Help me pick a Gen 2 American Ranch Rifle!

[mavracer]

Hunting distances and scenarios were included in my first post. Whitetail deer is primarily what we hunt, but will shoot a coyote if we see one while deer hunting. Just now starting to see hog sign on our property but they mostly move at night so not likely to encounter one during deer season, but it’s possible.

Well forgot my own rule read reread then post lol.
125 is within easy reach with a 300 BO, so my suggestion would stand asking yourself "what's the plan for this gun down the road?"

 

[Mini30SS]

My son hit a half mile with a 6 creed when he was 6 years old, roughly equivalent to a 243win. He hit 2000 yards for the first time last summer while he was still 10yoa with a 375 Cheytac, and would have started shooting his grandpa’s 30-06 while he was 8 or had just turned 9, and his mother’s 45-70 about the same time. It’s all about intentionality of the experience.

There you go. Just completely ignore the OP's criteria and make it all about you. You have a future in politics.

 

[mongoslow]

I’m basically ignoring all the 308-based suggestions (243, 7-08, 308) as I’ve already explained that those will most likely be the next step from here when he gets 12 or 13 years old. Not to mention most of those calibers don’t came in the Ranch configuration with the 16” barrel lengths, which is very important to me for this scenario. The 12” LOP on the stock doesn’t really help much with a 20 or 22” barrel dipping. So the shorter 16” barrel helps make the 12” LOP feel more balanced, especially for a kid.

I’ve pretty much settled on the Gen 2 Ranch platform, so it’s really just a matter of picking a caliber that is offered. I understand my choices might not be the same as everyone else’s, but I honestly don’t care. I’m decided on the rifle and only interested in advice on what caliber would be best. There’s been a lot of good info offered and I’ve definitely learned a lot.

I voted for the 6.6.5 Grendel but also look at the 350L great 200 uard and in deer round also

 

[Varminterror]

There you go. Just completely ignore the OP's criteria and make it all about you. You have a future in politics.

Just hoping to express that maybe his son doesn’t have to fall victim to the soft bigotry of low expectations.

 

[adcoch1]

I'm 100% with @Varminterror about these smaller cases being perfect for deer, i learned this growing up with an sks in my hands. Lots of hunters laughed at my choice, but like 3 out of every 100 deer killed around here were over 100 yards away. I like the 6.5 Grendel for it's power level in the packages it fits in. The Arc has to be as good. And 300blk can get the job done, so all three of the OPs caliber choices are fine, especially for deer.

 

[Varminterror]

why not a a lever rifle in 357Mag, or 44Mag?

I'm a HUGE fan of 44mag Marlin 1894's, and yes, my son also shoots my 1894 44mags, BUT...

A 240grn bullet leaving a 6 1/4lb Marlin 1894 at 1900fps has almost identical recoil velocity and recoil energy as a 9lb (7.5lb rifle + 1.5lb scope) Rem 700 in 7-08, but has considerably greater challenge in delivering the bullets on target in the field - collectively in terms of raw accuracy potential, trajectory management, and shootability.

So the 44mag isn't a BAD choice, but it's probably not the best choice if we don't think the kid will have much shooting talent or ability.

Comparatively for the context of the thread, a Marlin 1894 44mag has more than TWICE the recoil energy of a 6 ARC Ruger American Rifle.

 

[Mini30SS]

I'm 100% with @Varminterror about these smaller cases being perfect for deer, i learned this growing up with an sks in my hands. Lots of hunters laughed at my choice, but like 3 out of every 100 deer killed around here were over 100 yards away. I like the 6.5 Grendel for it's power level in the packages it fits in. The Arc has to be as good. And 300blk can get the job done, so all three of the OPs caliber choices are fine, especially for deer.

Seems like your confused about what Varminterror and the OP each posted separately.

 

[adcoch1]

Seems like your confused about what Varminterror and the OP each posted separately.

I’ve taken around 200 deer in my life so far, with dozens of cartridges, and I have really come to believe that if I need more than 100-140grn of bullet over more than 30-40 grn of powder, I’m doing something which I probably should not be doing.
....

but more and more, I’m convinced that these smaller cartridges are the ideal options for deer hunting, and that simply poor bullet choice, poor shot placement advice, and poor common marksmanship are the only reasons for the poor advice for such large cartridges in the past.

This is what I agree with. I've used lots of different cartridges to take deer, but I'm migrating back to these smaller cases for deer. They are just enough, And not too much. I like the efficiency.

 

[horsemen61]

@Olympus lets us know what you end up with

 

[CraigC]

The Grendel, hands down. The 6.5JDJ was the gold standard of 400yd deer/antelope wildcats for the TC Contender for decades. The Grendel essentially duplicates it. I've got several in 12", 14", 16" and 18". The shorter barrels get the most use and I have four chronographs.

 

[d2wing]

I went from .223 AR to .243 with my grandkids. I would go 6.5 Grendel but 6 MM ARC is a good call too. .223 or 7.62x39 works too. Since you lean 6 MM ARC nothing wrong with that with correct bullets and placement.

 

[GooseGestapo]

Recently PSA had their house brand 6.5G ammo on sale. I bought 100rds with the Hornady 123gr SST bullet for less than others wanted for New, unprimed brass!
It’s a little slower than my hand loads, but not enough to affect zero, or down range ballistics.

 

[GooseGestapo]

That's what boys are supposed to do! Never stuck your tongue to a frozen pole?

View attachment 1254490

My wife grew up in New England and did that once! Her dad was one of the firefighters that showed up to rescue her! She was so embarrassed that she ripped her tongue pulling off and ran inside the school!
She doesn’t recommend doing it!

 

[GooseGestapo]

Don’t rule out the Howa M1500 mini!
Also available in 6mm ARC, it comes in different barrel lengths.
I adore mine in the 22” Lt wt barrel. With the 95gr Hornady Vmax, or 100gr Noslers, there is little difference between the 6.5G and the heavier recoiling .243 (yeah, I know, but I’ve got/had many .243’s, and NOT a huge fan ) and the 6.5 has a MUCH lower muzzle blast.
I put a 2” linear muzzle brake on my Grendel and can shoot it without muffs. (Though I don’t recommend it, though out the window of my Ram p/u it’s tolerable). I’m on the list for nuisance control at my home base airport. The neighbors appreciate me using the Grendel instead of the .257Wby or .300RUM…
I looked hard at a Ruger Ranch Gen 2 in 7.62x39 last week. But at $650 passed. They are heavy compared to a Gen 1. Ended up getting the S&W Bodyguard 2.0 I’d intended to get…

 

[Olympus]

@Olympus lets us know what you end up with

Pretty much decided on the 6ARC at this point. I will doing my usually shopping around. If I can find a deal on a used Grendel that's significantly better than I can find on the ARC, then I might go that route. But I think the ARC is my choice at this point.

 

[Varminterror]

Pretty much decided on the 6ARC at this point. I will doing my usually shopping around. If I can find a deal on a used Grendel that's significantly better than I can find on the ARC, then I might go that route. But I think the ARC is my choice at this point.

Neither of these will be a bad choice. I have mentioned in the post my favor for the 6 ARC slightly over the 6.5 Grendel, but I voted for the Grendel in the poll. Part of me really likes the 120-130grn bullets of the 6.5mm over the 105-110's of the ARC, part of me really appreciates the extra 200fps.

BUT... when I vote with my wallet, it's the 6mm. I sold my last 6.5 Grendel of my own a few years ago, my son has a 6 ARC, and I have a 6 Grendel (straight neck down, no push back). I've debated heavily, however, getting a 6.5 Grendel barrel and bolt to replace my 6.8 SPC's currently, as I still have 2 of them left, but I just haven't been terribly motivated to do so. The ONLY complaint I really have between them is kind of a toss up of two evils right now - the best powder for the 6 ARC is a relatively terrible powder, and the best powder for the 6.5 Grendel, an amazing powder, is completely unobtanium. Leverevolution promotes great accuracy in the 6 ARC and gives notably higher velocity than other options, but it's dirty burning and incredibly temperature sensitive, which is problematic. Alternatively, 8208 is an absolute dream in the 6.5 Grendel, almost akin to Varget in the 6 Dasher - you'd almost have to try hard to mess it up, BUT, it has been incredibly difficult to procure since pre-covid. Kind of a rock and a hard place to choose between "second best powders" for either of these.

I don't know what the market looks like for used Gen 2 American Ranch rifles, I assume pretty small still, since the model line is only a few months old. But even new, they're not terribly expensive.

 

[emtyhopper]

My daughter uses a Ruger American youth rifle chambered in 243. She practices with reduced loads using trail boss and 55gr varmagedon bullets. It recoils barely more than a 22 wmr, but still makes a loud pop. When it's time to hunt, I load her rifle with full power loads and she doesn't notice or care about the extra recoil when shooting a deer!

 

[Bartojc]

I choose the Grendel because of the scope of your survey. If I were looking outside your scope I'd be looking at the 350 Legend. In the last year I aquired a Legend and I think it is going to become my under 200 yards deer rifle. Heavier bullets, 35 caliber, and enough velocity to get the job done.

-Jeff

 

[CraigC]

Pretty much decided on the 6ARC at this point. I will doing my usually shopping around. If I can find a deal on a used Grendel that's significantly better than I can find on the ARC, then I might go that route. But I think the ARC is my choice at this point.

If I was hunting deer sized game with any 6mm, I would do so only with premium bonded bullets.

 

[Boattale]

If I was hunting deer sized game with any 6mm, I would do so only with premium bonded bullets.

I can tell you that .243 Remington Corelokt is fine. No need for bonded bullets on deer, cup and core have killed hundreds of thousands of them.

 

[CraigC]

I can tell you that .243 Remington Corelokt is fine. No need for bonded bullets on deer, cup and core have killed hundreds of thousands of them.

You think I pulled that from my posterior orifice? No, multiple, dismal failures of cup & core bullets on lowly deer. A marginal cartridge needs a premium bullet.

 

[z7]

6.5 grendel

AAC ammo from palmetto state armory holds 1.5” groups and ~2500fps from my 18” upper. The bullets are 123 sst with a black tip and are ~$13 per box of ammo

Hornady 123 sst loads get me about 2550fps with similar accuracy

I thinks it’s a pretty good cartridge for 200 yds and in, more energy than 300 BO by a decent margin

 

[Varminterror]

If I was hunting deer sized game with any 6mm, I would do so only with premium bonded bullets.

Alternatively, I eat a couple hundred pounds of venison every year harvested with 6mm boattail hollow points… placement, marksmanship, and discipline is all it takes.

 

[CraigC]

Alternatively, I eat a couple hundred pounds of venison every year harvested with 6mm boattail hollow points… placement, marksmanship, and discipline is all it takes.

Well God bless America, good for you. I guess if you never experienced a failure, then no one else did either, huh? Sorry but "placement, marksmanship and discipline" can't make up for a bullet that comes unglued and doesn't make it to the vitals.

 

[Varminterror]

Well God bless America, good for you. I guess if you never experienced a failure, then no one else did either, huh? Sorry but "placement, marksmanship and discipline" can't make up for a bullet that comes unglued and doesn't make it to the vitals.

I obviously must be doing something wrong if I’m not able to make these bullets fail.

Meanwhile, I’ll keep turning lungs into pudding and cutting hearts nearly in half with cup and core BTHP and poly tipped bullets which “come unglued” in the vitals, without needing premium, bonded bullets.