New Gun Day Has Arrived: Ruger American Rimfire

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Spats McGee

Spats McGee

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As some of you may have noted from one of my other threads, I am rediscovering the joys of the .22LR. I have gone through my patented 11-Stage Overthinking Process, and decided that I want a .22 bolt gun. In fact, I started a thread called Squirrel Sniper when I was just beginning my search. In spite of the name, the most likely scenario is that this rifle will be used for plinking, or target shooting out to about 100 yards.

I have settled on the Ruger American Rimfire. I have a question.

I can choose between the 18" threaded barrel, or the 22" barrel. I can get the 22" barrel threaded later. How much difference will it the extra 4" make in accuracy, given that I'll be shooting suppressed? I realize that my mileage may vary.
 
Spats McGee said:
As some of you may have noted from one of my other threads, I am rediscovering the joys of the .22LR. I have gone through my patented 11-Stage Overthinking Process, and decided that I want a .22 bolt gun. In fact, I started a thread called Squirrel Sniper when I was just beginning my search. In spite of the name, the most likely scenario is that this rifle will be used for plinking, or target shooting out to about 100 yards.

I have settled on the Ruger American Rimfire. I have a question.

I can choose between the 18" threaded barrel, or the 22" barrel. I can get the 22" barrel threaded later. How much difference will it the extra 4" make in accuracy, given that I'll be shooting suppressed? I realize that my mileage may vary.
Click to expand...

The only time adding barrel length matters to accuracy is when using iron sights.
Running scope it doesn't matter.
Generally short stiff tubes are more accurate, and id assume less likely to have droop related contact issues if you have a heavy can up front.

Even if you've got a light .22 specific can, I'd still get the shorter tube. Just because your not loosing anything with it, and the can will add length that might make the longer barrel unwieldy.
 
The .22LR gains it's highest velocity in about 16" of barrel length, so anything longer should be for better balance, noise reduction, aesthetics, etc. Accuracy, using scope sights, may not be enhanced by longer barrel length, at least not so the average shooter would notice.

Best accuracy from a barrel is usually achieved when a barrel is cut at a tight spot in the bore near the length that works for other reasons, including iron sight accuracy.
 
i just got a 18 threaded in a trade its new i was looking of selling it. it shot very good so have to other one i have had. i really like these American rimfires but trying to get the cz fs 22lr before they are gone.
 
Thank you all for your input. I researched, I hemmed and I hawed. I thought I wanted the 22" barrel. But I wanted it threaded. So I thought about the 18" threaded barrel. I almost never care what color a gun is, but this is one of the few purely fun guns I've allowed myself in several years, so I decided that, if possible, I wanted something other than basic black. Every gun I own is either black or parkerized green. I really liked the "copper mica" stock. I drove over an hour last night because a relatively-local gun store had the stainless model with black furniture and the threaded barrel. It was nice, and at a good price for that gun, I have to admit. Unfortunately, it was still high enough that it would have cut into my scope budget fairly hard. So I passed. I also talked to a buddy of mine (who is a gunsmith), and he believes that there's enough metal at the end of that 22" barrel to thread it. If there's not, he can cut it back.

Today, I finally decided to just bite the bullet and order this rifle. Having never ordered a firearm online, I called my LGS (that I have visited 3-4 times in the past 2 weeks) to find out how this process goes. During the phone call, the guy asks me about the rifle I want. When I describe it, he says, "I think we have one of those in the back." :eek: Really?!? Apparently, they had several of them hiding in the back . . . . I ask him what they want for them, crunch the numbers, and figure out that it will cost me the princely sum of about $8 extra to have it in my grubby little hands today, rather than wait on shipping.

NEW GUN DAY HAS ARRIVED!
 
Spats McGee said:
Thank you all for your input. I researched, I hemmed and I hawed. I thought I wanted the 22" barrel. But I wanted it threaded. So I thought about the 18" threaded barrel. I almost never care what color a gun is, but this is one of the few purely fun guns I've allowed myself in several years, so I decided that, if possible, I wanted something other than basic black. Every gun I own is either black or parkerized green. I really liked the "copper mica" stock. I drove over an hour last night because a relatively-local gun store had the stainless model with black furniture and the threaded barrel. It was nice, and at a good price for that gun, I have to admit. Unfortunately, it was still high enough that it would have cut into my scope budget fairly hard. So I passed. I also talked to a buddy of mine (who is a gunsmith), and he believes that there's enough metal at the end of that 22" barrel to thread it. If there's not, he can cut it back.

Today, I finally decided to just bite the bullet and order this rifle. Having never ordered a firearm online, I called my LGS (that I have visited 3-4 times in the past 2 weeks) to find out how this process goes. During the phone call, the guy asks me about the rifle I want. When I describe it, he says, "I think we have one of those in the back." :eek: Really?!? Apparently, they had several of them hiding in the back . . . . I ask him what they want for them, crunch the numbers, and figure out that it will cost me the princely sum of about $8 extra to have it in my grubby little hands today, rather than wait on shipping.

NEW GUN DAY HAS ARRIVED!
Click to expand...
Congrats, im sure it will be a good shooter and a fun!
 
TBH, I'm glad I could buy from the LGS, too. I don't really buy guns very often, but I do prefer to buy from a small, local shop (as opposed to one of the big box stores or online) when I can.
 
Was having some difficulties, but I think I can post a picture now.
index.php
 
Beautiful .22 rifle! You'll have a great time with it. Just need to buy a number of boxes of ammo (different makers) to see what it likes. I had one like yours (with the all black stock) a number of years ago and was super happy with it. Love the two comb heights, the super smooth bolt throw (was surprised by that) and good accuracy. Only reason I sold mine was that I came across a crazy good deal on an Anschutz, otherwise I'd still have it. Are you going to leave it with irons, or scope it? Scoped mine with a 4-12 Leupold and had a lot of fun out to 200 yds (ok, sometimes a lot of frustration at 200 yds! Not the gun's fault). Let us know how the first few magazines through it go!

p.s. I'm glad I'm not the only one with a patented overthinking process!! ;)
 
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Just me, but I would have gotten the shorter barrel, like my 10/22 carbine. As "Picher" said, anything over 16" is unnecessary. But the one you got still looks good, mainly because it's a Ruger!
 
ilmonster said:
You'll have a great time with it. Just need to buy a number of boxes of ammo (different makers) to see what it likes.
Click to expand...
ilmonster said:
Let us know how the first few magazines through it go!
Click to expand...
Actually, I was able to sneak out to the range yesterday and am working on nailing down its preferences. I'll write up a range report soon.
ilmonster said:
Are you going to leave it with irons, or scope it?
Click to expand...
I'm going to scope it. I'm hoping to splurge just a little (and I do mean "a little") on the glass. Currently looking at some of the Nikon rimfire scopes. I'm open to suggestions, though.
beag_nut said:
ust me, but I would have gotten the shorter barrel, like my 10/22 carbine. As "Picher" said, anything over 16" is unnecessary.
Click to expand...
No, from the looks of this thread, it's not "just you." A handful of factors came into play, though: (1) The copper mica stock isn't available in the 18" threaded barrel, which is the barrel that I really wanted; (2) I could have gotten the black stock and 18" threaded barrel for about $30 more; and (3) if I really want to, I can have the barrel cut back by a gunsmith.
 
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