Ruger American Gripe

[Harvey_NW]

My only gripe is the rough action and it doesnt want to feed all that well in the 6mm creedmoor I bought for my daughter. It shoots stupid accurate though. Maybe I just need to cycle it much harder than I do other bolt guns?

I have the same rifle with the same issue, it's getting sent back to Ruger tomorrow. I think it's a feed ramp issue, on mine if you manipulate the mag by pulling the front back/down (so tilting the cartridge angle down) the case contacts the feed ramp and pops up into the chamber perfectly. If you slap the mag in with an open bolt and rack one (like the manual says) the tip of the bullet will hit the back of the barrel and jam before being popped up into the chamber. So driving it home makes it feel smooth, but you'll notice deformed tips because it's still happening. It didn't bother me much because I usually only shoot at the range, but now my niece hunts with it and she had a jam last year. No bueno.

I'll report back with their conclusion. I sent it in once a few years ago when I bought it and they said it passed their inspection, but I recently read another thread on here where another member with the same issue sent his in and they fixed it. So I have hopes.

I guess that would be my gripe. But for a cheap ass rifle it sure shoots great.

 

[Kyle Wheeler]

I have a Go Wild Ruger and I don’t care for the Trigger but man it shoots lights out. Rather impressive for a $500 rifle. Easily sub 1/2 MOA on basic 3 shot groups unless I’m not shooting good.

 

[ewade07]

I bought a Ruger American .270 as my first rifle purchase and loved the thing. The only issue i ever ran into with it was the clip failing, the shells just never seemed to want to feed when you had it full. it seemed to work fine if there were only 2 rounds in it. I guess thats what you get with a cheap plastic clip. I loved shooting that gun. I still have it, just upgraded. It shoots lights out and is lightweight. I swooped mine on clearance at Cabelas for 330$. Cant beat that price!

 

[ChrisAU]

I had been wanting a nice-ish budget 6mm Creedmoor for a while, and last week on a whim I grabbed a RAP for $490. Ordered a B&C stock and Timney trigger, and sold the factory trigger and stock for $200. Wound up with a pretty nice feeling threaded 6CM with a Timney for $750ish. Trying to decide what to do on optics now.

 

[ReddingArcher]

I have the same rifle with the same issue, it's getting sent back to Ruger tomorrow. I think it's a feed ramp issue, on mine if you manipulate the mag by pulling the front back/down (so tilting the cartridge angle down) the case contacts the feed ramp and pops up into the chamber perfectly. If you slap the mag in with an open bolt and rack one (like the manual says) the tip of the bullet will hit the back of the barrel and jam before being popped up into the chamber. So driving it home makes it feel smooth, but you'll notice deformed tips because it's still happening. It didn't bother me much because I usually only shoot at the range, but now my niece hunts with it and she had a jam last year. No bueno.

I'll report back with their conclusion. I sent it in once a few years ago when I bought it and they said it passed their inspection, but I recently read another thread on here where another member with the same issue sent his in and they fixed it. So I have hopes.

I guess that would be my gripe. But for a cheap ass rifle it sure shoots great.

That is exactly what is happening with mine. I will get ahold of Ruger and see about sending it back in for them to check it out. Thanks!

 

[Yellowknife]

I notice it most when I’m hiking. Either my elbow or tree branches, something always ends up moving that bolt just enough so I have to check it every time I take it off my shoulder.

Easy fix. Hold the trigger back when you close the bolt (on an empty chamber, pointed in safe direction, etc). That will put the firing pin in the down position. Nearly all modern bolt actions cock on opening, and that added force required to cock the action will keep the bolt closed on all but the worst brush.

I often do this even on guns that have bolt lock features, as I prefer to carry empty chamber / safety off.

Yk

 

[68Plexi]

Easy fix. Hold the trigger back when you close the bolt (on an empty chamber, pointed in safe direction, etc). That will put the firing pin in the down position. Nearly all modern bolt actions cock on opening, and that added force required to cock the action will keep the bolt closed on all but the worst brush.

I often do this even on guns that have bolt lock features, as I prefer to carry empty chamber / safety off.

Yk

Hey that’s super helpful advice! Thank you. It’s the only one of my rifles that has this type of bolt so it’s been a learning curve for me. Appreciate your help!


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[Veriest1]

Hey that’s super helpful advice! Thank you. It’s the only one of my rifles that has this type of bolt so it’s been a learning curve for me. Appreciate your help!


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I hope this isn't to much of a thread revival but I was looking to see what others were doing with the American as well and stumbled across this thread.

When I carry with a round in the chamber I carry African style, muzzle down and slung on weak side shoulder, and with my support hand resting on the fore-end of the stock it puts my forearm over the. That seems to keep it closed pretty well and gives good control of the muzzle. But should the bolt still come open somehow gravity holds it and the round in the chamber.

The RAP is a fun little rifle so I've been tolerating this one drawback even though it gets on my nerves to no end.

 

[Trumpet]

I have a RAR in 7.62x39. While I haven't taken it to the range yet (yay schedules and finding a place to shoot in MD), I think it's a pretty kick ass little carbine. My only "gripe" is that the action is a little rough...well, more than a little. When I was replacing the bolt handle with an Anarchy, I literally cut my palm on the sharp edges of the bolt. That being said, I wasn't too shocked as I knew this wasn't a "high end" rifle. But still...

 

[Rich M]

tell us how you really feel! I have 20 something rifles and all of them are probably $800-$2000 rifles. I’m definitely not a cheapskate and would definitely like to own a Ruger American but I can’t bring myself to purchasing one for that one reason.

I picked up one and love it. Yes, I 2 rifles that have 3 position safeties. My other rifles don't have bolt locks and have never been a problem.

Get what makes you feel comfortable. but why complain? It's a great gun.

 

[Ratbeetle]

I had been wanting a nice-ish budget 6mm Creedmoor for a while, and last week on a whim I grabbed a RAP for $490. Ordered a B&C stock and Timney trigger, and sold the factory trigger and stock for $200. Wound up with a pretty nice feeling threaded 6CM with a Timney for $750ish. Trying to decide what to do on optics now.

Do you know how much that B&C stock weighs? The website says "about" 2 lbs.

 

[ChrisAU]

Do you know how much that B&C stock weighs? The website says "about" 2 lbs.

I want to say it was right at 2 lbs 4 oz

 

[Jhy]

The hard and loud safety. It’s horrible and there seems to be no fix for it.
Outside that, for the $, good shooting rifle right out of Box.

 

[huntsman22]

try operating it slowly and firmly. It's kinda like the guys that gripe about butler creek scope covers being noisy when they just flip them open, rather than easing them open with their hand. This stuff is only as hard as you make it.....

 

[Jhy]

Yeah- sorry, no. I have plenty of guns, the safety on mine anyway is problematic in a hunting situation. Slow, fast, finger and thumb, just thumb, it’s loud.

 

[FLATHEAD]

No matter how I make it, that safety is loud.
Most of my shots are under 50 yards.
And often on perfectly calm conditions where
you can hear a pin drop.

 

[Loper]

When hiking I've noticed that the bolt doesn't stay completely closed, but it also hasn't opened up completely letting a round fall out either. It kind of bothers me, but I really like the rifle, so I've just learned to carry it on an empty chamber just in case.

However, I'm thinking for my next rifle I'm going to get an x-bolt which has the same 2 position safety as the Ruger American, but it locks the bolt closed on safe, but also allows you cycle a round on safe with the push of the bolt unlock button. Seems to me like it is the perfect solution.

 

[Jhy]

I like that feature on the X bolts a lot. Thing is, it’s a different class of rifles. About 2X the price. My go to Christensen is 3x plus. For the $, those Americans are shooters down range. They do have their faults in bolt slop and rough safety, but shoot for the price.

 

[Veriest1]

All my larger caliber rifles lock the bolt and I much prefer it.

The American is in my safe because it's a 300 Blackout and feeds from AR mags. If there was a higher end option I'd probably go for it.

 

[SDHNTR]

And on the third day God blessed the world with the Winchester Model 70.