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TX, USA
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Posted: 3/18/2020 7:21:18 PM EDT
Looking for a bolt-action hunting rifle and found this: https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/ruger-american-predator-65-creedmoor-bolt-action-rifle#repChildCatid=4985775
Looks like it comes Vortex Crossfire II scope. I just had a couple of questions about it: Are Ruger American Predators good rifles? Is the glass good enough? Any other, better rifles/glass for around the same price? I'm not looking for an ultra precise rifle, just one that is good enough for hunting. My budget is at max $750 for rifle and glass if you have another suggestion. |
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Posted: 3/18/2020 7:45:41 PM EDT
[Last Edit: strat81]
[#1]
Originally Posted By splyntered_glory:
Looking for a bolt-action hunting rifle and found this: https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/ruger-american-predator-65-creedmoor-bolt-action-rifle#repChildCatid=4985775 Looks like it comes Vortex Crossfire II scope. I just had a couple of questions about it: Are Ruger American Predators good rifles? Is the glass good enough? Any other, better rifles/glass for around the same price? I'm not looking for an ultra precise rifle, just one that is good enough for hunting. My budget is at max $750 for rifle and glass if you have another suggestion. I have a 6.5CM Predator. For a hunting rifle, the Ruger Predator is a great choice and mine has a shortened barrel. If you haven't seen one in person, the barrel is heavier than a sporter, but it's not medium or heavy. A Tikka CTR ore Remington Sendero will have a thicker barrel. Two things with the Ruger American: 1) The stock kinda sucks. The recoil pad is very good and it's very light. OTOH, you'll need to dremel out the barrel channel to free float the barrel and you'll need some kind of cheek riser because the comb is too low for optics. 2) The rotary mags are very hit & miss. Out of three I've tried, two would not feed correctly. However, the .450 Bushmaster mags are a single column mag and function well with my 6.5CM. You lose 1 round of capacity, but for hunting or bench shooting, I can't see that being a big issue. They also make a version of the Predator that takes AICS mags. Groups at 100 yards with Hornady factory ammo: 
I'm a scope snob and have a Sig Tango 6 on my Predator. The Vortex is probably good enough for what you're doing. |
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TX, USA
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Posted: 3/18/2020 7:56:05 PM EDT
[#2]
Do you have a suggestion for a replacement stock?
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Posted: 3/18/2020 8:10:12 PM EDT
[#3]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By splyntered_glory:
Do you have a suggestion for a replacement stock? |
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TX, USA
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Posted: 3/18/2020 10:09:26 PM EDT
[#4]
Quote Historywould you be able to use pmags with that stock? Sorry for all the questions, I'm pretty new to bolt-actions.
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Posted: 3/18/2020 10:20:44 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By splyntered_glory:
would you be able to use pmags with that stock? Sorry for all the questions, I'm pretty new to bolt-actions. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By splyntered_glory:
It won't work with 5.56 Pmags because of the large OAL of the 6.5CM cartridge. |
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TX, USA
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Posted: 3/18/2020 10:28:16 PM EDT
[Last Edit: VSmith6]
[#6]
What strat81 said, the RAP is a great value. I have the rotary mag version in 6.5 CM with a Vortex Viper HS 4-16x50 on it.
I beefed up the forend with some epoxy and made sure the barrel had clearance, and did a YouTube trigger job, nothing else. With 147gr ELD-M handloads I have shot 1/3 MOA groups at 300 yards. The rotary mag is crap, if you can get the AICS compatible version go for it. Also the bolt is fairly loose, it tends to come open if you are carrying it on a shoulder sling and drop a round out. It’s a $430 gun that shoots well, but probably not the best option for a pack in hunt ETA the stock geometry is lacking, get a kydex riser for it |
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Posted: 3/19/2020 7:17:55 AM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By strat81:
It won't work with 5.56 Pmags because of the large OAL of the 6.5CM cartridge. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By strat81:
Originally Posted By splyntered_glory:
It won't work with 5.56 Pmags because of the large OAL of the 6.5CM cartridge. |
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Posted: 3/19/2020 7:19:10 AM EDT
[#8]
I have 2 Americans, .308 and .30-06 and both are great shooters. I still have the original stocks on them but I want to replace them someday
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TX, USA
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Posted: 3/19/2020 8:58:43 AM EDT
[Last Edit: jeremywills]
[#9]
No 6.5 yet............. but I have the .308 Predator and I solved the "shitty" stock problem with the Magpul. Boyd's makes some fantastic options if you prefer a more traditional wooden stock. The AICS style magazines are the way to go. The mags are single stack and different from the double stack PMAG for 7.62 so order carefully when you pickup mags. I made this mistake but fortunately Primary Arms was easy to work with in getting swapped for the correct part #. When you buy the Magpul Hunter stock it comes with one 5 round mag but I always like to have a few extra for every firearm I own.
I'm sure eventually I'll wind up with a Ruger American in 6.5 at some point. For what they are out of the box the rifles are a good value and with some upgrades can be turned into fantastic shooters and still not break the bank. 
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Posted: 3/19/2020 9:20:04 AM EDT
[#10]
Definitely get the AICS version! My teenaged son has harvested hog, mule deer and last weekend, auodad with his. He was hitting a 10" plate at 400 yds using Hornady 129 gr. Interlocks just before the hunt. He's using the Vortex Viper HS 4x16x44.
 Attached File |
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PA, USA
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Posted: 3/19/2020 11:11:44 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Meatball72]
[#11]
Originally Posted By splyntered_glory:
Looking for a bolt-action hunting rifle and found this: https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/ruger-american-predator-65-creedmoor-bolt-action-rifle#repChildCatid=4985775 Looks like it comes Vortex Crossfire II scope. I just had a couple of questions about it: Are Ruger American Predators good rifles? Is the glass good enough? Any other, better rifles/glass for around the same price? I'm not looking for an ultra precise rifle, just one that is good enough for hunting. My budget is at max $750 for rifle and glass if you have another suggestion. I also have a 6.5cm predator and I beefed up the stock with rebar and epoxy and now its a nice heavy weight stock with no flex. the rifle is 3/4 moa all day. I will agree that the rotary mags are junk. i was going to send mine off to be refitted with AICS bottom metal but the guy that ran the company and that did the work died. Vortex crossfires are decent scopes but are vortex's bottom end models. At the time i bought mine they didnt offer the AICS model but about 3 weeks later they released it and if i had to buy again i would get the AICS |
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TX, USA
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Posted: 3/19/2020 11:28:42 AM EDT
[#12]
Is the rifle in the link in the OP compatible with AICS? And if not, would putting the Magpul Hunter stock on it make it compatible?
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Posted: 3/19/2020 12:34:48 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By cone256:
It works with their 7,62 AICS mags, not to be confused with AR-10/SR-25 mags Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By cone256:
Originally Posted By strat81:
Originally Posted By splyntered_glory:
It won't work with 5.56 Pmags because of the large OAL of the 6.5CM cartridge. |
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MO, USA
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Posted: 3/19/2020 1:37:39 PM EDT
[#14]
I have a 6.5 American predator that I dropped in to a mag-pul hunter stock and at that time it had the vortex 4x12 optic that come on the rifle . I have since swapped out the optic and added a different scope but for hunting the scope works well enough it holds zero just fine .
here is a picture with the rifle when I first dropped it in the stock . 
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Posted: 3/19/2020 5:42:31 PM EDT
[#15]
I had one in 5.56 for a while and sold it.
The stock is awful and back when I had mine, there was no aftermarket available. The trigger is decent, and I liked the rotary mag. My mag had a little burr on the follower that I cleaned up and it worked well after that. The action is smooth but I could not get mine to shoot under 1 MOA, closer to 2, even with my match reloads. I sold it and bought a Remington 783. All around a nicer rifle and shoots 3/4" groups with my handloads. |
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FL, USA
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Posted: 3/19/2020 10:55:19 PM EDT
[#16]
I would bet that that vortex scope is the nicest scope I've seen offered in those package guns. Most are bottom of the barrel tasco or bushnell. Offering a vortex or Nikon was definitely a step up by the manufacturers.
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TX, USA
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Posted: 3/19/2020 11:00:57 PM EDT
[Last Edit: jeremywills]
[#17]
Even though the Crossfire is Vortex "entry" level class of scope I like them alot. All of my Ruger Americans have them. Got the call from my dealer that my recently jailed Resonator R2 came in so I went to check it out today. Sounds great. A 6.5 and another can will eventually wind up in my safe almost guaranteed. I'm really digging the Magpul upgraded stock. Now I kinda wish I had it on my .300 blk one as well.
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FL, USA
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Posted: 3/20/2020 10:39:52 AM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By splyntered_glory:
Do you have a suggestion for a replacement stock? |
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FL, USA
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Posted: 3/20/2020 10:42:19 AM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By jeremywills:
Even though the Crossfire is Vortex "entry" level class of scope I like them alot. All of my Ruger Americans have them. Got the call from my dealer that my recently jailed Resonator R2 came in so I went to check it out today. Sounds great. A 6.5 and another can will eventually wind up in my safe almost guaranteed. I'm really digging the Magpul upgraded stock. Now I kinda wish I had it on my .300 blk one as well. https://i.imgur.com/gXMXBa7h.jpg |
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TX, USA
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Posted: 3/20/2020 11:48:53 AM EDT
[#20]
Like anything mass produced especially at a lower tier price point there will be lemons as well as gems. Vortex offers an excellent warranty so if you get a bum unit they will take care of you. I've been very lucky all of mine have good clear glass and once sighted in have held their zero quite nicely. Obviously whenever you can swing a better piece of glass the money spent is well worth it.
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Posted: 3/20/2020 12:02:27 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Daggertt]
[#21]
Since OP is asking about hunting with this and not benchrest shooting, I'm going to go against the grain here and say the standard stock is good enough for hunting, where you're often not shooting from an ideal, solid postition/platform (shooting sticks, tree branches, pack, offhand, etc) and you're interested in "minute-of-vitals" not 3" groups at 700 yards, etc.
And it's much lighter weight than Magpul or Boyds offerings. If you're getting this to carry while hunting on foot, just leave it as is. If you'll be hunting from a blind or tree stand, it won't really matter either way, and if you're looking to re-purpose it as a target rifle, then you definitely want to modify or replace the stock. ETA: and if I was getting one of these for hunting, I'd grab a Go Wild edition. 
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Posted: 3/20/2020 12:44:10 PM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Daggertt:
Since OP is asking about hunting with this and not benchrest shooting, I'm going to go against the grain here and say the standard stock is good enough for hunting, where you're often not shooting from an ideal, solid postition/platform (shooting sticks, tree branches, pack, offhand, etc) and you're interested in "minute-of-vitals" not 3" groups at 700 yards, etc. And it's much lighter weight than Magpul or Boyds offerings. If you're getting this to carry while hunting on foot, just leave it as is. If you'll be hunting from a blind or tree stand, it won't really matter either way, and if you're looking to re-purpose it as a target rifle, then you definitely want to modify or replace the stock. ETA: and if I was getting one of these for hunting, I'd grab a Go Wild edition. https://www.kinseysoutdoors.com/wp-content/uploads/1970/01/products-26925__87511.1545866885.1280.1280.jpg My son harvested his mulie and auodads on spot and stalk hunts...lightweight stock was much appreciated Here's his mulie from the Van Horn mountains in west TX from November  Attached File |
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SC, USA
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Posted: 4/17/2020 2:25:54 PM EDT
[#23]
I've bought 2 (but not as a scoped package deal), a 6.5CM and a .223 .... and both are for my wife.
She swapped out the stock on the 6.5CM to the Magpul Hunter everybody above has been mentioning, and she loves it. Granted all of our deer hunting is from a stand or blind, no stalking. However, on her .223 she has left the factory stock on it, added a bag style cheek riser and seems to be content with it b/c of how light it is compared to her 6.5CM. She has noticed that the forearm seems flimsy (just like how she didn't like that on her 6.5CM). She calls it her Tupperware Gun. LOL Both rifles shoot really well. Actually, almost too good! ...... meaning they shoot almost as good as my +$1000 RPR's of the same caliber. |
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Posted: 4/24/2020 6:48:32 PM EDT
[Last Edit: ALASKANFIRE]
[#24]
Originally Posted By splyntered_glory: Is the rifle in the link in the OP compatible with AICS? And if not, would putting the Magpul Hunter stock on it make it compatible? They are not compatible in factory configuration but yes the magpul stock will allow use of AICS pattern magazines. Originally Posted By jeremywills: I'm really digging the Magpul upgraded stock. Now I kinda wish I had it on my .300 blk one as well. Make sure and do your research before you do. If they are anything like the 223 versions they don't always play well in the rugers with AICS mags. Think it's the three lugged bolt that's the main cause. It's been discussed several places. Some have luck modding mags and some do not. https://www.ar15.com/forums/Armory/Magpul-Hunter-Stock-Issue-Wont-Feed-300AAC-/2-493006/  Magpul Hunter Stock Ruger American 223 Magazine issues with MDT |
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Posted: 5/12/2020 3:20:33 AM EDT
[Last Edit: DKlic6]
[#25]
You can look at my build thread I did on it. I really like it but had limited options with left hand bolts in my budget. And yes, it's an ugly ass rifle but it shoots well.
link |
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