wally
Member
Got an RPR Gen1 for a bit under $1100 out the door at a gun show a while back and finally got a scope mounted and a chance to get out and try it.
It wears a Primary Arms 4-14x44 FFP R-grid reticle in UTG QD mounts. About $400 out the door.
Here is a quick photo of the seup:
Started at 50 yards, removed the bolt and did a quick bore sighting. I had 10 "Barney rounds" of W German DAG surplus I used to walk into a decent zero unsuppressed.
Then I did a five shot group of Malaysian surplus and got a nice group, so I added the suppressor (Gemtech HVT-QD) and shot a nice group. POA/POI shift was minimal so I tweaked the zero for the suppressor and this ammo.
Then I opened a box of PPU 145gr FMJ to shoot at 50, 100, & 300 yards.
Here are the targets:
After the 50 yard target I did two 1/10 MIL clicks left and moved to 100 yards. Pretty nice at 100, good enough to move to 300 for a 10 shot group. It was absurdly hot and humid, the flags on the pole indicated 7-10 mph wind straight in my face, but at ground level I could barely feel it. My point is with a 50 yard zero I expected to be high at 100 yards, a bit puzzled, but I moved on to 300.
That is where I had a "brain fart" -- I used the reticle as if it were BDC instead of MIL-DOT and put the first four shots way above the target before I realized it! Flustered, I moved the chevron to the "hanging hole at the top of the target and put the final six on the paper, with two just breaking the bottom edge of the target paper. I measured the group as 7" -- not bad for military spec ammo and the first time out with the rifle. Next time out will be with better ammo.
Things aligned and I got out again yesterday, straight to the 300 yard line with another box of the 145gr FMJ PPU, PPU 168 gr JSP-BT "hunting ammo", PPU 175gr Match, and Hornady 155gr Steel Match and a freshly cleaned rifle. Conditions were not a nice as the first outing -- gusting 0-10 mph right to left, mostly full value with some .7 to .5 -- challenging conditions for me. I made no attempt to dope the wind, or compensate POA I just tried to time my shots to when it was most calm. Ten shots at each target, all suppressed.
Here are the targets:
First target with the PPU was worse than before, but using a 1 MIL compensated center hold I was happy enough with the scope settings I left it alone. The little blue tape points to the first shot out of the cold cleaned barrel, I was pleased indeed! Everything else was shot as fast as practical while waiting for when the wind appeared to be calmest based on movement of the weeds that I could see in front of the target. Three shots were left just off the paper 10-11 o'clock, I measured the group as 10.7" before removing the target. Could be the wind, or could be the difference between a 6 and 10 shot groups in the first and second outing. But clearly this is why they make "match" ammo
Next up was the PPU 168gr hunting ammo, I had no velocity info so I put a 1" blaze orange dot at the top of the target to use for POA, figuring the heavier ammo would shoot a bit lower -- it wasn't that much lower. I was very happy with this group I measured as 4.2", one shot was just off the paper and was included in the group. I'll certainly buy more if I ever see it again.
Third target was a bit of a disappointment, PPU 175gr MATCH. I went back to center POA. One shot was just off the paper to the left about 9 o'clock. I measured this as 6.5" I was expecting better, I'll look forward to trying it again. If it wasn't so dang hot and humid and getting hotter, I'd have done so then and there, but it was also possible the heat was affecting me so I figured one more target and go home.
Last up was the Hornady 155gr STEEL MATCH. I didn't know what to expect but was really very happy -- I measured 3.9" If it does as good next time out I'll definitely be shopping for more -- the price was very nice in 50 round boxes.
I think Ruger really hit the mark with the RPR as an entry level long range rifle!
Given that I very rarely shoot at things past 150 yards I was thrilled with the out of the box performance of this ~$1500 rig. Most amazing thing was not once did I forget to cycle the bolt! Last time I shot a bolt action was a few years ago using my friends .17HMR and pulled the trigger again without working the bolt almost every time.
At my club, 300 yards is the longest shooting lane. But now I'm really motivated to get to my Bud's ranch and start cutting brush and moving dirt to get some shooting lanes out as far as we can -- maybe 5-800 yards, currently ~250 is as far as we have a straight line.
That Primary Arms scope is very nice for the money, While I couldn't see the holes in the misses on the ~3'x4' backing paper I had put up first, I could see all the holes on the Dirty Bird target, but not sure I could really resolve the ones that were touching.
It wears a Primary Arms 4-14x44 FFP R-grid reticle in UTG QD mounts. About $400 out the door.
Here is a quick photo of the seup:
Started at 50 yards, removed the bolt and did a quick bore sighting. I had 10 "Barney rounds" of W German DAG surplus I used to walk into a decent zero unsuppressed.
Then I did a five shot group of Malaysian surplus and got a nice group, so I added the suppressor (Gemtech HVT-QD) and shot a nice group. POA/POI shift was minimal so I tweaked the zero for the suppressor and this ammo.
Then I opened a box of PPU 145gr FMJ to shoot at 50, 100, & 300 yards.
Here are the targets:
After the 50 yard target I did two 1/10 MIL clicks left and moved to 100 yards. Pretty nice at 100, good enough to move to 300 for a 10 shot group. It was absurdly hot and humid, the flags on the pole indicated 7-10 mph wind straight in my face, but at ground level I could barely feel it. My point is with a 50 yard zero I expected to be high at 100 yards, a bit puzzled, but I moved on to 300.
That is where I had a "brain fart" -- I used the reticle as if it were BDC instead of MIL-DOT and put the first four shots way above the target before I realized it! Flustered, I moved the chevron to the "hanging hole at the top of the target and put the final six on the paper, with two just breaking the bottom edge of the target paper. I measured the group as 7" -- not bad for military spec ammo and the first time out with the rifle. Next time out will be with better ammo.
Things aligned and I got out again yesterday, straight to the 300 yard line with another box of the 145gr FMJ PPU, PPU 168 gr JSP-BT "hunting ammo", PPU 175gr Match, and Hornady 155gr Steel Match and a freshly cleaned rifle. Conditions were not a nice as the first outing -- gusting 0-10 mph right to left, mostly full value with some .7 to .5 -- challenging conditions for me. I made no attempt to dope the wind, or compensate POA I just tried to time my shots to when it was most calm. Ten shots at each target, all suppressed.
Here are the targets:
First target with the PPU was worse than before, but using a 1 MIL compensated center hold I was happy enough with the scope settings I left it alone. The little blue tape points to the first shot out of the cold cleaned barrel, I was pleased indeed! Everything else was shot as fast as practical while waiting for when the wind appeared to be calmest based on movement of the weeds that I could see in front of the target. Three shots were left just off the paper 10-11 o'clock, I measured the group as 10.7" before removing the target. Could be the wind, or could be the difference between a 6 and 10 shot groups in the first and second outing. But clearly this is why they make "match" ammo
Next up was the PPU 168gr hunting ammo, I had no velocity info so I put a 1" blaze orange dot at the top of the target to use for POA, figuring the heavier ammo would shoot a bit lower -- it wasn't that much lower. I was very happy with this group I measured as 4.2", one shot was just off the paper and was included in the group. I'll certainly buy more if I ever see it again.
Third target was a bit of a disappointment, PPU 175gr MATCH. I went back to center POA. One shot was just off the paper to the left about 9 o'clock. I measured this as 6.5" I was expecting better, I'll look forward to trying it again. If it wasn't so dang hot and humid and getting hotter, I'd have done so then and there, but it was also possible the heat was affecting me so I figured one more target and go home.
Last up was the Hornady 155gr STEEL MATCH. I didn't know what to expect but was really very happy -- I measured 3.9" If it does as good next time out I'll definitely be shopping for more -- the price was very nice in 50 round boxes.
I think Ruger really hit the mark with the RPR as an entry level long range rifle!
Given that I very rarely shoot at things past 150 yards I was thrilled with the out of the box performance of this ~$1500 rig. Most amazing thing was not once did I forget to cycle the bolt!
Last time I shot a bolt action was a few years ago using my friends .17HMR and pulled the trigger again without working the bolt almost every time.At my club, 300 yards is the longest shooting lane. But now I'm really motivated to get to my Bud's ranch and start cutting brush and moving dirt to get some shooting lanes out as far as we can -- maybe 5-800 yards, currently ~250 is as far as we have a straight line.
That Primary Arms scope is very nice for the money, While I couldn't see the holes in the misses on the ~3'x4' backing paper I had put up first, I could see all the holes on the Dirty Bird target, but not sure I could really resolve the ones that were touching.
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