Ruger SFAR 308 as a backcountry rifle?

[11boo]

Anymore updates on this?

Hit Cameo again today with my 20”. Changed that loud (and excellent) muzzle brake out for a Griffin linear brake. Much less blast and a bit more recoil, still very manageable and easily spotted my hits on steel. Far less recoil than my old large frame 308 dpms.
Also tested 5 of my reloads, 165 gr HPBT over a low charge of TAC. All 5 went into 1.5” off bags. The PMC Factory 147 ball did an 2.5”. I think mine is a shooter for a cheap semi.
Im keeping the huge Leo on for now, but I’ll end up with a lighter low power variable.

 

[tomt53]

I ordered a 16" 308 SFAR from my LGS, it will be here next week. The anticipation is killing me.

 

[5811]

16" SFAR, factory Hornady 168. Not a hand picked group, the only 10 shot group I shot today. Below is my 5 shot confirm group.

 

[deer_hunter132]

AR15’s can and do have very good accuracy (precision) and are relatively easy to shoot well. Large frame AR (AR10/SR25, etc) are a different beast all together. With a top quality barrel, excellent fitment of the barrel extension in the upper (some of the best are glued in), etc. they can shoot very good groups.
As for reasons: some or all of these seem to be contributing factors- lock time, bolt mass, start of unlocking while firing, rail flex on the barrel nut, poor fitment/gaps in barrel to extension, poor fitment/gaps from extension to receiver, reciprocating mass that exaggerates flaws in form (follow through), etc. There’s more; but the effect are real and observable. Large frame AR can be made to shoot very well, and they can be shot very well, but they are by far the most unforgiving of errors in technique platform regularly used.

There is only one large frame AR make/model that I have ever used that was comparable to a bolt gun- that is, it really didn’t matter how you got behind them or what you did, as long as you shot well with a bolt gun, you shot these well. Unfortunately that gun is no longer made/available.

Is there a way to tell if you need to use green loctite on the barrel extension?

 

[blsnelling]

I'm loving my 16" SFAR. It prefers 175-180 gr ammo. I installed a fully adjustable gas block. That eliminates any potential contact points with the hand guard and makes gas tuning a breeze. It's a sub MOA rifle with factory ammo.

 

[Brunsie]

Been shooting my SFAR a bit more, switched stock out to a magpul UBR, installed an adj gas block, H3 buffer, and a maven RS1.2 scope. Fighting issues with the bolt unlocking early even with the heavier buffer and gas set to barely function. Getting bad ejector swipes on Hornady Black 168 A-maxes that are leaving a sharp burr on the case head.
Still can't get it to shoot worth a crap, it'll stack a few, then send several fliers. Seeing large shifts in zero from different ammo types. ES for both my reloads and multiple factory ammo options is upwards of 50 fps, not sure what effect early bolt unlocking would have on velocity and accuracy. Next steps are to pull the barrel, lap the receiver, thermal fit the barrel, and install a more rigid handguard to try and improve groups. Going to try a crimp die for my handloads to see if that helps drop the ES.
I suspect the factory barrel will never meet my expectations.

 

[deer_hunter132]

AR15’s can and do have very good accuracy (precision) and are relatively easy to shoot well. Large frame AR (AR10/SR25, etc) are a different beast all together. With a top quality barrel, excellent fitment of the barrel extension in the upper (some of the best are glued in), etc. they can shoot very good groups.
As for reasons: some or all of these seem to be contributing factors- lock time, bolt mass, start of unlocking while firing, rail flex on the barrel nut, poor fitment/gaps in barrel to extension, poor fitment/gaps from extension to receiver, reciprocating mass that exaggerates flaws in form (follow through), etc. There’s more; but the effect are real and observable. Large frame AR can be made to shoot very well, and they can be shot very well, but they are by far the most unforgiving of errors in technique platform regularly used.

There is only one large frame AR make/model that I have ever used that was comparable to a bolt gun- that is, it really didn’t matter how you got behind them or what you did, as long as you shot well with a bolt gun, you shot these well. Unfortunately that gun is no longer made/available.

What model rifle was that? I would like to find some info.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Grabbed a couple of sfar’s last year due to impending gun ban in co… which may come about this year. One in 308 16” barrel and one in 6.5cm 20” barrel. I need to get optics on them and start shooting, don’t expect too much, but I keep a solid amount of 308 & 6.5 on hand so nice to have semi autos to shoot, especially if you really needed them.