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If you start a conversation about budget hunting rifles, the Ruger American will almost certainly come up. The American made rifle has become a staple resident of the bottom shelves at gun stores. Is this for good reason, or does its attraction come strictly from its price tag? Clocking in at $455.99 for the rifle, or $608.99 for the scope package, it certainly does look good for today’s rifle pricing, but for other budget rifles, price can come at the expense of quality.
Today we’re going to be reviewing the Ruger American rifle, more specifically the package that comes with a factory installed 3-9x40 Vortex Crossfire II, chambered in the reliable .270 Winchester. To start, this rifle is 100% percent American made. Every screw, bolt, and piece of this gun is made in the United States, which is something we value deeply. The American made identity is one their company totes proudly, something that seems to echo across their company and reflect in their products. With the firearm industry becoming increasingly more outsourced, with known U.S. brands beginning to outsource manufacturing, an American made rifle is something we tend to seek out. Whats even more impressive is a domestic rifle that comes in at sub $500 dollars without outsourcing, and thats just what they've done. The American models come in chambered in .223, .204, .243, 6.5 creedmoor, .270, .308 and 30-06.
The barrel
By far the most pleasantly surprising feature of this rifle is there barrel. The 22” cold hammer forged barrel far exceed my expectations. Using factory Hornady Precision Hunter loads, I found shooting sub-MOA groups at 100-yards a common occurrence. With a 1:10 twist, the barrel handled the 145gr. ELD X bullets very well. They all come quipped with their patented bedding system with an internal bedding block, and a staple free floated barrel. The barrel offered on the American is not threaded, so, if you're looking to step up into harder hitting cartridges such as the .300 Win Mag, or the 7mm PRC, they will be readily available in threaded models such as their GO WILD.
Ruger’s Marksman Adjustable Trigger
The stock trigger on this rifle is adjustable from 3-5# which is done by a screw in the front of the trigger assembly. Though the trigger looks similar to the Savage Accu-Trigger, which it has been profusely compared to, the release lever locks the actual trigger and not just the seer, a staple design that sets the Ruger American line aside from other budget friendly guns. The trigger also feels great, with next to no felt creep in the pull and a very consistent break. When pulling the trigger of a Ruger American, you don’t get any of the sloppy feelings you get from other budget rifles. The trigger combines the best qualities of the lower end triggers, making it feel as if it bunches well above its weight class.
The bolt
The thick three lugged bolt on the Ruger is one of the parts in which the price gets reflected. With a 70° bolt throw, it cycles smooth and efficient, and after getting used to it, it became quiet pleasant. It can be a little stiff out of the box, but as long as you keep up on maintenance and cleaning, it will never be an issue. The stainless bolt is sturdy and tough, and capable of taking on the challenges of a western hunt. The downside to the bolt, is that it can also take on some machining scars and and an unfinished look, but when it comes down to performance and functionality of a budget friendly rifle, that should sit at the bottom of your concerns.
The stock
The stock is made of an injected plastic mold which is lightweight. Just like any other molded stock, they tend to be more susceptible to bending. That’s not exclusive to the American stock as its just the nature of lower end stocks. Though lightweight, the stretched rubber recoil pad, combined with their patented bedding system, do a lot to eliminate felt recoil which is a major bonus for firing larger calibers without a muzzle break. It has a simplistic look, with serration's at the fore grip, and the handgrip, providing comfortable contact with your hands. The Ruger American stock carries the traditional look of simple bolt action rifles that have defined our industry.
The Scope
The $609 scope package comes equipped with a 3-9x40mm Vortex Crossfire II. The Crossfire delivers well at the price tag the package places it at, with impressive out of the box clarity. Its MOA turrets are simple and easy to use. They come in at 14.5" of total length; about what you would expect for anything in their ball park. With no ballistic turrets and a 40mm objective, the Crossfire comes in at 25 ounces. The scope housing is made from an anodized aluminum, where the price begins to show. The finish can feel rough and light, which usually doesn't factor in to the decision making on low end scopes. The Crossfire contains both a sealed o-ring, and nitrogen purged lenses, for fog/water proofing. Overall it has a great feel and clarity for the price.
Shootability
My first thought shooting the rifle of its weight is that it would be a thumper. The 270 is generally considered to produce around 16 pounds of recoil, (for comparison a .243 produces around 8, while a 30-06 produces 20.) which isn't terrible, but can certainly be exacerbated by a light stock. I was pleasantly surprised as the recoil was very manageable, largely due to their recoil pad. I certainly wouldn't want to shoot the gun all day, but it's very manageable. I also found it to be very comfortable, especially when comparing it to other molded stocks. The for end and the grip are both stippled very well, which i think is a big factor in the rifles comfort. It was a very forgiving rifle to shoot and I was incredibly happy with the sub MOA results the Hornady bullets were producing. The ease of use of the American makes it a great rifle for beginners, but they have something for everyone from varmint hunters too the backcountry hunter. The 6.5 creedmoor makes a perfect cartridge for younger hunters and folks looking to extend the range, while we're partial to the .270 for the versatility and shootability for taking on any hunt.
The rifle also comes equipped with features such as their tang safety, which is easy to operate and located strategically for engaging while in the scope. It also comes stock with a picatinny rail that makes for swapping scopes, or adjusting the position of your own scope incredibly easy. The rotary magazine they come equipped with was the biggest drawback I've found. While the rotary does function flawlessly out of the box, rotating bullets to dead center for perfect chambering (similar to the 10/22) they aren't the strongest. The magazines are a complete plastic construction and plastic is just inherently weaker. You have to be cautious of leaving bullets in the magazine for extended period of time, as the rotary will wear down and begin to malfunction, a terrible problem to have when your target antelope is in your sights... but thats a story for another time.
Conclusion
The Ruger American Rifle is a great option for anybody looking for their first rifle, or for someone looking to add a caliber to their collection at a great price. You can expect to have a quality barrel, which we find to be the most important aspect of a hunting rifle, that shoots flawlessly. The trigger operates fantastically and is incredibly simple to adjust and personalize. For a gun that shoots and feels great, we find the drawbacks of the gun to be insignificant compared to others in their price range. In our opinion, if you’re looking for a gun on the bottom of the price spectrum, you should look no further. The rugged American heritage of the rifle is sure to preform no matter the location, no matter the quarry. The Ruger American does exactly what I think Ruger set out to do, provide a sub $500 gun that doesn't sacrifice key performance parts.