Ruger American Rimfire Target

[bladeracer]

My rifle finally arrived this arvo after a month in Customs.
Way too pretty for my liking, but once the MDT chassis goes on I won't mind taking it bush.
The barrel is so heavy (0.86") I was convinced it must be sixteen inches long, but measurement confirms it is 18". It might've been a better rifle with a 16" as it is very front heavy.
The second patch through the bore came out spotless, so I put a Bushnell AR Optics 4.5-18x40 on it, grabbed some Remington Cyclones, and ran up to the dam before it got too dark.
Fired two sighters to zero it at 50m, then put 20 onto a target to foul the bore - with a few clicks up and right in the midst to fine the zero. Shows some promise I think.
Then I put ten rounds onto another target to record her first ever group for future reference.
My brother is threatening to bring his Anschutz 64 down this weekend so we can do some serious ammo testing.

[Gun-nut]

A very beautiful rifle indeed! Im usually not a fan of laminate stocks, but it does look really nice on the ruger. If my experience with my standard rimfire is anything to go by, that target should serve you well.

[Supaduke]

Handsome looking rifle. Is that a Boyd stock or an OEM Ruger?
I have a Boyd stock in pepper, looks exactly the same. Be a great little plinker I reckon.

[TheGreenwolf]

looks nice....like mine better will test it out this weekend.

[Peeds13]

Love the look with the heavy barrel

[Lokvo]

Great looking gun! Put up pics when you have in the MDT chassis.

[in2anity]

Comparing it against a 64 annie would be the perfect control

[rsj223]

Great looking rifle cant wait to see how good it gets.

[bladeracer]

Handsome looking rifle. Is that a Boyd stock or an OEM Ruger?
I have a Boyd stock in pepper, looks exactly the same. Be a great little plinker I reckon.

It's OEM but it wouldn't surprise me if Ruger hadn't contracted Boyd to make them.

[bladeracer]

Great looking gun! Put up pics when you have in the MDT chassis.

Will do, but I want to play with it a bit first so I can determine what difference the chassis makes to it.

[bladeracer]

Comparing it against a 64 annie would be the perfect control

We haven't got the Annie shooting measurably better than my Ruger Compact so far.
We've got some work to do sorting that out as well.

[bladeracer]

I can confirm that the low comb was a dumb idea on a rifle with no iron sights on it, it's far too low for scope use, so I'll have to put a cheek riser on the OEM stock.

[bladeracer]

...and ran up to the dam before it got too dark. Then I put ten rounds onto another target to record her first ever group for future reference.

This is how dark it was immediately after I shot the final ten-round target, didn't even close the bolt yet
You can just see the skyline over the crest of the hill.
And yes, the bench was nice and wet from the rain!

[bladeracer]

looks nice....like mine better will test it out this weekend.

Let us know how you go with it.

[in2anity]

Comparing it against a 64 annie would be the perfect control

We haven't got the Annie shooting measurably better than my Ruger Compact so far.
We've got some work to do sorting that out as well.

Hmm the annie should outshoot any sports rifle; is it a target rifle or an MPR?

[bladeracer]

Hmm the annie should outshoot any sports rifle; is it a target rifle or an MPR?

I agree with you, it should indeed.
It's the MSR I believe.

[in2anity]

Hmm the annie should outshoot any sports rifle; is it a target rifle or an MPR?

It's the MSR I believe.

Oh ok, that makes it a little better I guess - plenty good enough for silhouette.

[bladeracer]

Anschutz are often hard to determine exactly what they are as they often make quite a few different models of the same model if that makes sense. You always refer to it as a 64 which lends me to believe it is more the sporter version than target, although still very nicely made to exacting tolerances and quality. The 54 action is a little heavier and used in their target line and also in some of the varmint and sporter models.

I agree, I have no idea how to work out what Anschutz models are.
It's a Model 64 single-shot, and I believe from the eighties.
The only rifle I've found that looks similar is the 64 MSR so I'm assuming that's what it is.

[allan]

From what I can see in the pic., it does look like a 64MS - If you have a look in this link, there is a download for the 64MS manual listed:
http://jga.anschuetz-sport.com/index.ph ... &sprache=1

[bladeracer]

Since those first thirty rounds of Remington Cyclone (that grouped around 55-60mm for 10rds at 50m) I managed to get about half of my ammo test done tonight before it got too cold, I thought the shivering might start to affect the groups
At 50m, ten rounds of the following:
(Remington Cyclone ~ 55-60mm - first groups)
Eley Subsonic HP - 14mm
Eley Match - 24mm
Eley Edge - 24.5mm
RWS Rifle Match - 24.5mm
Eley Tenex - 25mm
Eley Club - 27mm
CCI Standard Velocity - 29mm (23.5mm without the one I pulled to the left)
American Eagle HVHP - 30mm
Winchester Subsonic Max 42 - 31mm
Highland RX HP - 31mm
Remington Subsonic - 34.5mm
American Eagle Suppressor 45gn 970fps - 37mm
RWS HVHP - 40mm
Blazer RN - 44mm
CCI Subsonic HP 1050fps - 50.5mm
Winchester T22 - 58mm
Federal GameShock 38gn HP - 68.5mm
CCI Quiet Seg HP 710fps - 84.5mm (220mm holdover)

Amazing was the Eley Subsonic HP - ten rounds into 14mm.

So far, it looks the most accurate in my Target is going to be Eley Subsonic HP, and in my Compact the Eley Edge.
With CCI Standard Velocity as a very good cheaper option in both rifles.
Hopefully I can get some more done tomorrow.

EDIT: Added from further down the thread. https://enoughgun.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8123&p=128707#p129327

Managed some more testing yesterday.
First I fired a ten-round group of Tenex from both rifles from cold bores. Interestingly, both threw the second shot low left - 31mm for the Compact and 33mm for the Target.

At 50m, ten rounds of the following:
Winchester Powerpoint 42 - 51mm
CCI Velocitor - 28.5mm
Winchester Superspeed - 60mm
Sellier & Bellot Subsonic - 27mm and 45mm
Sellier & Bellot Standard - 72mm
Sellier & Bellot High Velocity - 35mm
CCI MiniMag - 46mm
CCI Stinger - 48mm
CCI Copper-22 - 58mm
Remington Yellow Jacket - 54mm
Highland RX Subsonic - 32mm
Wichester Super-X Short - 90mm+
Eley Edge - 18mm (best of three groups)
CCI Standard Velocity - 18mm (best of three groups)

EDIT: Added from further down. https://enoughgun.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8123&p=130808#p130808
Norma Match 2 Training Ammunition - 30.5mm
Lapua Centre-X - 23mm
RWS Z-Lang - 80mm+ (130mm low)
RWS Club - 59mm
RWS Special Match - 23mm
RWS R50 - 40mm
RWS R100 - 24.5mm
RWS Subsonic HP - 35mm
Geco Rifle - 22.5mm
Eley Sport - 47mm (first eight into 21mm)
Federal Target Standard - 34.5mm
Federal Gold Medal Target - 29mm
Federal Premium Match - 28.5mm
SK Magazine - 27.5mm
SK High Velocity - 13.5mm
SK Standard Plus - 24mm
Remington Golden Bullet - 51.5mm
Remington Target - 38.5mm

I now have 510 rds through the Target and can see that Eley Edge and CCI SV both shoot consistently well in both rifles. CCI Velocitor is a good option for a high-velocity hunting round in both rifles as well. Highland RX HP is probably the best choice for cheap practice ammo. I would still like to try Highland RX Target and SK Rifle Match if I can get them.

[Gamerancher]

If you are still looking at shooting silhouette, try testing at 100m. A lot of .22 ammo will group well at 50m but falls away after about 75m.
Also, I've never had much success benching a rifle with a bipod. Try using a front rest or bag on the bench and see if you get better results.
Try using the bipod on the ground prone and see if your results change.
The Anschutz 64 action is used in their field rifles and in the cheaper line of target rifles. The 54 action is the better, but more expensive, of the two.

[bladeracer]

If you are still looking at shooting silhouette, try testing at 100m. A lot of .22 ammo will group well at 50m but falls away after about 75m.
Also, I've never had much success benching a rifle with a bipod. Try using a front rest or bag on the bench and see if you get better results.
Try using the bipod on the ground prone and see if your results change.
The Anschutz 64 action is used in their field rifles and in the cheaper line of target rifles. The 54 action is the better, but more expensive, of the two.

Yep, 100m testing will follow with the ammo that shows promise, and 200m if I get a break in the wind. I'm specifically testing initially at 50m because a lot of the ammo is supersonic and will lose accuracy by about 70m or so.

The Annie had _lots_ of light strikes with Eley ammunition but none at all with the cheaper stuff we tried. It also really hangs onto the brass making ejection more difficult than it need be. I'm thinking the extractor is holding the rim away from the breech face as the Eley's have the thinnest rims of everything I've measured. I didn't get a chance to strip it last time but I want to look at the bedding and play with the action screw torque next time. I also think the scope is less than optimal, especially as the turret is completely topped out in elevation and still shoots low at 50m

[in2anity]

Show's some promise - gotta love ye olde CCI-SV! How's the trigger on it Blade?

[bladeracer]

Show's some promise - gotta love ye olde CCI-SV! How's the trigger on it Blade?

Although Ruger don't mention any difference in the trigger, I reckon it does feel better than my Compact.
Shooting offhand is when I most notice the trigger quality but I haven't tried that yet.

[TheGreenwolf]

i have been reading up on this a little bit, the US sites say you need to put a few rounds through the gun also to improve its performance, they say it performs best after its had about 500 through and to rezero after 500 rounds.

[bladeracer]

i have been reading up on this a little bit, the US sites say you need to put a few rounds through the gun also to improve its performance, they say it performs best after its had about 500 through and to rezero after 500 rounds.

That goes for pretty much any .22LR.
My Compact was close to 1000rds before she started to shoot well.
Got 284rds through her so far.

[TheGreenwolf]

yea cool, i am going to go for a practice session on the weekend, see if i can put some through mine as well.

[bladeracer]

I took the Target and the Compact just now and shot them together, despite some pretty heavy winds.
At 100m the wind is messing them up too much to determine a winner, but at 50m I think the Target might just have the edge.

[KennyA]

Nice purchase. The stock looks heaps better then there standard piece on plastic junk that comes on most Ruger rifles these days.
Enjoy...

[bladeracer]

Nice purchase. The stock looks heaps better then there standard piece on plastic junk that comes on most Ruger rifles these days.
Enjoy...

Depends whether you buy your rifles to use or to look at I guess.