Ruger American Ranch With Sights....Please Ruger....

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ECVMatt

ECVMatt

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I am getting ready to go on a trip to some western states and want to pack a rifle. As I am going through the possible choices, I keep coming back to my Ruger American Ranch in 7.62x39. I really love this rifle. It is compact, light, reasonably powerful, and accurate. If it got stolen, I could replace it easily (I will make sure it is always secure however). The only thing missing for me is a good set of iron sights. For this trip, I have no need for a scope and just want to keep things as light and simple as possible.

I really wish Ruger would make a run of American Ranch rifles with an iron sighted option. The receiver is already drilled and tapped, so that would be a not brainer and the muzzles are threaded, so it would seem to be an easy fix as well. I realize I could just add a red dot, but on certain rifles I like my irons.

I know that I am probably in the minority, but it would seen like these rifles, with a good set of peeps, would make an exceptional handy carbine style rifle.

Now back to trying to pick a rifle for the trip.....
 
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Seems like the trend towards scopes leaves a niche for a handy person to come up with irons that can go on nearly any rifle. Back goes on the rail, front is....idk I’m not an engineer, sweated on or something.
 
I hate that they sell rifles without irons, but understand the trend.

The CZ 527 carbine fits what you are looking for to the t. It has irons, weighs less than 6 pounds, and is very packable. It's a very nice rifle, a few hundred dollars more than the Ruger, but very well made. Mags are pricy at 40+ dollars each though, and they only hold 5 rounds.

One other one in 7.62x39 to look at would be the Howa mini action, but it doesn't have irons either.
 
Put a quality low powered 1-4X scope on it and you'll soon forget about wanting iron sights. They weigh very little, are compact, quicker to get on target if set on 1X. They provide enough magnification for at least 300-400 yard shots at 4X, and are far superior to iron sights in low light.

I've seen more iron sights fail than quality scopes. A set of irons that would be more durable than a scope would end up costing more than the rifle.
 
Seems you have to buy a "scout" or a "safari" style rifle to get iron sights these days. Older hunting rifles came standard with irons, pick up one of those.

I too wish more new hunting rifles came with iron sights. Just to shoot as is, or even to dink around with while saving up for nice glass.
 
I think you could dovetail a thread on brake/flashhider/blank, for a sight insert, then use lock nut to align the vertical. Or do a whole sight tower and lock nut.

Then just use a rail mounted peep.

I haven't seen any made like that yet tho.
 
It would be easy enough to install a Williams “Ace-in-the-Hole” rear peep/rail scope/sight mount. A threaded winged front sight/muzzle brake would be an easy feat likewise.
Otherwise, getting a Ruger Ranch Mini-14 in 7.62x39 would meet your criteria.
Likewise a used .30-30 l/a.
 
My Rem 788 came with sights, but in my youth, ironically (pun not intended) my Dad removed and tossed them to fit a scope on it. No one wanted a rifle without a scope when I was a kid.
 
The Ruger Gunsite Scout with the forward rail and flashhider removed is actually a very viable utility rifle with a more traditional appearance. It has a very usable iron sight setup (ghost ring/protected front blade) and a reliable detachable box mag (AICS).

it’s no longer a scout rifle. And you’re paying for features you’re not using. But is still a very handy, compact 1 MOA rifle with iron sights that don’t require you to drill any new holes.

I like the stainless .308 myself - 19 inch barrel, adjustable LOP, just over 7 lbs empty and configure as as above. Perfecto
 
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ECVMatt said:
I am getting ready to go on a trip to some western states and want to pack a rifle. As I am going through the possible choices, I keep coming back to my Ruger American Ranch in 7.62x39. I really love this rifle. It is compact, light, reasonably powerful, and accurate. If it got stolen, I could replace it easily (I will make sure it is always secure however). The only thing missing for me is a good set of iron sights. For this trip, I have no need for a scope and just want to keep things as light and simple as possible.
Click to expand...

Might have to bite the bullet and pay a 'smith to put sights on it. Still cheaper, lighter, and less shoudler shovin' than the Ruger GSR, you already own.

https://www.doveguns.com/product-page/ruger-american-peep-sights
 
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JMR is probably right as my eyes have hit the 50 mark. The Leupold 2.5 Ultralight would be a good compromise.

Between Skinner and Dove it looks like we are 80% of the way to solving the iron sight issue. Adding another 150 bucks or so to the rifle is no optimal, it would be nice if Ruger just offered them from the get go.

Chicharrones - I could take my GSR and considered that. I am trying to stay away from my rifles that would difficult to replace. My GSR is a Black Raven, that probably only matters to me, and I am attached to that rifle. I would not want to lose it. Unfortunately all of my Marlins are versions that are very hard to replace, so they are out for the same reason.

Lone Wolf's suggestion make the most sense. I threaded front sight base or combo unit with a crush washer would be a simple solution. The rear sights already exist.

I think I will stick with the American Ranch and keep dreaming about iron sights.

Thanks for all the suggestions,

Matt
 
I'm interested in the American too and would also like iron sights... even though I would wamt to scope it. :confused:

I've seen clamp on front sights for AR's and shotguns.

Do they have something like that for non AR rifles?

@LoonWulf and GooseGestopo mentioned screw-ons types...

How would a person go about figuring out the correct height? I assume buy the rear 1st then, using some sorcery that's common knowledge to some, figure out the height of the front?

GooseGestapo said:
A threaded winged front sight/muzzle brake would be an easy feat likewise
Click to expand...


Seems like Ruger could mill out a notch on the barrel and sell a front sight that gets sandwiched by the thread protector and indexed by the notch. But what do I know?
 
I'd love to see them offer this and/or a Scout rifle based on the American. However, adding sights would be easy. Drilling & tapping one hole for a front sight is a relatively easy operation. Plenty of options for bases to fit the barrel contour. I took an American rimfire and outfitted it like a Scout rifle. I used a CZ Scorpion rear sight and a Tech Sights front tower in a Marbles base. I've had a whole lot more scopes fail than iron sights and although I use a lot of optics, I'm still a big fan/user of iron sights, especially peeps.

IMG_0514b.jpg

IMG_0515b.jpg
 
danez71 said:
I'm interested in the American too and would also like iron sights... even though I would wamt to scope it. :confused:

I've seen clamp on front sights for AR's and shotguns.

Do they have something like that for non AR rifles?

@LoonWulf and GooseGestopo mentioned screw-ons types...

How would a person go about figuring out the correct height? I assume buy the rear 1st then, using some sorcery that's common knowledge to some, figure out the height of the front?




Seems like Ruger could mill out a notch on the barrel and sell a front sight that gets sandwiched by the thread protector and indexed by the notch. But what do I know?
Click to expand...
There's a formula for choosing the correct height, but I don't shoot irons, so every time I need it, it takes some googling.

Admittedly I've never really thought about a good way to get a sight base on a threaded rifle. There's only a couple guns I want iron sights on, and they would mostly be decoration. I figgured I'd just drill, tap, and install a ramp if I really wanted them.


As a note for this interested in stumpy guns with sights. Mossberg offers the MVP Patrol in .308 with opens.
 
Is the Ruger American Ranch rifle's muzzle threaded .595"-32? If so, it'll take SAInc's M1A flash hider (w/ bayonet lug) and the M1A front sight. MidwayUSA sells it. Well, it's a thought, but it depends on the threads and whether it would turn out aesthetically acceptable. Then there's the question of the rear sight.
 
sparkyv said:
My Rem 788 came with sights, but in my youth, ironically (pun not intended) my Dad removed and tossed them to fit a scope on it. No one wanted a rifle without a scope when I was a kid.
Click to expand...
I still have my 788 (bought new in 1982) and I still have the sights that came with it, though it wears a 3-9x40 Burris now. (Old eyes don't work so well on the irons anymore.:cuss:)
 
mustanger98 said:
Is the Ruger American Ranch rifle's muzzle threaded .595"-32? If so, it'll take SAInc's M1A flash hider (w/ bayonet lug) and the M1A front sight. MidwayUSA sells it. Well, it's a thought, but it depends on the threads and whether it would turn out aesthetically acceptable. Then there's the question of the rear sight.
Click to expand...
Ruger threads all the ones larger than .223/556 at 5/8-24....except the .450s those are 11/16-24
 
ECVMatt said:
JMR is probably right as my eyes have hit the 50 mark. The Leupold 2.5 Ultralight would be a good compromise.
Click to expand...

Yep. I was shooting my Marlin 39 and CZ452 Training rifle last week. The Marlin has a Williams aperture and both rifles have plenty of sight radius. Sadly, my 55 year old eyes are having a harder and harder time making the first shots count with those iron sights. I really just need to stick to red dots or low power scopes from here on out.

ECVMatt said:
Chicharrones - I could take my GSR and considered that. I am trying to stay away from my rifles that would difficult to replace. My GSR is a Black Raven, that probably only matters to me, and I am attached to that rifle. I would not want to lose it. Unfortunately all of my Marlins are versions that are very hard to replace, so they are out for the same reason.
Click to expand...

I didn't know the Black Raven on the pistol grip end wasn't being done anymore?
 
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