Rugerã‚â® American Rifleã‚â® Rimfire Target Bolt-action Rimfire Rifle Review

Chris Parkin gets backside all the same another rock-solid Ruger - this fourth dimension, the Ruger American Rimfire Long-Range Target .22 LR comes nether scrutiny in this detailed test and review...

In one case fitted correctly, the 20 MOA Picatinny rail adds longer range capability and additional centre relief - Credit: Archant

After waiting so many years for full-sized rimfire rifles, it's been slap-up to see so many options arriving from manufacturers in the US and Europe/Scandinavia. These are ideally suited to those wanting a total-sized preparation rifle to complement their 'centrefire twin' (similar the Bergara B14 and Tikka T3/T1 UPR) or in their own right every bit a competitive rifle. It must not be forgotten that these lightweight rimfires withal brand great plinking and vermin control tools at the same time, often with far superior ergonomics to cramped sporters with short length of pull and achieve to trigger, so what's non to like?

I'm certainly a fan, and each new manufacturer's variant has been pleasantly refreshing to exam. Some are ameliorate than others merely here, Ruger have paired an action I was already familiar with, the American, with a stock I rather liked concluding October, from the .300 Win Mag Hawkeye M77 variant.

Ruger American Rimfire Long Range Target 22 LR - Credit: Archant

First impressions
Whatever stock that feels skillful to shoot on a heavier-recoiling cartridge volition translate well to smaller cartridges as long every bit it's not overly bulky or heavy, like a chassis rifle can exist, so guess what? Direct from the box I quite liked this test gun.

I combined the rifle with a Schmidt & Bender PMII telescopic considering a 20 Thousand.O.A. rail was pre-installed and I was finally confident I had all the ingredients to actually push rimfire ranges, with generous tiptop from the optic and the onboard rails.

Well, I zeroed the scope and establish very footling elevation remaining, and then I had some other await at the burglarize, in more detail this time.

I review guns as they are delivered. Information technology aligns me to what whatever regular or novice buyer might feel direct from their gun shop and guess what? The rail had been installed backwards. Thankfully, I carry tools in the truck and it just took a couple of minutes to spin out the four T10 Torx retaining screws and reinstall but yet, would every buyer detect things quite so straightforward?

Vertical and linear adjustability from the cheekpiece, information technology is quite broad though - Credit: Archant

Stock
The black/tan stock is attractive and of a composite build. Information technology avoids rattles and clunks, with no firing resonance. The butt pad features spacers packing it's length of pull to 13.5"/343mm which is hands added to.

The pad itself is ribbed and grips the shoulder pocket well. It has a firm consistency and allows you lot to gauge shoulder contact and direct pressure level when loading the bipod.

A toggle on the right side of the otherwise ambidextrous stock, (the toggle tin can be switched left side) allows quick unlatching of the adjustable cheekpiece with masses of vertical and linear aligning – not as critical hither because the bolt can be removed regardless of cheekpiece position. It'southward of the broader diverseness and non-laterally adjustable so I would proceed it a little lower and add something slightly narrower on information technology to appoint nether my cheekbone without rolling the head, offsetting the jaw to fully personalise it. Yet, great for a rimfire.

I liked the tactile stippled end throughout the stock and the grip's vertical position with easy thumb 'up or wrapped' layout with an excellent shape and without too much angularity in the neck. Besides, there'southward plenty of infinite for all fingers to fit and wrap it. Moving forward, the linear projection of the stock is sleek and looks good, with a seamless swell around the magazine well, before the sidewalls, which take slight finger ribs with a frail beavertail shape and flat bag-riding underside.

QR Stud can be reversed, the stock is stiff with a truly complimentary-floating butt at all times - Credit: Archant

Mounting/accompaniment options
A full-length aluminium Grand-Lok accessory rail is embedded with three solid Allen bolts locking it to the stock. The rail is an extended unit and in retrospect, it's easy to see how someone assembling the rig would meet it looks a meliorate shape to match the activity'southward contour when on the contrary manner round (as mentioned earlier in this review), yet when installed correctly, information technology overhangs to the front of the action onto the barrel. This is to give plentiful scope-mounting infinite for any optic; especially helpful on a large scope like the v-25 PMII which only requires 90mm of eye relief. Information technology's worth remembering a lot of mid-range scopes like to hope 100mm 'magnum-proof' eye relief and it'southward non always a benefit on rifles with brusque actions, then subsequently a quick re-nothing, I was in business.

A single QR sling cup is installed at the front correct but tin can be swapped to the left side and at that place are two on the butt just ahead of the recoil pad. The underside features a conventional stud in the centre of the bag-rider which tin be removed if needed for costless recoil, although I don't listen them so much on a soft bag every bit it tends to add a fiddling grip. The scallop shaping ahead provides lots of manus infinite to manipulate such a bag for fine height control, although there's not much of a 'claw' shape to engage the spider web of your palm, making it harder to pin into your shoulder pocket. That's one of the reasons I liked the sling stud yet in place.

A consistent pull weight on the trigger with 95% well-baked release without grittiness - Credit: Archant

Trigger
The trigger guard is quite slim and less oversized than a hunting rifle. The 'Marksman' trigger features an inner blade safety and gives a very consistent 2.7lbs break, with a slight creep although no discernible grittiness. It's not a drinking glass interruption only I never institute that an issue and information technology tin can exist adjusted up to 5lbs with an Allen fundamental, but only after removal from the stock.

The bract is broad with a slight curve and offers adept attain, with 85mm from the throat of the following pistol grip, which I constitute added further please to the overall ergonomics.

Ruger'south Hallmark BX-10 magazine remains remarkably clean on a commodities action burglarize compared to a semi-auto 10/22 - Credit: Archant

Magazine
The magazine release take hold of hangs just ahead. A lite pressure is all that's needed to release the Ruger BX-10 rotary magazine which will driblet freely into your hand. Reinsertion is similarly unhindered with mis-positioning impossible.

Ruger'southward BX-25 will also fit the gun for a banana-like 25-round capacity. Information technology's worth noting that Ruger'south x-round rotary mag soon eases in spring tension and becomes fast to load; they are easily dismantled for maintenance. In a semi-auto ten-22, they need this regularly because the gas blowback action and leap-loaded bolt do a fantastic chore of littering lead, lube and soot all over them. In contrast, the bolt action's smoothen feed inappreciably deposited a scrap of debris and the system was more hands used with several hundred rounds through the test hardly disturbing its box-fresh appearance.

Ruger accept specified a keen bolt handle blueprint and not fallen foul of existence too `Tacticool` - Credit: Archant

Commodities action
Commodities operation is from a bulbous teardrop handle extending 65mm from the shaft with a well-supported 40mm cyclical stroke length. The shape and dimensions pb to smooth performance with no jamming or binding issues, for which I genuinely applaud Ruger. They didn't autumn into the trap of a long 'Tacticool' commodities handle that hinders operation.

The bolt handle itself is the single lug of the rear locking action'due south 60-degree elevator. A single raceway is machined into the 17mm bright steel shaft to engage the anti-rotation/release catch on the left side of the action, with an overall fit and feel that comes somewh re in the center of 'tight versus rattly'.

A conventional command-feed face on the commodities allows single rounds to lift from the magazine below the twin extractor/ejector claws either side of the recessed commodities face. I de-cocked the commodities to assure myself of an effective firing pin exposing itself and was delighted to run into a skillful chisel-shaped tip on the Ruger's, which never in one case failed to initiate a round on examination.

The left side bolt face up claw is a sprung steel lever which collaborates with the stock-still ejector claw to the rear of the magazine. This emerges from under the bolt (it's function of the bedding block) every bit it'south fatigued back and you get positive lateral ejection, unhindered by the full-length Picatinny rail enclosing the top of the ejection port. This is important because older deportment similar the CZ452 can suffer badly with ejected brass bouncing back from a full-length rail and causing jams. Finishing off the controls is a two-position tang safe catch with forward for fire, rear for rubber, which is easily accessible and quiet to operate with the firing hand's thumb.

Spot the factory mistake hither! - Credit: Archant

Practical shooting test
Some years ago Viking Arms gave me chiliad rounds of SK Standard Plus target ammunition for .22 rimfire and I have faithfully used it and commented on it when applicable. I'm now at the end of the supply because I shot every concluding ane through the Ruger. Like many other rifles, information technology rather liked SK'southward economic offering.

For once I didn't do a principal zero at l metres as I would with a rimfire sporter, I went straight to 100 metres and since I was printing groups in the 20-30mm spatter for TEN shots on occasion, I was immediately enthusiastic to use this rifle at longer ranges. Muzzle velocities were a little lower than optimum. I think a 16-xviii" barrel for .22 rimfire is perfect because the long 22" tube saw cage velocity drop to 1032fps from the more usual 1060-eighty I prefer. Using .22 rimfire at longer ranges is tricky enough and I'd rather have all possible speed.

150 metres was a great first with x rounds splashing well inside 100mm groups on steel, the wind taking its price in gusty weather. The big Schmidt & Bender had over 20 mRad of height bachelor after zeroing and this would accept allowed me across 300 metres but I stayed within 250m on a 150mm gong for the sake of my own ego given the wind.

My mischievous heed likes to investigate marketing claims of newly patented features. An example existence Ruger's "Power Bedding, Integral Bedding Block Organization". This block is in fact TWO pieces of cast aluminium seated into relevant pockets within the stock's machined inlet to locate the action screws between the frontal escutcheon, and trigger guard assemblies.

Tubular pillars are inserted to prevent pinch and the front end cake locks snug into the stock and tight into a V-groove at the front end of the 27mm diameter action. The rear block floats more freely in the stock and is not locked tightly in position, it mainly attends to location for the magazine system and ejector.

Although the rifle shot well, information technology must be remembered that these ideas, although great marketing tools, are washed for the price of the burglarize and its manufacturing needs, because when tensioned, the activeness screws did stress the action, a factor to exist attended to for the best target operation.

QR stud anchor at the forend'due south tip - Credit: Archant

Conclusions
For a serious target-oriented rifle, it is always best to have a gun properly bedded and naught has ever diminished that belief for me. Take whatsoever gun in and out of its stock, re-utilise consistent bolt tension and see how closely information technology will hold zero. It'due south as well interesting to consider the relative stiffness of a large scope versus a sparse action with magazine feed and ejection port cutouts, all bolted to a less rigid stock. Which is probable to be the stiffest component? I can tell you a large telescopic often holds the Ace on that i in the rimfire world!

The Ruger is rather a overnice burglarize for the price and I actually enjoyed shooting information technology. It offers fundamentally audio shootability and economics with shine magazine feeding that won't damage your soft lead bullets, alongside the familiarity of a centrefire. Blindfolded, you might not instantly find the divergence.

Shooting from decumbent and bench-rested seated positions, using a Magpul Thousand-Lok bipod or a rest bag, saw a rifle set up to become. Bolt manipulation was calorie-free and required minimal move with only fingertip force required, allowing the caput to stay put and go along the firing bike consequent. This allows you to spotter the bullet country and thereby spend less time re-acquiring targets after recoil, thereby edifice muscle memory!

The trigger was predictable, with a good reach, encouraging linear pressure for a clean suspension on each shot. I could load the bipod with shoulder pressure consistently, enjoying minimal vertical group dispersion at longer ranges (sub 50mm at 150 metres was very pleasing). There was no flex in the fully gratuitous-floating fore-stop, so the 17.1mm/0.86" hammer-forged barrel was costless to do its own thing without harmonic interruptions.

It comes threaded ½"x28, so a moderator was a straightforward fit for all twenty-four hour period shooting comfort without ear defenders, which is obviously as of import for hunting when switching disciplines.

I'chiliad really no fan of high velocity .22 rimfire ammo for annihilation other than short-range semi-autos – subsonic match ammo is the fashion to reach out beyond the unavoidable transonic problems with higher velocity rounds at long range.

Left side commodities release catch - Credit: Archant

Pros

• Ideal setup for pushing rimfire to longer ranges
• Reliably smooth magazine performance
• Great telescopic positioning options
• Safety notwithstanding refined trigger

Cons

• Wide cheekpiece
• "Power Bedding" is more of a marketing tool than accurateness benefit

Verdict

• I take all the same to feel a bad Ruger bolt action burglarize, there's some peaks in the range but all take been shooters and this, like other 'Americans', has been well specified at an attractive price for its intended marketplace. Well worth a expect and worthy of personalisation.

Tech specs
Manufacturer: Ruger American
Model:Rimfire Long-Range Target .22 LR
Overall length: 40.5"/1030mm
Weight: 8lbs/3.6kg
Magazine capacity: Detachable 10+1, 25 circular also available
Trigger: Single stage, 1260gr/44oz. 9Adjustable up to 2200gr/80oz.)
Butt length: 22"/560mm
Metal Finish & stock material: Matt Blacked Steel & Black/Tan Blended
Sights: 20 1000.O.A. Picatinny rails included for scope fitting.
RRP: £780
Contact: Viking Arms

Besides used
Schmidt & Bough five-25 PMII: www.schmidt-bender.com
DPT Sound Moderator: www.dpteuro.co.uk
Magpul M-Lok Bipod: www.edgarbrothers.com

Trigger adjustment does crave the activeness to be removed from the stock - Credit: Archant

Ability bedding integral "Block" is actually ii pieces - Credit: Archant

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Source: https://www.rifleshootermagazine.co.uk/rifle-tests/ruger-rimfire-long-range-target-22-test-8103668

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