7.62 x 39 American Ranch

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Mine has been extremely reliable, accurate and fun.
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I bought the first one I saw after it was announced and I believe it cost me $400 shipped to my FFL.
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I’ve run a thousand or so rounds of Russian steel cased ammo and a few hundred handloads through it and haven’t had any issues.

I will share that I found it easier to get accuracy with handloads using proper .310 diameter jacketed bullets as opposed to bullets .308 diameter.

That said, I did work up a fairly accurate load using 110 grain Nosler Varmageddons and AA1680 powder that gave me about 2650 fps for an average velocity.

I found out very quickly that particular load is exceedingly effective on coyotes.

The good side:
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The bad side:
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I would recommend this rifle to anyone so long as they could find it at a reasonable price (especially if they are already set up with Mini 30 magazines).
 
Mine has been extremely reliable, accurate and fun.
View attachment 1105142

I bought the first one I saw after it was announced and I believe it cost me $400 shipped to my FFL.
View attachment 1105143

I’ve run a thousand or so rounds of Russian steel cased ammo and a few hundred handloads through it and haven’t had any issues.

I will share that I found it easier to get accuracy with handloads using proper .310 diameter jacketed bullets as opposed to bullets .308 diameter.

That said, I did work up a fairly accurate load using 110 grain Nosler Varmageddons and AA1680 powder that gave me about 2650 fps for an average velocity.

I found out very quickly that particular load is exceedingly effective on coyotes.

The good side:
View attachment 1105144

The bad side:
View attachment 1105145

I would recommend this rifle to anyone so long as they could find it at a reasonable price (especially if they are already set up with Mini 30 magazines).

Whew, that certainly anchored that yote.

Hope you're not saving pelts!
 
They trickle out. I was noting the same thing a year back, so I just ordered the "next one" at my local ruger-stocking small shop. One showed up a couple months later.
 
I've wanted one for years but their inability to fire steel cased ammo consistently has kept me away. How or why Ruger never addressed this is beyond me
 
I've wanted one for years but their inability to fire steel cased ammo consistently has kept me away. How or why Ruger never addressed this is beyond me
Are you thinking of the mini thirty ranch?
There's no reason the American ranch wouldn't shoot steel case. Frankly it would be pretty silly to bring a new x39 to market which didn't. Mine has had no problems with tula/wolf/bear.
 
Yeah the minis they don't recommend steel case. I don't buy steel case. Accept for my Mosin. It likes the Tula as far as accuracy. When i need more brass. I'll buy ppu. Now and then i'll find steel case 7.62x39. Primer did not ignite. I'll pull them and reload into brass.
 
I haven't had a issue with steel cased 7.62x39.

My problem has been with yugo brass case. The primers are hard and deep set.

I've fired almost nothing but steel case outta the ruger. The few times I've used yugo was because it is lead cored and the range wouldn't permit steel jacketed projos due to fire risk on the steel targets.
 
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Discounting 5.56 brass, the amount of 6.5 CR brass I pick up at the range outnumbers ALL the other chamberings put together. There is still quite a bit of .308 brass but the 6.5 CR outnumbers it probably 3-1 at my range, with 5.56 being by far the most fired. I have so much 6.5 CR brass now I don't even pick it up unless it looks shiny and pristine. Your mileage may vary.

Maybe in your AO. But around here, no one shoots it, And I know no body that even owns one, And I know ALOT of gun people around here. I dont think I even see it in gun shops around here. Except Cabela's.
 
Maybe in your AO. But around here, no one shoots it, And I know no body that even owns one, And I know ALOT of gun people around here. I dont think I even see it in gun shops around here. Except Cabela's.
That is very interesting. I live near Houston, but shoot mainly at a range right south of Fort Worth where my parents live. We still shoot a fair amount of .308 and a bit of .30-06, but we transitioned to 6.5 CR for most long distance shooting probably 5 years ago, as well as .224 Valkyrie in smaller frame guns. We've ventured out now into 6.5 PRC and .300 PRC and actually see a fair amount of other target shooters here doing the same. Some, mostly other ex-military types, are still going with the .338 Lapua Mag. This is all for long range steel shooting.

For deer hunting we go with 6.5 Grendel, .350 Legend, .450 Bushmaster or .308 Win, depending on where we are hunting. Our deer aren't very big around Houston and really neither are most of the hogs. If I had to pick one cartridge to do both things I'd be happy enough with a 6.5 Creedmoor, though I like my .260 Rem just as good. I think the 7mm-08 is probably a better deer round but I haven't put one together yet because we already have some many other options. Thanks for the feedback.

What chambering are you using for what in your area?
 
That is very interesting. I live near Houston, but shoot mainly at a range right south of Fort Worth where my parents live. We still shoot a fair amount of .308 and a bit of .30-06, but we transitioned to 6.5 CR for most long distance shooting probably 5 years ago, as well as .224 Valkyrie in smaller frame guns. We've ventured out now into 6.5 PRC and .300 PRC and actually see a fair amount of other target shooters here doing the same. Some, mostly other ex-military types, are still going with the .338 Lapua Mag. This is all for long range steel shooting.

For deer hunting we go with 6.5 Grendel, .350 Legend, .450 Bushmaster or .308 Win, depending on where we are hunting. Our deer aren't very big around Houston and really neither are most of the hogs. If I had to pick one cartridge to do both things I'd be happy enough with a 6.5 Creedmoor, though I like my .260 Rem just as good. I think the 7mm-08 is probably a better deer round but I haven't put one together yet because we already have some many other options. Thanks for the feedback.

What chambering are you using for what in your area?

I am in the northeast, where almost nothing is long shot. And the long shots are almost impossible shots. I would like a 6.5, but not getting one until the smaller guys start carrying some. Most people use 30-06, 30-30, 308 and 243 for the recoil sensitive people.
 
I am in the northeast, where almost nothing is long shot. And the long shots are almost impossible shots. I would like a 6.5, but not getting one until the smaller guys start carrying some. Most people use 30-06, 30-30, 308 and 243 for the recoil sensitive people.
There's no moss on the .243 as far as I'm concerned. I have several and like them just about as good as the 6mm (not 6.5) Creedmoors I have for target shooting. 95 or 100 grain bullets get the job done nicely in my experience on the deer we hunt in the Sam Houston National Forest. As you said, I bring them out at the range when I am hosting folks who are recoil sensitive or new to shooting.
One of these days I would love to visit Maine. Are you in an area where there is a lot of bear activity? I don't know that I would actually hunt one, but I've encountered a lot of black bears in the wild and find them to be fascinating.
 
There's no moss on the .243 as far as I'm concerned. I have several and like them just about as good as the 6mm (not 6.5) Creedmoors I have for target shooting. 95 or 100 grain bullets get the job done nicely in my experience on the deer we hunt in the Sam Houston National Forest. As you said, I bring them out at the range when I am hosting folks who are recoil sensitive or new to shooting.
One of these days I would love to visit Maine. Are you in an area where there is a lot of bear activity? I don't know that I would actually hunt one, but I've encountered a lot of black bears in the wild and find them to be fascinating.

I had a 243 for a while. Love the round but sold it to a good friend. I actually hunt with a 5.56 nato carbine. Never had an issue on deer.

And yes, Right in the middle of bear country. Have to check before you let the dogs out. I own land a few miles on a mountain side, nothing but scat on the land. I never hunted for them as I do not like the meat. But I should try and donate the meat.
 
Ruger's American Ranch isn't leaving us anytime soon. I wish I would have bought one before the pandemic/election/war/monkey-pox/end-of-the-world/etc. Last time I saw one in 7.62x39 it was more than twice pre-pandemic prices. I have a friend who's had one for a few years. He says it eats steel case just fine.

Interesting to see in the video review that Hornady steel case SST was the most accurate in the test. A little trivia about Hornady's x39 steel case. They get their berdan primed steel cases from Tula. Hornady then loads the powder and SST bullet state side. Makes ya stop and think...
 
The day this thread was posted I checked Gunbroker and found two used Americans in 7.62x39 listed - one was still early in the bid, the other was a bit over $500…
 
Are you thinking of the mini thirty ranch?
There's no reason the American ranch wouldn't shoot steel case. Frankly it would be pretty silly to bring a new x39 to market which didn't. Mine has had no problems with tula/wolf/bear.
My bad, got ahead of myself. Yes, I was referring to the mini.
 
When I first saw an ad for the 7.62 version i mentioned to my wife what a cool little rifle it was and how well it would go with my Mini 30 and Norinco hunter. Plus I had several thousand rounds of 7.62 on hand. Several months later on my birthday I was in the bank with my wife and an old friend and LGS owner was in line ahead of us. He saw me and said, "Hey, how do you like that rifle?", all the while my wife giving him the cut signal and me with a confused look on my face. he smiled and made a rapid retreat. So i'm asking her what that was about and when we get to the car here is a gift wrapped box in the back. apparently she went straight to him after I mentioned the rifle and it had taken him a couple months to track one down. She had picked it up the week before...:D
And it performs in a most excellent manner!!
 
Are you sure? You might be surprised if you do a search. there are a lot of little used or low key FFL holders who might help out.
I used to have a guy I used years ago in another state. But I really only use one pawn shop and they don’t do that stuff there. I have been looking at academy and sportsman’s warehouse but those are chains and so it can be transferred and they don’t tend to show what’s really in stock.
 
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