RUGER AMERICAN (varminter soon?)

[rfd]

I considered a RAR, but was turned off on the thin, flexing forend....

yeah, the rar is kinda flexible at the nose, and too light in the butt. i found a good remedy on a you-tube search - rockite.

mixed with a tad of water and poured into both spots, it Really Stiffened up the stock Big time. the barrel is fully free floated both before and after the rockite treatment.

add in the swfa 10x and a caldwell bipod, and unloaded she's 10lb 5oz. very accurate for 3 rounds, then the light barrel needs to cool down. the rap sports a bit more barrel diameter, but it's still 22".

 

[ntg]

Very interesting, rfd. I'd never heard of using rockite. It's a good idea, but for the weight. If all I wanted was a gun to shoot at pdogs, on a bench, it wouldn't be a bid deal. When I was considering the RAR it was for the purpose of deer hunting. We probably put anywhere from 2 to 8 miles on our rifles a day when hunting out here, and I prefer not to have a 10+ pound rifle to pack.

Also, rfd, let us know how that RAR243 shoots. I hope it works great for you. I was talking with a guy in the gun shop a few weeks ago and he had a RAR in 7-08 that he could not get to shoot. I asked him about the fore end touching and he said it was not. I told him to see if it was close as I can see the two touching under recoil if they're close, and open it up if it was. Also, he'd tried most powders and load but Varget, and after telling him that mine liked it, he was going to try that.

 

[Boutdoors]

Ntg
My sons RAR in 243 shoots 3/4" groups at 100 yards in triangle pattern using reloads. My friends in 30-06 shoots very well also. I have a RAP in 6.5 CM on order

 

[ntg]

Good to hear...most I hear about are the same report of yours. I was a bit surprised to hear the guy having problems with his 7-08RAR.

 

[rfd]

Very interesting, rfd. I'd never heard of using rockite. It's a good idea, but for the weight. ....

the rockite in both the fore end and butt stock added just over a pound. the real weight additions were in the scope and bipod. i wanted the weight. for a lighter fore end stiffening, i'd either add lightweight filler (plastic or hollow beads, perhaps) to either rockite or slow set epoxy.

after "bedding" the fore end, i sanded down the innards (rar's need particular attention to the fore end upper sides) to make sure there was plenty of float for the barrel. dang, that front end is now super Stiff!

i wish i could get some varget, all i have left for rifles is h4895 and h4350, boo hoo, when will this "shortage" be over if ever?! working up a bunch of loads this week with both powders and hornady v-max boolits in 58, 75 and 87 grains, will shoot 'em up next week.

 

[ntg]

I hear you on the Varget...I just picked up 2 lbs at $36 each and still feel like I was robbed. I'm looking into and working with other powders to replace the Varget. I like it a lot but it's getting hard to find and when I see it the thieves often have it marked up 2-8 dollars above other powders.

 

[rfd]

i hear ya on the varget powder. actually, when ya view the vendor catalogs and see those $22/1lb powder prices with all "out of stock", then go to an lgs and find the same powder in stock for $34/1lb - now that's downright disturbing. and primers for $45/1k ... ack!!!!

 

[rfd]

just heard back from boyd's - an RAR laminated hardwood stock (probably their classic shape) will be ready late july. this is for the standard RAR - dunno if they'll be offering a stock replacement for the RAP version.