Ruger SFAR 308 as a backcountry rifle?

[Scoony]

Maybe I got lucky, but my 16” SFAR seems to be a decent shooter

Hornady American Gunner 155 bthps do well as do 168 gr bthps over H4895.

these are 5 round groups at 100 yards. I have a SWFA 10x mounted for these.

this is a 10 round group

I did test factory Nosler 125 Ballistic Tip ammo and was getting well over 2900 fps in the 16” barrel and the primers were popping.

I currently have a SWFA 1-4 mounted on it. Loading 155 bthp over IMR4895 as the main load for it.

 

[BLJ]

@Scoony. I’m assuming the 2541 is the velocity for the 168 BTHP? Thanks.

 

[Scoony]

@Scoony. I’m assuming the 2541 is the velocity for the 168 BTHP? Thanks.

Yes and the SD was 14.4 and the numbers for the 155 gr. It is a tad hot in the SFAR and the brass is on the verge of not be reloadable. Factory ammo is also shown. That factory ammo is slow, but fairly accurate. I am a little weary of trying other factory ammo after the experience with the Nosler ammo, but the American Gunner ammo seems to be loaded at service rifle level.

I have had a few issues with the SFAR. First off, I have not shot this rifle without a suppressor, so it gets much dirtier than normal. The adjustable gas block needs periodic cleaning or it will lock up and you will not be able to adjust it In the field. I am also getting an occasional last round fail to feed. The last round will jam up in an angled position where it did not feed correctly. I am using a Magpul 10 round mag, and need to try some other mags to see if thats the issue.

 

[BLJ]

Thanks @Scoony.

Do you think the suppressor is the major contributor to the reliability issues?

 

[Weldor]

I went with the ROAM 308 5.9 lbs. Topped with a leupold and harvester 7.9 lbs. 16" bbl. comes from factory with adj. gas block, shoot MOA or better.

 

[Scoony]

Thanks @Scoony.

Do you think the suppressor is the major contributor to the reliability issues?

for the failure to feed, I think that may be the magazine, but need to test other mags. The suppressor definitely contributes to the increased fowling in the gas block and receiver area A little worse than 223 and 6.8spc with a suppressor. I have not kept a round count, but should be somewhere around 200 rounds now. I have several hundred rounds loaded up and ready for the next range trip.

 

[BLJ]

Thanks @Scoony. Appreciate the info.

 

[ZackP]

Anymore updates on this?

 

[HNTR918]

How’s the rifle doing? Still looking at getting one of the SFAR.

 

[AXMC]

Any more rounds down the pipe

 

[11boo]

Just got a 20” one. Meant to put it on paper more, but it only took 7 shots to get a decent 100y zero. Fired 110 more at steel out to 385. If you have ever shot at Cameo you get it. It’s everywhere in the cliffs.


I did clean and lube before shooting. Flawless function on setting 3. Kicks brass 20’, I’ll try setting 2 next trip. Seemed to want to shoot about 2” at 100 with PMC bronze 147. That’s all I used as I have a lot.

Very easy to spot my hits on the 200 yard plates, the brake just works. Softest shooting 7.62 AR ever. I have a couple of large frame ones, unbraked and much heavier.
This thing is feather light, decent trigger and I’ll be shooting it a lot more. Probably pull the brake and see how it is Without.

The plates out there are all 12x12. The 200 yd ones, I don’t think I ever missed.
Further up my hits were not 100%, but plenty of thwacks. There were quite a few hunters out shooting their elk guns, a lot of big magnums that were struggling to even try and match my hits on the 300. Watching them tho, it was obvious they were getting beat up, and flinching.

smoking deal at 1k.

 

[LongWayAround]

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 was that one make/model?

I have a DPMS LR308 that I'm routinely tempted to part ways with, in favor of a 5.56.

I've never tried to be really precise or fed it "good" ammo.

 

[11boo]

What was that one make/model?

I have a DPMS LR308 that I'm routinely tempted to part ways with, in favor of a 5.56.

I've never tried to be really precise or fed it "good" ammo.

I still have a 20” LR308, and it’s a beast. 11 lbs? Very accurate. Probably sell it, like I did With my 16” LR308. They do not bring a lot of money, as a new Ruger is 1k.

 

[blsnelling]

I just purchased a 16" SFAR. I mounted a Vortex Strike Eagle 3-18x44. Vortex gives 40% off MSRP at Vance Outdoors. My best group was 1.5" with Hornady SST Superformance 150gr. I tried five different ammos ranging from 150-178. My worst group was 2 3/4.

I'm installing an H2 buffer and an Aero Precision gas block on it for more adjustability. I think the four position gas block was for simplicity, but there's too much gap between settings 2 and 3. Or, you can simply run setting 3 and have it a little over gassed a little. Not a big deal IMHO. I love the gun so far and am enjoying tinkering with it and making it mine.

Interesting talk about increasing accuracy without the muzzle brake. I will try that. However, the brake does an amazing job controlling the recoil. It is super light shooting.

The last two days I've been studying suppressors. What a rabbit trail!

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I am glad you guys like yours. I hated mine and sold it after the first range session.

 

[blsnelling]

I am glad you guys like yours. I hated mine and sold it after the first range session.

What didn't you like about it?

 

[Brunsie]

I picked up a 20in SFAR this weekend. Installed a Geissele SSA-E and re-installed the handguard since it was contacting the gas block from the factory. Shot 10 rounds today to sight it in, no malfunctions, and is overgassed as expected. Planning to have this one rebarreled to a 375 Raptor, and possibly getting another to convert to 243 Win.


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[180ls1]

Yes. Large frame AR’s (any 308, 6.5cm, etc) are very sensitive to form and control, let alone just base precision. Basically all the “normal” 308 based AR’s including the SFAR, are generally legitimate 2 to 3 MOA guns when shooting statistically relevant shot group sizes. Yes, they will occasionally put a “sub moa” three shot or maybe even five shot group, but when actually reached for 10+ shot group sizes, no.
Now well built “match grade” ones can be, and often are much better at 1 to 1.5 MOA ten round guns. However, they are extremely sensitive to body position, recoil control, and follow through. You can have a bolt gun and a 308 gas gun that mechanically are sub 1 MOA for instance; let people shoot both and the bolt gun they will generally shoot about 1 MOA. The gas gun, yeah no- they’ll be significantly larger.

Not sure if you'll see this but if this SFAR in 6.5c is a 2.5" gun would the the "same" gun but an AR15 6.5grendel be a 1.5" gun? I am trying to better quantify the small vs large frame real world accuracy shift.

 

[Formidilosus]

Not sure if you'll see this but if this SFAR in 6.5c is a 2.5" gun would the the "same" gun but an AR15 6.5grendel be a 1.5" gun? I am trying to better quantify the small vs large frame real world accuracy shift.

That’s pretty close. It’s a function of the bolt mass, recoil, etc. in the AR platform. It’s not difficult to get a 6.5G to 1.2-1.5 MOA for ten round groups on demand without a whole lot of effort. Doing so with a large frame gun one demand is much more difficult- the gun simply magnifies any and all errors in form.

 

[Brunsie]

Shot an 8 shot group measuring 1.76" at 94 yards this afternoon using Norma 150 grain factory ammo. I think it can do better with handloads, a few component upgrades, and some accurizing to true things up and eliminate slop.

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