ruger american 22lr?

[Gun-nut]

I'm a new member to this forum so I thought I'd try asking here to get a reply to my question. I'm looking at getting a Ruger american in 22lr as a rifle for hunting small game such as rabbits etc. I was just wondering what people thought about them in regards to reliability, quality, accuracy etc.

Your help will be greatly appreciated and thanks in advance

[Lorgar]

Hey Gun-nut,

A 22LR is a fun little rifle. Costs peanuts to feed, will take bunnies at 50m all day long. Sounds like a good cartridge choice for what you want.

I haven't used the Ruger American, and not much of their rimfire rifles, but I'm very familiar with their centrefire rifles. Ruger don't make rifles with surgical accuracy, but they're solid, reliable units. And you don't need to be able to shoot the head off a pin to hunt rabbits.

Can't speak from personal experience using one but the Ruger 10/22 must be about the most popular rimfire rifle out there, so I suppose that's a vote of confidence too.

[bladeracer]

I'm a new member to this forum so I thought I'd try asking here to get a reply to my question. I'm looking at getting a Ruger american in 22lr as a rifle for hunting small game such as rabbits etc. I was just wondering what people thought about them in regards to reliability, quality, accuracy etc.

Your help will be greatly appreciated and thanks in advance

I have the synthetic American Compact in .22LR. Reliability and quality are outstanding as you'd expect, but reliability will be much more down to the ammo you use than the rifle you use it in. I didn't buy it expecting a tack driver and I have no complaints with its accuracy. Most stuff groups around 2" at 50 yards, a few group more like 4" at 50 yards, fewer still group under an inch at 50 yards.
But after putting the first 1000 rounds through it the accuracy seems to have improved. I've tried 24 types of ammo through it now and have found some stuff that it likes. I recently put ten rounds of Eley Match into 45mm at 100 yards - impressed the hell out of me. At $25 a box it's not the most expensive ammo I've tried, but it's the most accurate in this particular rifle. Match ammo tends to work best in match chambers I think.

I'm not a fan of shooting live targets with .22LR but I do take an occasional rabbit with Stingers.
Primarily though, .22's are just for putting a lot of cheap bullets down range to hone my skills for the centrefires.
Buy a brick of the cheapest stuff (I used Highland RX for $34) you can find to run the barrel in, and a box of every type of ammo you can get and try them all to determine what it works best with.

[Deacon]

From my experience anything Ruger is built STRONG. I actually think they go a little overboard on some of their rifles which is not necessarily a bad thing. I've never owned an American but have shot one. It was nothing amazing in the accuracy department but definitely accurate enough for bunnies and a bit of plinking fun. Granted I only used one type of ammo. All in all they are well built, reliable and accurate enough for what you seem to be interested in. I think you'll be very pleased without breaking the bank. One thing to be careful of though is that the one I shot felt a bit on the heavy side, won't be a big deal but may get kind of annoying if hunting.. Nothing major. Maybe also look at the savages, they are around the same price and I have two mates that own them who have never had a problem. Likely to be a little more accurate too if you move more towards target shooting instead of hunting.

Deac

[rsj223]

I had one in 22lr it liked the Federal and Winchester bulk I now have one in compact 17hmr, love the mag design very simple reliable and cheap enough.

[David Brown]

I'm a new member to this forum so I thought I'd try asking here to get a reply to my question. I'm looking at getting a Ruger american in 22lr as a rifle for hunting small game such as rabbits etc. I was just wondering what people thought about them in regards to reliability, quality, accuracy etc.

Your help will be greatly appreciated and thanks in advance

I have one.

They are bloody reliable,bloody accurate and clean them regularly they will stay that way. I use Winchester high velocity hollow points and for fun sub sonics. Just dial up your scope settings for the ammo you use.

Mine is fitted with a Redfield Revolution 3-9x40. You will never beat it. Unless you buy an Anshutz or similar.

[Gun-nut]

Cheers for all the replies everyone, I really do appreciate it. Looks like the ruger should serve me well!

[sandgroperbill]

As already mentioned, Ruger aren't known for target rifles, but for strong reliable hunting rifles. And they don't cost the world, either. If you want it for hunting, you'll be happy with a ruger.

On a side note, don't rule out old, second hand 22s, either

[Deacon]

On a side note, don't rule out old, second hand 22s, either

This is a really good idea. Sandgroperbill and bentaz told me the same thing and I ended up getting a much nicer .22 that I originally thought was way out of my price range.

[dpskipper]

From what i've heard and seen the Ruger american line up looks great. Heck I wanted one for a long time in 308 then realized it didn't come in left hand.

[mr1jz]

I've got the 22lr in the standard synthetic.
Mine loves the standards and can out about 10 through a ragged hole at 50m. I've tried other stuff but it likes these the most.

The stingers crack out of it though and are accurate enough. It's not bench rest gun but it'll do the job.

[bladeracer]

From what i've heard and seen the Ruger american line up looks great. Heck I wanted one for a long time in 308 then realized it didn't come in left hand.

Ruger American .308 does come left-handed in blue or stainless 22".
Whether you'll find one in Oz though I have no idea.

[dpskipper]

Well, I looked on the ruger website and found the chart that shows all models and could not for the life of me find any reference to a left handed model. Thats fine though, I'm probably going to get the new Lithgow in 308. Love the idea of an aus made gun.

[YoungBuck]

I don't have the LR, but do own the WMR chamber. Not directly apple with apples but as other have already said the American Rimfire range is not of the highest accuracy class but is certainly good enough for hunting. I particularly like the feel of the bolt when ejecting/feeding, nice and smooth and just feels solid. However I find my Savage MKii FVSR (LR) out-shoots my American in the accuracy section, that little thing pings 5c coins at 50m.

[Rakk]

However I find my Savage MKii FVSR (LR) out-shoots my American in the accuracy section, that little thing pings 5c coins at 50m.

You need that level of accuracy if you're hunting cockroaches

[Wylie27]

My wife has the Ruger american rimfire compact. I like it, accurate, rugged, light, 10 round magazine.. shoots straight..

[Manimal]

From my experience anything Ruger is built STRONG.

And don't forget with that mauser action you can load the rifle while upside down.

Ruger boys love to talk about that

[Jd256]

Ruger in my opinion makes one of the finest 22LR available. I own 2 ruger 1022's.The one I use most I got for Christmas when I was 14 28 years ago . I have fired tens of thousands of round through this rifle and still functions flawlessly . with a basic scope I still can easily eliminate raccoons eating the cat food in the rear paddock at 40 meters.