Yeah, I can load em pretty cheap, but I can't load sub MOA rounds for .23 a piece. They also have ball ammo for around .40 a piece. At that price, I don't miss chasing brass, trimming, etc.
A Pair of Ruger Americans
- Thread starter TonyAngel
- Start date
Just a little update for those of you that may have run into the same issues I have.
First, the 7.62x39. I replaced the magwell with the magwell for AR pattern mags and I'm using duramags. When running hollow points, I found that if I grabbed the rifle in a manner where I hit the mag, thereby causing the front of the mag to dip down, the rounds would impact the flat on the lower portion of the receiver and it would just stop. You could remedy it quickly by just rocking the mag forward and tilting the rounds up a bit and then it would feed. This didn't happen with ball or soft points, just the hollow points, although it did cause some rough feeding.
I considered 2 remedies. The first was easy. I just applied masking tape to the front of the magwell, preventing the mag from tilting too much, but this seemed like too much of a bandaid. Instead, I opted for a more permanent solution. I pulled the action from the stock, put it vertically in a vice and took note of the "trail" that the rounds were leaving on the feed ramp and I used that as a guide. I used a dremel to cut 2 feed ramps similar to what you'd find in an M4 AR.
No more feeding problems and the action almost cycles in a manner that you could describe as slick. Now that I have over 500 rounds through it, the bolt operation has slicked up nicely. No more binding at all, no matter how I hit the bolt. The only thing that keeps it from being truly smooth, is those little bumps the mags have in them inside the feed lips. I was gonna grind them down a bit, but figured they're probably there for a reason. I may try grinding them down on one anyway, just to see. I can eat $12 for the cause.
Now, for the .308. I really don't know if I got a special one or what, but mine is super slick. I can't even bind the bolt up when I try. The only problem I'm having is with PMags. Inserting the mag on a closed bolt is difficult. Operating the bolt, you can feel the magazine rubbing on the bottom of the bolt. I just put some fine sandpaper down on a flat surface and ran the tops of the feed lips across the sandpaper a couple of swipes at a time until I didn't feel the bolt rubbing anymore. Not having any problems at all with the Ruger mags.
Now, I just need to find ammo that these rifles like. I don't know what I was thinking, but I bought a bunch of PPU soft points for both and they both hate 'em. The 7.62x39 will put Russian steel case into an inch or less at 100, but the PPU SP, 2" at best. The .308 hates the 160 something grain SP. 3" at best, but it'll do 1.5" or so with the 150gr SP. I guess what I hoped would be my hunting ammo is gonna become plinking fodder.
I have a little stash of Wolf hollow points for the 7.62x39 and I ordered some Hornady SSTs. These Rugers supposedly love that stuff.
A buddy of mine at the range where I shoot, who sights in rifles told me that he hasn't seen a Ruger .308 that wouldn't do MOA with Hornady Whitetail, so I ordered some of that. We'll see. I hope mine isn't the first he's seen.
First, the 7.62x39. I replaced the magwell with the magwell for AR pattern mags and I'm using duramags. When running hollow points, I found that if I grabbed the rifle in a manner where I hit the mag, thereby causing the front of the mag to dip down, the rounds would impact the flat on the lower portion of the receiver and it would just stop. You could remedy it quickly by just rocking the mag forward and tilting the rounds up a bit and then it would feed. This didn't happen with ball or soft points, just the hollow points, although it did cause some rough feeding.
I considered 2 remedies. The first was easy. I just applied masking tape to the front of the magwell, preventing the mag from tilting too much, but this seemed like too much of a bandaid. Instead, I opted for a more permanent solution. I pulled the action from the stock, put it vertically in a vice and took note of the "trail" that the rounds were leaving on the feed ramp and I used that as a guide. I used a dremel to cut 2 feed ramps similar to what you'd find in an M4 AR.
No more feeding problems and the action almost cycles in a manner that you could describe as slick. Now that I have over 500 rounds through it, the bolt operation has slicked up nicely. No more binding at all, no matter how I hit the bolt. The only thing that keeps it from being truly smooth, is those little bumps the mags have in them inside the feed lips. I was gonna grind them down a bit, but figured they're probably there for a reason. I may try grinding them down on one anyway, just to see. I can eat $12 for the cause.
Now, for the .308. I really don't know if I got a special one or what, but mine is super slick. I can't even bind the bolt up when I try. The only problem I'm having is with PMags. Inserting the mag on a closed bolt is difficult. Operating the bolt, you can feel the magazine rubbing on the bottom of the bolt. I just put some fine sandpaper down on a flat surface and ran the tops of the feed lips across the sandpaper a couple of swipes at a time until I didn't feel the bolt rubbing anymore. Not having any problems at all with the Ruger mags.
Now, I just need to find ammo that these rifles like. I don't know what I was thinking, but I bought a bunch of PPU soft points for both and they both hate 'em. The 7.62x39 will put Russian steel case into an inch or less at 100, but the PPU SP, 2" at best. The .308 hates the 160 something grain SP. 3" at best, but it'll do 1.5" or so with the 150gr SP. I guess what I hoped would be my hunting ammo is gonna become plinking fodder.
I have a little stash of Wolf hollow points for the 7.62x39 and I ordered some Hornady SSTs. These Rugers supposedly love that stuff.
A buddy of mine at the range where I shoot, who sights in rifles told me that he hasn't seen a Ruger .308 that wouldn't do MOA with Hornady Whitetail, so I ordered some of that. We'll see. I hope mine isn't the first he's seen.
I had a light day today, so I took the 1.5 hour ride to an 800 yard range with the pair of Ranch rifles. Just to bang in some steel.
All I was shooting in the .308 was some 150gr ball that I got from Black Dot Ammo and was able to take it out to 600, which was about all the ammo could do. Or maybe about all I could do with that ammo.
What surprised me was the little 7.62x39. I did something I've never done before. Once I got my dope, I was hitting without fail at 500 yards with Wolf steel cased hollow points. Whoda thunk that Wolf was even capable of it. I would have gone farther, but the reticle in my PST only provides for 500 and I didn't have my glasses, so I couldn't dial. I guess I could have done it by feel, but I just didn't feel like messing with it.
All I was shooting in the .308 was some 150gr ball that I got from Black Dot Ammo and was able to take it out to 600, which was about all the ammo could do. Or maybe about all I could do with that ammo.
What surprised me was the little 7.62x39. I did something I've never done before. Once I got my dope, I was hitting without fail at 500 yards with Wolf steel cased hollow points. Whoda thunk that Wolf was even capable of it. I would have gone farther, but the reticle in my PST only provides for 500 and I didn't have my glasses, so I couldn't dial. I guess I could have done it by feel, but I just didn't feel like messing with it.
Hey all,
Just a heads up. Targetsportsusa.com has Barnaul 7.62x39 for $349, plus tax for 700 rounds. My Ranch does MOA or better with this stuff.
Eurooptics has the Timney trigger for the Ruger American for $109 plus tax and shipping. All I ordered was the trigger and it came up to $142, which is still less than what most places sell these for before shipping and tax.
Just a heads up. Targetsportsusa.com has Barnaul 7.62x39 for $349, plus tax for 700 rounds. My Ranch does MOA or better with this stuff.
Eurooptics has the Timney trigger for the Ruger American for $109 plus tax and shipping. All I ordered was the trigger and it came up to $142, which is still less than what most places sell these for before shipping and tax.
Last edited:
wesmonster
Member
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2019
- Messages
- 390
FWIW I have two AR mag Ruger Americans, a .300bo Ranch & 6.5 Grendel Predator.
In my ARs I mainly run Duramags but in my Predator I found 10 round D&H mags have less play than most other metal mags.
D&H uses thicker steel in their 7.62x39 & 6.5 Grendel mags.
In the .300bo most polymer mags and E-Lander steel body mags are best fit. Again, E-Lander uses thicker steel in their mag bodies. I also run 10 round E-Lander 6.5 Grendel mags but the D&Hs are a tighter fit.
In my ARs I mainly run Duramags but in my Predator I found 10 round D&H mags have less play than most other metal mags.
D&H uses thicker steel in their 7.62x39 & 6.5 Grendel mags.
In the .300bo most polymer mags and E-Lander steel body mags are best fit. Again, E-Lander uses thicker steel in their mag bodies. I also run 10 round E-Lander 6.5 Grendel mags but the D&Hs are a tighter fit.
So, I got the Timney trigger in and installed it in the 7.62x39. It made a big difference for me. I did the little spring mod on the stock trigger and it did make a difference, but there was still creep and the break wasn't very clean. I found that when shooting, I was squeezing the trigger until it went off, without knowing exactly when that was going to be. With the Timney, it know goes off when I tell it to. The break is very clean and predictable.
At the sale price of $109, it's a no brainer for me. It much improved my shooting enjoyment and I'm getting a bit more accuracy. I ordered another for my .308 Predator.
At the sale price of $109, it's a no brainer for me. It much improved my shooting enjoyment and I'm getting a bit more accuracy. I ordered another for my .308 Predator.
Bearcat1982
Member
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2023
- Messages
- 196
I thought that was a Boyd's or something, until i read your post! Very nice
