's, and my Magpul, I think the Magpuls about 1/2-1lb heavier, because my Go Wilds about the same weight as my larger RAM.

Both guns weight 11lbs and change with fairly heavy scopes on them. I've got a BC stock coming for my RAM which should only add a little extra weight over stock.

I've had a RAP for a month or so. It got a minor trigger job and a 3-9 Vortex. I shot a box of 129 gr. Hornady Whitetails for the brass. The last 10 rounds went into right at 1" with 5 in a ragged 3/4" x 3/8" hole. I've shot 6 different handloads with 3 powders and 2 bullets so far. Largest group was 1.10 and smallest was 4 in .33 with a flier that made it .67, all at 100 yards. That's crazy, no better than I can see with the 3-9 scope.

Weighed the stocks, the long action Boyd's about 4oz lighter than the Magpul.





Just a note on American trigger jobs. The AR buffer retainer spring makes a nearly perfect replacement for the stock trigger spring. This brings pull weight down to 2-4lbs or so. I've found 2lb is as low as the American trigger will go even without any springs, and it's not alot more force than it requires to activate the blade.

https://www.brownells.com/rifle-par.../ar-15-buffer-retainer-springs-prod41423.aspx

I had 3 CM's at the same time and the RAP was the most accurate of the three. The trigger had a little creep but it still out shot the Vanguard and the Bergara. I have since found a load that the Bergara liked that put it back into contention, but the Predator liked all 4 of the different bullets that I tested. In fact, I found loads for all 4 that would stay under MOA.

The little rifle really puts whitetails on the ground. I took over a dozen with it with shots ranging from 25 yards to 275.

Mine likes the 143gr ELD-X over H4350, and remarkably, Varget. Only punching paper, just under 1.0 MOA at 300yds, 5 shot groups, sitting using bags. It shoots the 130gr SGK 1.2MOA at 300yds using Superformance, but this needs more testing with Varget. Someday, I plan to hunt with this projectile. I still have the factory stock, but would prefer the model with the AI mags as I don't like those rotary mags much.

I thought my RAP was a freak. Good to see that others are shooters too. I got it to set up as a deer rifle for my boy. On triggers, I first tried a couple of different ball point pen springs. Both got a 1.5 lb. trigger and stayed really crisp (after I very lightly stoned the trigger contact). But, I was looking for more like 2.5 lbs. The factory spring got just a little over 3.0 with the screw out. So, I took about 1 1/2 turns off the stock trigger and that got the 2.5 I wanted with no discernable creep and a crisp break. Wish I'd known about the buffer retainer spring before cutting the Ruger spring.
That's really all I did except dress the crown with a brass screw and valve grind compound, just because I can.