Ruger american 6.5 creedmoor

[Waterboy3313]

Just shoot the damned thing.

Thank you for the kind words of encouragement. I will do that on my next free day. By the way I was not blaming the rifle. I was just curious as to what people think and maybe what kind of break in time/rounds should be expected from those who have actual experience with thus particular rifle.

I work full time and have a family 3 times out with this project in the amount of time I have owned it is probably pretty decent for most people. Again not blaming anything other than myself, yes I dislike the trigger and the stock. Admitting that I was feeling rushed and a bit shakey was why I stopped. I feel it would be stupid to continue under these conditions. I will admit I might not be as good and knowledgeable as you are but I guarantee you I'm not the bottom of the barrel.

Here is my best group on my first trip out. My hand loads at 100 yards. I don't think it's bad but I think I can improve. Improvement is my deal I always think I can do something better.

 

[Waterboy3313]

Here is my best group on my first trip out. My hand loads at 100 yards.

Looks like a little jbs destroyed my barrel. This thing is destined for the scrap pile. LMAO!

 

[CraigC]

The trigger is junk and the stock is flimsy garbage. You pasted the barrel, you're replacing the trigger and stock but it's not the rifle's fault you're "not impressed?

If the damned thing delivered a half inch group with your handloads on the first time out, what are you complaining about???

 

[Waterboy3313]

If the damned thing delivered a half inch group with your handloads on the first time out, what are you complaining about???

Again I'm not complaining you keep saying I am but I'm not. I was just asking for input from people that actually own this rifle with real world experience so that I can compare my results. Read it again and again until it registers in your thick skull! Stop knocking me me for what I am doing when you can't read!

Sorry for losing my cool. I'm just curios what others are getting for results. Good better or worse than mine. Yes I admit I don't like certain features that if I change I still feel I do better. Not to mention this is a rough work up. Maybe I got lucky I didn't know that's why I want to compare my results with others that have real world experience with this same make/model of rifle.

Simple as that don't judge me . Compare your real world results to mine and give me real data not your opinion.

 

[Laphroaig]

I don't think it's bad

I'm glad that you posted that group considering how negative your OP was. I'm starting to believe that is pretty typical accuracy for the RA.

I don't like the stock either but am afraid to spend a bunch of money for something that ends up shooting worse.

Looks like a little jbs destroyed my barrel. This thing is destined for the scrap pile. LMAO!

+1

 

[Waterboy3313]

All I'm saying is I have showed my results and I don't care for two features that a lot of people would change anyway. One of my concerns was how flexible the stock is. Not being a formally trained firearms expert or gunsmith I had some concerns. I've never owned a rifle with a stock this flimsy. My concerns were: does this affect accuracy? Lots of people claim it's good to go. Can it be improved? Probably. Will that make me more accurate? I don't know reason why I am asking.

I find the trigger has a weird feeling to me. I also feel it's a bit stiff and it's not consistent. Can someone use it with decent results? Probably . Do I think a quality traditional trigger would work better for me? Yes I do.

I don't care if it's a $100 rifle or $1000. I think that anything mass produced for the average user can always be improved upon and one size does not fit all.

 

[BreechFace]

I just put a Timney on my kids 243 youth American.

Someone on THR suggested filling the buttstock with plastic grocery sacks, while not something I ever would have thought to do, I thought why not. One can stuff a metric ton of plastic grocery bags into buttstock with firm presses with the dowel. It adds a bit of weight to it and gets rid of the hollow sound and feel of the stock.

I was surprised, the new American stocks is a definite improvement over the original ones with the honeycomb pattern under the barrel. I’m not sure if I’ll even need to do any work I anticipated to do to the barrel channel.

I did some heavy sanding and polishing to the bolt as it had heavy tool marks from the lathe that made a lot of noise when operating the bolt. It is now smooth, polished and lightly greased and made a big improvement, very little noise and much smoother.

The Timney was a huge improvement over the stock trigger, money well spent for those who don’t care for the blade triggers. All of the above I did cost $140 over the price of the rifle and an hour of work. Don’t know why anyone wouldn’t spend a bit of time to make it better rather than put up.

If this 243 Win shoots as well as your group above it’ll serve its purpose of a starter hunting gun for our kids.

 

[high country]

One of my concerns was how flexible the stock is. Not being a formally trained firearms expert or gunsmith I had some concerns. I've never owned a rifle with a stock this flimsy. My concerns were: does this affect accuracy? Lots of people claim it's good to go. Can it be improved? Probably. Will that make me more accurate? I don't know reason why I am asking.

The thing about the ruger stock is that there is an aluminum bedding block, so there is actually little chance of poor contact between the stock and action that affects the POA/POI of the rifle as temps, etc. change. The cheap plastic feel and flexibility have essentially no impact on the accuracy of the rifle itself as long as the forend isn't touching the barrel.

Your rifle looks to shoot pretty much like mine when I do my job right, which seems pretty typical of these rifles.

 

[BreechFace]

The only concern I have with the flex of the stock is if slinging up or utilizing a bipod puts the stock into the barrel. I’ll figure that out as I go and revisit working over the front of the stock if necessary.

 

[Bill Raby]

You can stick a bunch of aftermarket stuff on there and talk yourself into thinking you now have a high end custom made rifle. Or you can save up some money and actually get a high end custom made rifle. Either way works just fine.

 

[wbm]

I've never owned a rifle with a stock this flimsy. My concerns were: does this affect accuracy?

Yes.

 

[Varminterror]

I've never owned a rifle with a stock this flimsy. My concerns were: does this affect accuracy? Lots of people claim it's good to go.

Lots of people sit down at a bench with flimsy stocked rifles and shoot a half inch group like you posted and claim their flimsy stock isn’t a problem…

But…

Flimsy stocks aren’t a problem IF the pressure on the stock is not changed from one shot to the next. In a group like that, you’re shooting from the same position, same support, so you’re putting the same pressure on the stock. Say that was from a front bag rest or machine rest, now take that rifle onto a preloaded bipod - the pressure on the barrel from the stock will change, which can (and usually does) shift POI downrange. Then take it and shoot from standing, with the rifle supported by a TriggerStik, again, the pressure on the stock and subsequently the barrel will change. Then sling up and shoot with a hasty sling offhand, again, the pressure on the stock and subsequently the barrel will change, and yet again, the POI changes… so you wonder why you’re missing shots, and you go back to the bench to check zero, back on that same support, and lo and behold, it’s still shooting the same from THAT position as when it was zeroed…

THAT is the consequence of a flimsy stock which hides itself behind small groups and entices unwitting folks to claim “flimsy stocks are good to go.”

 

[Varminterror]

The thing about the ruger stock is that there is an aluminum bedding block, so there is actually little chance of poor contact between the stock and action that affects the POA/POI of the rifle as temps, etc. change.

The independent V blocks of the Ruger American really aren’t what most folks would consider a bedding block. Two little blocks of metal, resting in the polymer stock, also acting as the recoil lugs for the action, separated by thin plastic sidewalls (effectively mag box covers) aren’t the same thing as full length, integral bedding blocks which actually stiffen the stock and are rigidly fixed relative to eachother.

This:



Is not the same as this:

 

[Waterboy3313]

I had considered filling the honeycomb section of the factory stock maybe 1/2 to 3/4 full of something like fiberglass resin or epoxy. I will say that the first time out I was using my Caldwell rest supporting the rifle much further back than where my bipod attaches. Last time I was using my bipod on the sling swivel. The further out on the stock as it gets smaller and narrower and probably more flimsy sounds like it could be giving me inconsistent results.

 

[BreechFace]

I had considered filling the honeycomb section of the factory stock maybe 1/2 to 3/4 full of something like fiberglass resin or epoxy. I will say that the first time out I was using my Caldwell rest supporting the rifle much further back than where my bipod attaches. Last time I was using my bipod on the sling swivel. The further out on the stock as it gets smaller and narrower and probably more flimsy sounds like it could be giving me inconsistent results.

If my forearm flexes too much when loading up in a sling or on a bipod. As I said before I'll plan on using the dremel to channel out two channels in the forearm along side the sling studs and bed in some aluminum rods or carbon arrow shafts. Others have done this with good results and it is a cheap improvement on stiffness.

I have a lot more into my rifles than I will into my kids shared hunting rifle, but it will be enjoyable making the most of the American, as it only has to serve a purpose long enough to get them into an adults stock at which point the real fun begins in putting together a nice action, barrel, stock and trigger for them, in a caliber we will discuss at that time. To me, the American has shown itself to be an accurate model of rifle with a few things that need some attention, the trigger and the stock, other than that I don't see putting much more into this rifle other than shots down the barrel and load development.

 

[CraigC]

Read it again and again until it registers in your thick skull! Stop knocking me me for what I am doing when you can't read!

I might suggest you do the same. There is no emotional component on my end. I'm just reading words on the screen.

Last time I was using my bipod on the sling swivel. The further out on the stock as it gets smaller and narrower and probably more flimsy sounds like it could be giving me inconsistent results.

There's your answer. It's difficult to get consistent results with a bipod anyway, exacerbated by the flexible forend of the American's stock. Shame we couldn't have gotten here sooner.

 

[robin banks]

View attachment 1120970 I don't have a RAR in 6.5 CM . I do have 1 in 22-250 , and 1 in 6mm CM . Both predator models. I've had the 22-250 for a while , the 6mm not so long . I first did the reinforcing stuff to the 22-250 . It stiffened it up , but i just don't like plastic stocks . So i put it in a Bell and Carlson and was pretty happy with it . Then I got the 6mm , and decided to put it in a Boyd's walnut stock . I couldn't get it to shoot , had a lot of horizontal dispersion , 2 to 3 inches . Decided to try putting the B&C stock on it one day to see if any difference . Groups shrunk down to unbelievable size . Went to put the wood stock on 22-250 and it wouldn't go on , turns out there was just a slight bearing spot in the trigger cut out , fixed that and re-tried both combos again . The 22-250 shoots about the same from either. ( about 3/4 inch with a 69 grn matchburner) . But the 6mm shoots lights out with the B&C , much better then the Boyd's . No knock on Boyd's , another one might have the opposite reaction , thats just how rifles can be sometimes .

what is the twist on the 22-250?

 

[citizenconn]

Talking with my buddy again the king of the two mile guy he says the flimsy stock is ok. It bugs the crap out of me but he said not to waste my time with it.

I have the same issue with flimsy stocks on Savage rifles. They are ok for one or two shots while hunting, but beyond that I find accuracy suffers greatly. But I mostly do target shooting so I put the action in a chassis or other good stock and that fixes the accuracy issues for me. Of all the Savage rifles I own only one has stayed in the original stock. I think it is the long range hunter model and the stock is decent on it, and I use it only for hunting. I don't get a point of impact shift until after 4-5 rounds in fairly quick succession.

My opinion is - if the stock bugs you then change it. Because it will just continue to bug you. There are a lot of not too expensive options out there. Good luck.

 

[Laphroaig]

You can stick a bunch of aftermarket stuff on there and talk yourself into thinking you now have a high end custom made rifle. Or you can save up some money and actually get a high end custom made rifle. Either way works just fine.

I think that this is the crux of the matter. The RA is a $500 rifle that shoots bug holes out of the box. You could have bought a $2500 rifle that also shoots bug holes. One costs more for a reason. The RA has been engineered to be accurate and inexpensive, with the downside being some cheaply made components that pale in comparison to the craftsmanship found in more expensive rifles. A Savage might be the next step up, but at the end of the day you still have a plastic stock and Accutrigger.

I've shot mine exclusively from a bipod and don't think that the stock is an issue with accuracy from a bench.

 

[codytrucker]

what is the twist on the 22-250?

It's 1 in 10 . I tried some 75 grain bullets but they had a little wobble to them .

 

[BreechFace]

I think that this is the crux of the matter. The RA is a $500 rifle that shoots bug holes out of the box. You could have bought a $2500 rifle that also shoots bug holes. One costs more for a reason. The RA has been engineered to be accurate and inexpensive, with the downside being some cheaply made components that pale in comparison to the craftsmanship found in more expensive rifles. A Savage might be the next step up, but at the end of the day you still have a plastic stock and Accutrigger.

I've shot mine exclusively from a bipod and don't think that the stock is an issue with accuracy from a bench.

View attachment 1121124

View attachment 1121125

Agreed. My assertion is that one can buy a $400 Ruger American, put $150 into the trigger, +$20-30 of misc materials and a couple hours of time and have a really serviceable rifle for less than $600. Is it as nice as my Proof Barreld Win70 or Ruger GSR's, no. But it sure was a lot cheaper.

I may be in a different frame of mind if I was @Waterboy3313 as it sounds like it is a rifle he expected to keep around and be looking at a higher initial cost offering from Winchester, Ruger, or Tikka; but I don't think he's chasing good money after bad by putting $150 into his Ruger American. But much more into it and you quickly start approaching better options from the factory.

Mine is serving the purpose of each of my kids using it early in their hunting lives, and as each one grows out of the youth stock, it will be time to step them up into a rifle that is more "heirloom" (using the term to mean something they keep with themselves for their lives and hunt with) that they can leave hunt with and leave the house with as their own. And the Ruger American youth 243 will be the next one ups hunting rifle as they are learning.

To me it made no sense in building a custom rifle for $2,000+ in which the barrel and stock too short for an adult hunting rifle, and would have to be changed. Putting a $140 trigger, polishing the bolt/receiver race, reworking the stock a bit and threading the barrel on this Ruger American was a no brainer, as it fit all the other requirements needed for a youth hunter.



I don't know where @Bill Raby thought anyone in this thread was thinking they had a "high end custom made rifle," after the cheap mods to a budget rifle, I didn't get that from the original posters comments.

At the end of the day this youth rifle will be a capable, affordable, refined budget rifle that will get my kids off on the right foot with the right size.

You can stick a bunch of aftermarket stuff on there and talk yourself into thinking you now have a high end custom made rifle. Or you can save up some money and actually get a high end custom made rifle. Either way works just fine.

 

[Waterboy3313]

There's your answer. It's difficult to get consistent results with a bipod anyway, exacerbated by the flexible forend of the American's stock. Shame we couldn't have gotten here sooner.

Sometimes trying read what someone is trying to say can be a bit hard and misleading. I know my reading and writing compression level is probably about at 5th grade level. What it comes down to for me at least is that I do this as a hobby. I enjoy doing it. I don't hunt. I like to shoot as small of a group on paper as I can.

I also like to tinker with stuff. I understand mass production sub $500 rifles are not Olympic gold medalist equipment intended for any kind of competition. It's a meat rifle. My thing is to take said equipment and try to get the most out of it and have fun.

I mentioned I don't hunt. I also will admit I don't compete either. If I can go out to the range and spend an hour or two outside where I like to be with no one bothering me doing better than the average nobody I call it a good day.

 

[InTheSwamp]

My thing is to take said equipment and try to get the most out of it and have fun.

Nothing wrong with that, as @BreechFace, implied above. Many shooters have replaced the flimsy stock with an MDT one. The rifle is accurate enough to "deserve" one if you're willing to pay for it. You won't be getting a Seekins Havak Element, but you won't spend that kind of money either. Good luck in your endeavor.

 

[Waterboy3313]

Give me a little more on this MDT stuff you speak of lol?

 

[InTheSwamp]

Give me a little more on this MDT stuff you speak of lol?

MDT Chassis Systems - Upgrade Your Rifle (mdttac.com)

You're welcome.