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Ruger American gen 2’s

Finnaly picked up the 223 gen 2. Im not a reviewer, and I’ve never done this kind of thing lol so please be easy with my horrible explanation.

First impression “okay” but I’ve never had the gen 1 so the only thing I can base it off of is my B14 BMP with 4k+ rounds through it, which isn’t really a good comparison between the two. They had the gen 1 next to it and they removed the “zippy” bolt from what I can tell. I removed the stock to lighten up the trigger and notice a ton of overspray on the bedding pillars. I haven’t shot it yet but I would feel that would’ve been detrimental to the accuracy and would have been chasing it all over the place. I’m gonna clean it up with light sandpaper.

Hopefully on New Year’s Day, I can take it out to the range and see how it performs.
 

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Finnaly picked up the 223 gen 2. Im not a reviewer, and I’ve never done this kind of thing lol so please be easy with my horrible explanation.

First impression “okay” but I’ve never had the gen 1 so the only thing I can base it off of is my B14 BMP with 4k+ rounds through it, which isn’t really a good comparison between the two. They had the gen 1 next to it and they removed the “zippy” bolt from what I can tell. I removed the stock to lighten up the trigger and notice a ton of overspray on the bedding pillars. I haven’t shot it yet but I would feel that would’ve been detrimental to the accuracy and would have been chasing it all over the place. I’m gonna clean it up with light sandpaper.

Hopefully on New Year’s Day, I can take it out to the range and see how it performs.


How was the trigger ?


I'm thinking about adding one of these in 6.5G.
 
How was the trigger ?


I'm thinking about adding one of these in 6.5G.
Trigger feels about the same as the gen 1. You’ll hit a wall then have a squish before it breaks

Edit: double post, trying to figure out how to delete it on my phone
 
Can’t 100% tell from pics/videos. Is there any way to add a full length arca to this? Without modifying stock to maintain the factory NRLH class.
 
Finnaly picked up the 223 gen 2. Im not a reviewer, and I’ve never done this kind of thing lol so please be easy with my horrible explanation.

First impression “okay” but I’ve never had the gen 1 so the only thing I can base it off of is my B14 BMP with 4k+ rounds through it, which isn’t really a good comparison between the two. They had the gen 1 next to it and they removed the “zippy” bolt from what I can tell. I removed the stock to lighten up the trigger and notice a ton of overspray on the bedding pillars. I haven’t shot it yet but I would feel that would’ve been detrimental to the accuracy and would have been chasing it all over the place. I’m gonna clean it up with light sandpaper.

Hopefully on New Year’s Day, I can take it out to the range and see how it performs.

Looks like Ruger forgot to blow off the hair from the shop cat before they sprayed that thing 😂
 
What I have found, so far, with budget rifles is that the barrel and action are usually workable. The stock and bedding or non-existent bedding are the problem.

For example, I make a Mossberg decent by putting it in a chassis. That is because of how their synthetic stocks are made, which they refuse to change. Or, whoever makes the synth stocks for them (one cannot assume that Mossberg actually makes the stocks) will not change. The biggest problem is a gap in the rear action screw guide. And the fact that the mag well is a separate plastic piece used as a shim.

I have seen several budget rifles and it is just about always the stock that is the problem. Some do a little better. The TC Compass II synth stock has aluminum pillar bedding and a cold barrel will shoot .54 inches in the first two shots and the factory guarantee is 1 MOA for the first three shots. Which is acceptable for hunting and that has also been my experience. My TC Compass II in .308 shot .54 inches fresh out of the box from the factory, with a snake pulled through a few times before shooting.

So, I predict that getting this RAR Gen 2 could be good but one is likely to change to another stock to get more acceptable results.
 
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What I have found, so far, with budget rifles is that the barrel and action are usually workable. The stock and bedding or non-existent bedding are the problem.

For example, I make a Mossberg decent by putting it in a chassis. That is because of how their synthetic stocks are made, which they refuse to change. Or, whoever makes the synth stocks for them (one cannot assume that Mossberg actually makes the stocks) will not change. The biggest problem is a gap in the rear action screw guide. And the fact that the mag well is a separate plastic piece used as a shim.

I have seen several budget rifles and it is just about always the stock that is the problem. Some do a little better. The TC Compass II synth stock has aluminum pillar bedding and a cold barrel will shoot .54 inches in the first two shots and the factory guarantee is 1 MOA for the first three shots. Which is acceptable for hunting and that has also been my experience. My TC Compass II in .308 shot .54 inches fresh out of the box from the factory, with a snake pulled through a few times before shooting.

So, I predict that getting this RAR Gen 2 could be good but one is likely to change to another stock to get more acceptable results.
If it's anything like the Gen 1 Ruger, the trigger will also need to immediately be scrapped for a Timney unit.
 
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I set out trying to find a standard in 6.5 Creedmoor and was going to buy it for myself as a birthday gift even after handling the ranch in 556 and thinking it was a POS. I couldn’t find one locally and realized I probably wouldn’t have been happy with it anyway and ordered a PH2 NRL instead. I still kind of want one of these things though and I don’t even know why.

What’s wrong with me?
 
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Is it just me that thinks once Ruger is inching up to and past the $600 mark there are better options than the American? I think they are a great sub $500 rifle.
 
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You have to spend twice as much or more to get a good shooting rifle with 5/8-24 threads that’s cerakoted and takes AICS mags. I think they’re worth the price compared to what else you get for the same money.
 
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You have to spend twice as much or more to get a good shooting rifle with 5/8-24 threads that’s cerakoted and takes AICS mags. I think they’re worth the price compared to what else you get for the same money.

 
CVA is absolutely garbage and has no aftermarket support. That also doesn’t take AICS mags.

How is CVA garbage? Every review I have seen has just about all the holes touching and is nothing but positive. Plus they are basically made by Bergara

Was thinking of getting one so genuinely interested. And why the obsession with AICS mags? Just curious
 
The weird thing about this hobby is how little “need” plays in. It makes you want stuff for the weirdest reasons.

I seriously don’t “need” another rifle for anything I’m doing at the moment.

Yet there I was, Thursday, standing in a gun store finger banging and old 700 Varmint .243 thinking how it would ROCK with 75 or 87 V-Maxes. Hammering coyotes 600 yards out. Smiting them as though it were God’s own wrath!

Fuck, I’ve got a .22BR and a AR and a .25-06 gathering dust in the safe. I can’t even SEE past 250 ANYWHERE where I’m hunting now. But I NEEDED that rifle sooo bad.🤣

No, I didn’t buy it, and here I am with needs unfulfilled……is there such a thing as “Gun Blueballs”?

Oh yeah, I need one of these Gen II’s. Just haven’t figured out why or which one yet…..
 
I set out trying to find a standard in 6.5 Creedmoor and was going to buy it for myself as a birthday gift even after handling the ranch in 556 and thinking it was a POS. I couldn’t find one locally and realized I probably wouldn’t have been happy with it anyway and ordered a PH2 NRL instead. I still kind of want one of these things though and I don’t even know why.

What’s wrong with me?
I have a ranch in 556, great truck gun and for the price… pretty damn accurate. My 8yr old shoots it a lot.
 
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Then you haven’t looked very hard. I’ve personally owned some CVA’s that sucked ass, I’m not basing my experience off of reviews.

You've owned CVA Cascades that suck ass? What issues did you have. I tried to look up issues with the CVA Cascade and couldn't find anything.

Now issues with the Ruger American....Welllllll
 
You've owned CVA Cascades that suck ass? What issues did you have. I tried to look up issues with the CVA Cascade and couldn't find anything.

Now issues with the Ruger American....Welllllll

No I haven’t owned a cascade and I’d never waste my money on another CVA product. They’re not regarded as quality rifles. Still, they don’t meet the same feature set as the American so they’re no comparable.
 
I have a ranch in 556, great truck gun and for the price… pretty damn accurate. My 8yr old shoots it a lot.

Yeah I’ve had two gen 1 ranch models and they were both accurate. I want to put my hands on a couple more before I make a decision, this isn’t going to be a rifle I order blind. The first gen 2 standard in 6 ARC I see on a shelf is probably coming home with me.
 
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The more I think about it, I'm not going to get one in 7mm-08... I'll probably get a Ranch in 6.5 Grendel or .223 Rem since I don't have a bolt-action rifle chambered for their of those... Just AR's. Drop it in AICS chassis and use MDT AICS .223 or 6 ARC mags for it.
 
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No I haven’t owned a cascade and I’d never waste my money on another CVA product. They’re not regarded as quality rifles. Still, they don’t meet the same feature set as the American so they’re no comparable.

So I owned a Ruger P series in .40S&W so I refuse to own a Ruger American because it will be crap. Come on... :rolleyes:
 
Coming from the guy that can’t even understand 308 vs 6.5 advantages, what you have to say means less than nothing to me.

Still nothing from you and I can't find anything to backup what you say. Just some personal insults.
 
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Still nothing from you and I can't find anything to backup what you say. Just some personal insults.

Did you try google searching “CVA Cascade problems” because I just did and guess what was in the results? People having problems with them.

CVA firearms are fucking trash, plain and simple. If you want to waste your money on one go ahead but the only ones ass you’re blowing smoke up is your own.
 
Did you try google searching “CVA Cascade problems” because I just did and guess what was in the results? People having problems with them.

CVA firearms are fucking trash, plain and simple. If you want to waste your money on one go ahead but the only ones ass you’re blowing smoke up is your own.



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The RAR is basically a shitty attempt at copying a tikka t3 made in America. I've owned a handful over the years. For cheap little bolt action hunting rifles they are more than adequate. I actually put together one in 350l last year for east coast deer. Dropped a timney int it, added a rail and a leupold 350l calibrated scope. Had a 419 brake but getting a can when it's out of jail. A sweet little 200yard deer rifle for less than a base tikka would cost.

The actions are rough as shit. Probally needs about 10k cycles to smooth out the shit.
 
Go buy one then and start a CVA thread telling everyone how great they are. Nobody here gives a shit about a shitty CVA.

I'm not saying they aren't shitty but nothing I have seen so far other than what you have to say implies it. And you can't back up what you say yourself...

I've had a 7.62x39 Ruger American Ranch and it was such a piece of shit. Stock touched the barrel from the factory and I had bolt issues and had to send it back to Ruger before even shooting it. After sending it back though it was OK I guess for a cheap plinker. But you're sitting here saying CVA and Bergara are POS while toting Ruger.
 
The actions are rough as shit. Probally needs about 10k cycles to smooth out the shit.
See my post (#48) if it’s a gen 1. Smoothing the machining marks off the bolt body and raceways will make it much better. Still nowhere near as good as a high-end action, but much better than it comes out of the box.
 
I tried to find one local to check out with no luck. Was tempted to get a gen 1 predator, throw it in a Magpul stock, maybe a trigger but at that point I'm too close to a used Tikka.

Soooo Cabela's had CVAs for $600 and I grabbed one in 223 since I have plenty of 223 ammo and components. Time will tell obviously but the fit finish and machine work is better on the CVA than the RAR. Bolt knob is better as in length and knob size, trigger on the CVA is quite a bit better, stock is also significantly better.

The stock was the deciding factor for me, stiffer than other guns in this price range. Poly trigger guard and bottom with metal pillars. Barrel looks good in the borescope. Shooting around or little under 1moa with factory 55g vmax. Tried some 50g AE varmint I picked up for .30 a pop years ago with slightly tighter groups than the vmax.
 
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My experience with CVA has been nothing but positive. BPI turns out some accurate barrels.
 
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The weird thing about this hobby is how little “need” plays in. It makes you want stuff for the weirdest reasons.

I seriously don’t “need” another rifle for anything I’m doing at the moment.

Yet there I was, Thursday, standing in a gun store finger banging and old 700 Varmint .243 thinking how it would ROCK with 75 or 87 V-Maxes. Hammering coyotes 600 yards out. Smiting them as though it were God’s own wrath!

Fuck, I’ve got a .22BR and a AR and a .25-06 gathering dust in the safe. I can’t even SEE past 250 ANYWHERE where I’m hunting now. But I NEEDED that rifle sooo bad.🤣

No, I didn’t buy it, and here I am with needs unfulfilled……is there such a thing as “Gun Blueballs”?

Oh yeah, I need one of these Gen II’s. Just haven’t figured out why or which one yet…..
LOL I feel your pain . I live in the woods and I am surrounded by the ozarks unless I travel some where I have no need for the giant rifle I have just incase I decide to hunt some flat ground which I never will , the reality is I could get by with a 16 inch rifle and an aim point , yet here I am looking at long guns again .
 
I found a lgs a few days ago that had some of these gen 2 ruger's in 243, 223,300bo, and 450 bushmaster. they had sold the 6.5cm before I got there. I asked to handle the 243 win. and was impressed . The fit and finish were better than my gen 1 predator in 6.5cm , the stock felt and looked great to me, the bolt was smooth without the mag installed, he had taken the mag out and opened the bolt before handing it to me.
 
the cheekpiece and everything about the stock felt right as was the textured paint. The barrel looked good with the spiral deep fluting and I say that because Ive not been a fan of that before. the balance and feel of the rifle was the best of any rifle I have. I will get at least one of these, maybe several as they check many boxes for my needs. Oh they had 560.00 on the price for that 243 win. It was a light rifle but with enough weight to be just right. I absolutely think that gun was worth 560'00 If they had not sold the 6.5cm I woulda been shucking plastic. have seen one video where a guy was noting that the bolt was hitting the aics mag. making it difficult, but I had issues like that with my gen 1 until I tried several mags, ended up using a mdt.
 
another thing is this, the length of pull adjustment system on the stock will work out real good for my wife and her brothers girls and also a few others in our hunting group I can think of. ruger sells a kit with 2 more stock adjustment pieces , something like 30 bucks.
 
You can’t judge the “balance” of an optics ready rifle with nothing on it. The optic mounts behind the ideal balance point and can entirely change how it handles based on what you put on top of it.
 
I hear you'uns, but judging from whats out there, this is alot of gun for the 560'00 they had on it. I'm a deer hunter that is disabled and cant walk very good at all and am very weak physically so the gun being light and short checks the most important boxes for me. I guess thats why Im excited about it. in a box blind it would be a dream.
 
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I can’t believe these things have been out for a couple weeks now and nobody has dropped one in some sort of gen 1 chassis to check fitment and no chassis manufacturers that I’ve seen have confirmed fitment or not.
 
I can’t believe these things have been out for a couple weeks now and nobody has dropped one in some sort of gen 1 chassis to check fitment and no chassis manufacturers that I’ve seen have confirmed fitment or not.
I've been hoping someone would try. I will be in the market for a new rifle in the next year or so and since I'm one of the poors this is on my list of options to look at. But I'm sure by the time I'm able to buy, if they don't fit the chassis manufacturers will have an inlet for them.

LR
 
The stock has a ton of flex, thumb and forefinger pressure can have it touching the barrel. It doesn't take much so bipod pressure or thumb pressure from support grip would close it.