Inexpensive Ruger Bolt .22 shoots pretty well

[graycrait]

I traded for this with another TGO'r last week.  It already had the Boyd's stock and had the trigger spring out and I think some minor polishing.  Anyway, measured with my Lyman digital trigger scale and it is a crisp safe 1lb 2oz.  Shoots like a dream.  Oh yeah, it is a Ruger American Rimfire Compact with a Boyd's stock.  The stock hooks to the barrelled action in two places so isn't as prone to movement as the 10/22 might be.  It uses 10/22 mags which is useful.I actually like shooting this better than the CZs, older Mossbergs or other bolt .22s I have had. 

 

 

 

[slow ss]

Looks great

[Dolomite_supafly]

How easy would it be to do a barrel swap? 10/22 easy?

[Fourtyfive]

Nice

[graycrait]

The RAR barrels need more than an allen wrench and kitchen table.  Apparently they are tough to remove for the average person.  However, they seem to be inherently accurate.

[Dolomite_supafly]

I was just wondering because the barrel needs to come out to thread it.

[cannoncocker]

I am looking for another bolt .22. Out of the box, my CZ shot 1 MOA and my Savage shoots a little better.  What kind of accuracy are you obtaining with the Ruger?  I see they are available with a threaded barrel at a very attractive price.

[graycrait]

at 25yrds this was 1/4" and 50yrds 1/2" shooting just a couple of groups.  I used crushed walnut bags at 25 yards and my experienced shooting buddy shot it at 50yrds off a Cowen rest.

 

 However, like with all .22s groups can vary widely with various ammo.  Ammo that might give <1/2" at 50 can open up quite a bit at 100rds. I was talking about this very thing this past Friday with a long time rimfire shooter who shoots for groups while we were shooting at the Davidson County Sportsmen Club.  He told me about using Eley Tenex EPS in one of his rifles that gave him great groups at 50 while it gave worse groups at 100yrds than cheaper ammo.  

 

Shooting a number of groups well successively with a sporter rifle can be a little tricky.  How many groups, how many shots per group, how is the group measured?   I suspect a lot of "pipes" are capable of good paper group shooting but are hampered by ammo choice, stock, bedding, trigger, rest, shooter technique, etc. 

 

I suspect this Ruger will get a workout one day to see if I can shoot 4 good groups successively at 50 and beyond.  Right now I feel it is easy to shoot this pipe "minute of squirrel head" at practical distances with a number of different types of ammo.  

[MacGyver]

That Boyd's stock sure improves the heck out of that rifle in the looks department.  Good to hear that it's a shooter, too.

[bersaguy]

I don't know about shooting targets but that is one very sexy Tree Rat getter for sure.................jmho............ :up: :up:

[Oh Shoot]

....

 

 

That really a stock barrel? Meaning Ruger doesn't show any model without iron sights. Maybe they've just been removed?

 

- OS

[Dolomite_supafly]

That really a stock barrel? Meaning Ruger doesn't show any model without iron sights. Maybe they've just been removed?

 

- OS

I think I see a rear sight dovetail that is empty.

 

That does look like a decent profile.

 

As far as tree rats I have carried a rifle in the woods with a target stock, it is no fun.

[graycrait]

I would call the compact a medium taper barrel at .652" at the end of the barrel.  Front and rear sight have been removed. The OEM plastic stock has two brass full length pillars in a really stiff stock.  I tried bending the OEM stock and it is pretty darn stiff.

 

    http://www.ruger.com/products/americanRimfire/features.html#

 

    http://www.ruger.com/products/americanRimfire/features.html#

 

I've yet to shoot it with the OEM stock but I bet it shoots as well with either stock.  However, the compact comes with a 12.5 LOP and the OEM stock weighs 1lb 12.5oz about 1 lb less than the Boyds.  If I were to carry it in the woods it would have to have a different optic.  I'll keep it as is, my pretend I have an Anschutz 1710D, because with my skills and resources I don't need the Annie:  http://www.champchoice.com/store/Main.aspx?p=ItemDetailOptions&item=2202095