Ruger American Wolf, 308

[Gunner46]

I finally had a chance to get out to the range and give this new rifle a try. This was not an attempt to test accuracy, because I wanted to run my 7mm/08 across the Crony for my upcoming hunt and make a decision on the load I was going to use. I ran some leftover hand loads, from my Rem 600, over the Crony just to see what I'd get while I was at it. So, this is going to be an initial Functional review.

Here goes:

~ Recoil was a lot less than I expected from a scoped 7.25# rifle. Very manageable.
~ No feeding, nor extraction problems. The magazine slips in/out very easily and without much fiddling around. A good plus for in the field.
~ The trigger broke just about where I would expect it to, given the pressure I was putting on it. Maybe 3#'s, or so ?
~ The tang safety clicked solidly, with not too much noise.
~ Velocities from some Mil surplus, Win. Factory, and my hand loads all pretty much matched published specs ! That's a new one for me. When you get a rifle with a 22" tube that delivers published velocities from a 24" test rifle, it's saying something.

All in all, I'm impressed, so far. I'll be doing my final sight in, with the 7mm/08, for my hunt in a week or so and I'll test the targets with this one as well.

 

[Gunner46]

Target Test.

I wish I could say I was on my 'A' game today, but not the case. Most all groups, from all the rifles, were a little wider than normal, by 3/8-1/2 inch. Just one of those days....

Due to work load, Yadda-Yadda-Yadda, I had to make a hard fast decision and go for broke on load development. Settled on a very short list of accuracy loads to test. 48.0. 48.5, 49.0 gr of Varget w/ 125 Nosler BT's, Win cases & WLR primers, set at 2.80 OAL.

I also took 5 additional shots over the Chrony, starting at 46.0gr and up'ed it in 1 grain increments.

48.0grs put 3 shots right at 1 1/8", in a neat little triangle. The rest spread out from there.

Quick math from the Chrony sez it's at 2890 FPS.

GOOD ENOUGH! No time left to play with it, nor desire. After all, it's my back-up on this hunt, not my primary, and when I get back I may never shoot another 308 round out of it. It's always been destined for a re-bore to a 338 Fed from the get go.

Still, how many of us only test 3 loads and get that kind of results ?

 

[Thebear_78]

Glad to hear a good review on the ruger American, my dad just picked up a lefty American in 308 for my son for a Christmas present. It should make a good rifle for him.


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[HAWKEYESATX]

I think it would be a shame to rebarrel a rifle that's done so well. The .308 is a classic round as well.
It's great you got such good velocity from it!

HawkeyeSATX a.k.a. Bryce

 

[sask boy]

Thanks gunner for the report on the Ruger American. I was wondering about them in the 6.5 Creedmor :wink:.

Blessings,
Dan

 

[brikwhitt]

M.

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[Gunner46]

Update:

It's a .338 Fed now, just as it was always meant to be.

Weather reports proclaimed a mild day in the low 60's and light wind due north. Perfect.

WRONG

I hit the range at 10 AM, blustery, swirling 10-20mph winds, at it was around the low 40's.

Still..... took a few shots with some Fed commercial stuff, and some mid-range Speer 200gr handloads.

Very manageable. I wish I could have stayed and played more, but I (all of us) were caught off guard by the weather and cut the day short, just too cold for what I was wearing.