Ruger American Rimfire?

[JCooperfan1911]

How well thought of are the Ruger American Rimfire rifles? I’m thinking of the wood stocked model as a squirrel rifle.

How is the accuracy and reliability/durability of the design? Are they built to last? Any problems to look out for? Thank you for your time and help.

 

[troy fairweather]

I've owned 4, 3 22lrs and a 17hmr I really like them and are a step up from there bigger brother. All have been very accurate much better then any cz of the last 10 years. I was probably the first one in my county to get one and on the first day it was shooting 3/4" 10 shot groups at 100 yards when I was shooting waiting for my centerfire guns to cool.

Likes, 10/22 mags, trigger is good, there a full size gun, it's a good looking action and bolt feels good, I like the synthetic stock and how the butt can be changed.

Don't like, wish it was a threaded receiver, there pinned and shoot great but threads are better. I hate bladed triggers there trigger break nice I just hate the blade. Wood stock, I waited a while for them to make a wood stock and was disappointed, they made it look like the synthetic and even tho I like the plastic stock it is not good in wood. They still don't make a stainless sporter only they heavy barrel which uses a different stock that looks better.

 

[jmr40]

I was disappointed in the one I had. The centerfire versions I've owned and shot were very accurate. The 22 wasn't inaccurate, just not what I wanted. It was about the same as my 10/22's. It wouldn't eject empty brass either unless the bolt was worked briskly. I sold mine, bought a Tikka T1x and have been much happier.

 

[mavracer]

I have a 22 mag version, it loves Remington 33 gr accu tips. 5 sbot group @25 yards

 

[ColoradoMinuteMan]

Mine is very accurate and overall well made. A couple of things I don't like the design is the use of the Ruger 10/22 rotary magazine that causes feeding issues with flat nose and hollow point rounds. It also isn't great for hand feeding rounds into the chamber.

 

[Riomouse911]

Mine is the .22 WMR version. It came with the synthetic stock, which is rather cheesy. I swapped it for a Boyd’s laminate stock in walnut brown and it looks and feels worlds better.

I had images of several targets I shot with the gun using a variety of ammo, but I have swapped phones and those pics are now floating in the cloud somewhere.

If I hadn’t have gotten a great deal on a CZ 455 Lux in .22 LR, I would have bought a second RAR in .22 LR.

I think the gun will withstand years of squirrel hunting, pest control and can-ventilation shoots.

Stay safe.

 

[ECVMatt]

I have the carbine version in 17 HMR and in .22 Mag. Both of mine are very accurate. I left them in the plastic stock as they are basically truck guns. They take a beating and have remained accurate. Two thumbs up from me.

 

[.308 Norma]

That’s my wife and her Ruger American Rimfire (and her Ruger Bearcat) killing ground squirrels over on our friend’s ranch last spring. She killed over 200 of the little varmints with her American Rimfire, and another 25 or so (the close ones) with her Bearcat, and I don’t think either gun “failed” to do anything - not even once.
It probably doesn’t apply to you, but one of the things my wife likes most about her American Rimfire is its component stock. My wife is only 5’1” tall, and she has short arms to match. Therefore, every time she gets a new long gun (except for one “youth model” 20 gauge) she has to have the stock shortened (and sometimes the cheek piece modified) before she can use it. With her American Rimfire though, all she did was order a component kit from Ruger, install the right components herself, then have the scope installed at Sportsman’s - where I bought the rifle for her birthday. I bore-sighted it for her.
At any rate, the rifle is dependable as can be, and while not quite as precise as my tricked out, heavy-barreled 10-22, with a good rest, it will keep all 10 shots in an inch at 40 yards. On top of that, my wife’s American Rimfire uses the same magazines as my 10-22 - I'm pretty sure that’s one of MY extended 10-22 magazines my wife had in HER rifle last spring.
Oh yeah - flat pointed bullets, like my favorite ground-squirrel killing bullets (Winchester Power-Points) don't feed real smooth in my wife's American Rimfire. But they don't feed all that smooth in my 10-22 or my Kimber bolt (I forget the model number) either. So we just restrict our Power-Point usage to our revolvers.

 

[troy fairweather]

Like all 10/22 or clone mags a few minutes with some fine grit sand paper (800-1500) makes a world of difference with feeding, the ramp on the mags can be pretty rough and seems many over look it.

 

[Citadel99]

I think it is hard to beat the Ruger Precision Rimfire. My CZs have taken up space in the back of my safe now. You may have to work to find one in your area but we’ll worth it.

Mark

 

[d2wing]

I have one in 22Mag. I like it, it is very accurate, sub 1.5 at 100 yards with CCI ammo.

 

[Picher]

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That’s my wife and her Ruger American Rimfire (and her Ruger Bearcat) killing ground squirrels over on our friend’s ranch last spring. She killed over 200 of the little varmints with her American Rimfire, and another 25 or so (the close ones) with her Bearcat, and I don’t think either gun “failed” to do anything - not even once.
It probably doesn’t apply to you, but one of the things my wife likes most about her American Rimfire is its component stock. My wife is only 5’1” tall, and she has short arms to match. Therefore, every time she gets a new long gun (except for one “youth model” 20 gauge) she has to have the stock shortened (and sometimes the cheek piece modified) before she can use it. With her American Rimfire though, all she did was order a component kit from Ruger, install the right components herself, then have the scope installed at Sportsman’s - where I bought the rifle for her birthday. I bore-sighted it for her.
At any rate, the rifle is dependable as can be, and while not quite as precise as my tricked out, heavy-barreled 10-22, with a good rest, it will keep all 10 shots in an inch at 40 yards. On top of that, my wife’s American Rimfire uses the same magazines as my 10-22 - I'm pretty sure that’s one of MY extended 10-22 magazines my wife had in HER rifle last spring.
Oh yeah - flat pointed bullets, like my favorite ground-squirrel killing bullets (Winchester Power-Points) don't feed real smooth in my wife's American Rimfire. But they don't feed all that smooth in my 10-22 or my Kimber bolt (I forget the model number) either. So we just restrict our Power-Point usage to our revolvers.

I've never been able to shoot my "wife's" Bearcat. The grip size was way too small for my hands. I could shoot it two-handed, but is squirmed too much for one-handed.

 

[.308 Norma]

I've never been able to shoot my "wife's" Bearcat. The grip size was way too small for my hands.

Yep, whenever I try to shoot my wife's Bearcat, it's pretty much a "two-finger grip" on it for me too. That's not as bad as me trying to shoot one of my petite wife's long guns though - if I'm not careful, her old 20 gauge Stevens double will kick me right in the teeth when I pull the trigger.

 

[sparkyv]

Wow! Those are some strong words!

All have been very accurate much better then any cz of the last 10 years.

 

[troy fairweather]

Wow! Those are some strong words!

Unfortunately it true the newer cz 455 and 457 just don't shoot as well as they should, I don't like saying that since I am a cz fan. Used to be if the cz didn't shoot a nickel sized group at 50 yards with a few flavors of ammo there was something wrong with it. Now they seem to be quarter sized groups at 50 if your lucky. I still think the rugers are a little pricey but least all the ones I've shot were very accurate.

 

[ColoradoMinuteMan]

Like all 10/22 or clone mags a few minutes with some fine grit sand paper (800-1500) makes a world of difference with feeding, the ramp on the mags can be pretty rough and seems many over look it.

I’ve spent quite a bit of time with my few 10/22 mags using a fine polishing stone and then with polish on a small polishing wheel. It didn’t seem to really help much unfortunately. I love 10/22 design for the most part but the mags are a weak spot IMHO.

 

[troy fairweather]

I’ve spent quite a bit of time with my few 10/22 mags using a fine polishing stone and then with polish on a small polishing wheel. It didn’t seem to really help much unfortunately. I love 10/22 design for the most part but the mags are a weak spot IMHO.

I've never had to use a stone just wrap some sandpaper around something that fits the ramp contour, I smooth out under the lips where the rim rides and that makes them smoother to feed and keeps the mags cleaner

 

[CptnAwesome]

I have one in 22lr (plastic stock) and absolutely love it. The trigger is the best I've personally felt on a 22. I can stand 410 hulls up at 40yds and hit them consistently with open sights. When competition with my brother gets heavy, we'll sit small rocks on top of them and try to shoot them off without knocking the hull over, which I'm also getting pretty consistent with.

RAR was money well spent in my book!

 

[halfmoonclip]

We got 6 for the Junior Program kids; I zeroed them initially, and they all shot very well.
The adjustable stock length was a big selling points; our kiddos were Middle Schoolers, and most .22s stocks were far too long.
The kids can't break them, if it tells you anything.
BTW, interesting sights on that 'Bearcat'.
Moon

 

[Cowhide Cliff]

How well thought of are the Ruger American Rimfire rifles? I’m thinking of the wood stocked model as a squirrel rifle.

How is the accuracy and reliability/durability of the design? Are they built to last? Any problems to look out for? Thank you for your time and help.

I have two with the wood stock. One with a scope and one without, they are my go to rifles for dispatching varmints and predators around the barnyard. They are accurate and haven't' had a lick of trouble with either one. For what it's worth my brother had a Ruger precision 22 and my scoped Ruger American 22 would out shoot it with any ammo we tried.

 

[kidneyboy]

troy fairweather said: ↑
All have been very accurate much better then any cz of the last 10 years.

Wow! Those are some strong words!

And they are correct.

 

[d2wing]

I think it is hard to beat the Ruger Precision Rimfire. My CZs have taken up space in the back of my safe now. You may have to work to find one in your area but we’ll worth it.

Mark

I thought we are talking about the RAR which is a different rifle. I don't know, I shot a pair of new CZ 457's that I posted a few months ago. My RAR is a mag, my CZ's are .22LR so I don't have a direct comparison.

 

[gunmechanic]

I wonder how the RAR compares to the m77 ruger .22 ?The m77 i have shootes amazing but i have no RAR to compare it to.

 

[dirtman]

I have one RAR and 2 cz's all 22 mags, I like all three... The 512 cz semi and the 455 cz... The cz's are good and they like the lighter bullets.. BUT the RAR is more accurate and does great with 40 and above grain bullets. Simply put, my RAR 22 mag is darn near a laser.....

 

[Citadel99]

I thought we are talking about the RAR which is a different rifle. I don't know, I shot a pair of new CZ 457's that I posted a few months ago. My RAR is a mag, my CZ's are .22LR so I don't have a direct comparison.

I realized he was talking about a different rifle but wanted make sure he was considering the RPRr as well. It answers the call for all of his questions impeccably.

Mark