Ruger American Ranch in 223? Anyone?

[FL-NC]

Who has one of these? I would like to hear about it. Information I am looking for:
1- What ammo are you using, and what size groups are you getting with whatever ammo is being used?
2- How is the overall experience shooting it? Does it feed well?
3- If yours is suppressed, is it direct thread or Q-D, and how does using or removing the suppressor effect accuracy (group size)?
Obviously, I am considering getting one. I already have 1 in 300 BLK and a predator in 6.5 CM that I am happy with, so I'm just doing research before I get into another one. I am especially interested in hearing any results or issues anyone has had using "heavier" projectiles, like 75 or 77 grain OTM.

 

[jmr40]

I had one as well as the Predator. Technically the ranch is stamped 5.56 and the Predator is stamped 223 if that matters to you. I had zero issues with either, but the Predator was more accurate for me. Not that the Ranch was inaccurate, the Predator was just better. My Predator takes AR magazines as did the Ranch. Both fed any ammo I've used 100%.

I don't recall using anything heavier than 62 gr in my Ranch rifle. But both are 8 twist barrels and should shoot 75 gr bullets fine. My Predator does.

I didn't keep the Ranch very long. No issues and I did like it, but it just didn't fill a role for me. I have small compact AR's that were just as accurate. It just made more sense for me to keep the Predator.

 

[troy fairweather]

I'd like to get one myself since there's not many 223 bolt guns out there but wish the barrel was a little longer then 16" .

 

[Frulk]

Have one. Not sure what specific ammo I used to sight it in. Was mil ball in 1,000 round lot. No feeding issues to date with 2-3 different mag styles I’m running.

I considered accuracy stellar considering the scope is a 1.5x4x 30mm I think and reticle all but obscured target center at 100 yards. I posted pics on THR of target. I’ll dig them out and repost here.

Gun is compact and carries almost like a lever. Balances well in one hand. I don’t use suppressors so no info on that aspect of it.

 

[ECVMatt]

Not a .223, but I have two 7.62x39's and they are great rifles. Mine are very accurate with Golden Tiger, so much so that it is all I have shot through both of mine. We have about 750 rounds a piece through the rifles and they have been 100% so far. They make excellent truck guns and for me are the 21st century version of the Western Auto .30/30.

If you get a .223 be sure to report out! I think I would like to add one of those as a calling rifle.

 

[Jonny2guns]

I have the ranch model and absolutely love it. It was exactly what I was looking for and even with a $170 vortex it holds .43 groups at 100 yards 55 gr. spbt hand loads.
Can't figure out how to post a previous uploaded pic, but they are on here somewhere.

 

[Buzznrose]

Thanks for creating this thread …I’ve been thinking about one in .223 myself and was wondering if the Ranch or Predator would be the right version.

I don’t have a suppressor at this time but thinking about one…and the ranch + suppressor would just about equal the length of the Predator alone

 

[Buzznrose]

I'd like to get one myself since there's not many 223 bolt guns out there but wish the barrel was a little longer then 16" .

The Ranch model is 16”, the Predator is 22”.

 

[zdc1775]

I had one. Shot right at .8" with black hills mk262 and just over .5" with my 62 gr TTSX handloads.

Wish I still had it but I sold it to buy one in 7.62x39 and then bought a CZ 527 instead.

Bad decision on my part, selling the Ruger not buying the CZ.

 

[curtste]

I got one recently. I put a Leupold VX-3HD 1.5-5X20 on it just the other day and all I've done is bore sight it so far. I am waiting for a silencerco suppressor to deliver someday and I'm undecided if I'll Q-D or direct thread it. I live on a farm in SD and for me, it seems like about the perfect all around farm rifle. I certainly won't fret if it gets dinged or scratched. Working the bolt requires more oomph than I'm used to, but I think that is a function of the AR magazine. The bolt is pretty wobbly when open, but locks tightly when closed.

It does feel too short for me right now. But, I'm a guy that normally shoots a very long muzzle loader with a heavy octagon barrel. I'm hoping the suppressor will change the feel and give me a little heft out front to help me steady the muzzle.

 

[marksman13]

I’ll admit to being the outlier here and say that mine SUCKED! Fed okay from metal mags. Would not feed reliably with P-Mags. Accuracy was sub-par with every ammo I tried and I used everything from 40 grain V-Max stuff to 69 grain Federal GMM. I don’t think I have ever owned an AR that wouldn’t outshoot the RAR Ranch I had. I think the best group I ever got from it was right at 2 MOA. I only shot it suppresses with a Silencerco Specwar 556 suppressor. I just didn’t like it at all and got rid of it fairly quickly in favor of another AR.

Others have had much better experiences.

 

[MarshallDodge]

I’ll admit to being the outlier here and say that mine SUCKED! Fed okay from metal mags. Would not feed reliably with P-Mags. Accuracy was sub-par with every ammo I tried and I used everything from 40 grain V-Max stuff to 69 grain Federal GMM. I don’t think I have ever owned an AR that wouldn’t outshoot the RAR Ranch I had. I think the best group I ever got from it was right at 2 MOA. I only shot it suppresses with a Silencerco Specwar 556 suppressor. I just didn’t like it at all and got rid of it fairly quickly in favor of another AR.

Others have had much better experiences.

This was my experience with accuracy as well. I never shot it with a suppressor but I did try several loads that shot great in my other 223 rifles and AR. I liked the action, trigger was decent, but that plastic stock was awful.

 

[maxxhavoc]

Mine is more accurate than expected. It did NOT like 52-55gr bullets, and I almost got rid of it for that until I accidentally put some 77gr rounds in it that I had brought for aother rifle. The rifling is out of the optimal 77gr twist rate, but nobody told mine that.

These are the targets from my load test of some $17/100 77gr Blemished bullets from Midway. 9x Low-end Leupold. Bench and Bags at 100 yards. Not my best day shooting, was cold and flinchy, so if it looks like it would make a difference, i took out a flyer. I ended up going with the 21.5 Load - .425 dropping a flyer, 1.095 with it in. Results since then have been right in the .4-.6 range if I do my part.
SMKs do a bit better, but I don't have anything from those shoots handy

 

[MarshallDodge]

Subtracting flyers has never been something I am a fan of. You never can be sure if it is you, the rifle, or the blem bullet. 1:8 twist will stabilize a 77 without an issue.

Like @marksman13 , I could get better groups out of my AR-15 that has a quality barrel. At the same time I owned the Mossberg MVP Predator, and it shot groups less than half the size of the Ruger.

I ended up selling both and building a Remage setup. It cost more but what a difference a match barrel makes.

 

[Scrapiron45]

Mine has done well. Been bounced off the side by side and left in the creek overnight and spends enough time on a tractor that the initial yearly cleanup is done with a water hose.
My standard ar load is a 68 gr hornady that works well in this rifle.
Agree the stock leaves alot to be desired but for my purposes it's fine. It has the flush fitting magazine that makes it easy to carry.
Due to its generally rough life I haven't devoted a suppressor to it. Like the short overall length for ease of handling.
If anything happens to this one I'll buy another.

 

[Dinosaur1]

I have one. Bought it just at the tail end of summer. As far as fit and finish go it’s just okay. Barrel is completely free but the forearm leans a little to the right. Don’t like the noise from the short barrel. It comes up nice. There are slow twists and fast twists and then there are half-fast twists. That is the one in eight. Never had a 5.56/223 with that twist that would shoot. It will, with high end ammo, turn an inch @100, but my impression is that this rifle was designed for trucks, tractors, etc.. Ruger should have made this rifle expressly for 55 gr El Cheapo ammo because 80 percent of ammo on the shelf is exactly that. If I were Ruger I would have taken a truck load of cheap 55 gr ammo and played with it till I got it right. As it is it will lob 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 inch groups all day and maybe that’s as good as it gets with ammo that gets a lot of standard deviation. But I’m old and cranky and still looking for that unicorn that will stack Wolf 5.56. Mossberg makes a bolt 5.56 but I haven’t heard anything great from that corner either. I’m selling mine.

 

[Dinosaur1]

Gentlemen, I stand corrected and my apologies to Mr. Ruger. As reported on my last post I bought the Ruger ranch last summer. In my defense, when I got it the bolt, trigger and safety would not function correctly. Barely at all. I loosened the action screws and there was a pop and the action fell into the stock. Somehow, someone had managed to assemble the action to the stock on an angle. I took it completely apart and adjusted the trigger all the way out. Didn’t measure it yet but probably about 3-3 1/2 lbs. Breaks clean with no take up. Medium steel mounts, Vortex Diamondback 4x12. Couldn’t hit squat. No groups. No groups within groups. Change scopes ( Nikon), mounts, check screws, nuthin. Put it away until yesterday when I seen this post. I got it back out of the safe and tore it apart again. Back together. 80 inch pounds on the action, trigger is still good. Different steel mounts, and from the bottom of the scope pile an old Simmons 8point. Checked the mounts with the Wheeler, right on. Screwed the scope down, out to the bench. At 35 feet I was 18” right, don’t know how that happened. Anyways, 1 box of Wolf ( steel case 55) later 3 shots in 5/8” at 50. Out of Wolf so went to WW white box 223/55. 4 rounds at 100 yds.,3 in the same hole, 1 flyer for a total of 1 1/4”. I am at a total loss as to what I touched but the magic happened. I’m gonna keep it now but for those who are struggling with one, I’d take it apart again.

 

[curtste]

Update - Mine is a farm vermin killing machine with 53 grain V-Max bullets. I've only shot paper at 50 yards but it cloverleafs them if I do my part with a solid rest and a couple deep breaths. Off-hand out to 75 yards or so I can confirm is minute of skunk.