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Ruger American ranch 6.5 Grendel 16 inch

Dve216

Banhammer
Banned !
Minuteman
Jun 2, 2020
18
14
First post (Thanks to all the folks who make this place happen. I was on the old scout forum just laid off of shooting the last couple year due to major shoulder surgery)

I’m needing a intermediate cartridge rifle. My son is 10 and I need a bolt gun for us to hunt with and target gun. all I have is ar’s and a couple magnum cartridge rifles.(that now get little use)

The 6.5 16 inch ranch checks a lot of boxes. I like it because it’s short we can run a can etc. ar compatibility if I want a upper later. How is out of box accuracy and and should I be able to hit steel to 800 (I do handload) and what bullets/powder do you guys like.

but I’m already looking at stocks. Etc
I have to tinker with guns. Any good upgrades for this rifle.

also I know it will be recommended If I’m gonna pour that much extra into it. I would by Better off buying the cz carbine but it’s not threaded. (Idk if the barrel is thick enough to thread and realignment of irons which I would love to have. Thank you all.
 
Check out the Howa Mini Action 6.5 Grendel . I think they are better than the Ruger, and went with it for a build. But the Ruger perform just fine. Howa builds the Weatherby rifles. So, look at the Howa 1500 and Weatherby threads. And, the action is smaller on the Mini, so fewer stocks, but probably as much as the Ruger (neither are as popular as the REm 700). Grendel can do 800, just not as efficient as bigger cartridges. Grendel usually runs the 123 grain bullets or thereabouts to keep the velocity higher.
 
I have a Howa mini in Grendel and it's a great rifle, and my friend loves it because he can work the action easily. He also had major surgery on his left side due to being burnt at work. I would love it even more if I could use some of the extra AR magazines I have. The Ruger can be a nice rifle but I highly recommend slicking up the action as it kind of sounds like you're un zipping something every time you move the bolt. I will be getting a 350 legend in the Ruger because they are good rifles for the money.
 
The Ruger Ranch rifles are pretty accurate, and cheap. The triggers leave a lot to be desired, but the Timney replacement is pretty decent.

As to taking it to 800...on a calm day, yes. IME, 700 is more realistic; after that it tends to get wonky. I have taken the Grendel to 950, but it was early morning, no wind and fairly chilly (and in a 24" barreled AR). It is not a 1k cartridge IMHO.

But, for a low recoil, accurate AR mag length cartridge, it really does punch above it's weight. It kills stuff pretty well, if the ranges are reasonable, and IMHO, it's a great cartridge for a young shooter.

JMHO...
 
Buddy has this rifle. shoots 120 noslers in it and it shoots lights out.
 
6.5 Grendel kills medium game pretty well too.
120 Nosler Ballistic Tips in front of CFE 223 is a winner for us.
IMG_9033.JPG
 
Howa is a slicker rifle but mine was not as accurate as my ruger.
Also.... MAGS... biggest con with the howa. 5 round mags, and if you can find them in stock, they tend to disappear for a while... they aren’t cheap.

I vote ruger. It’s accurate, cheaper and takes avery easily found magazine that holds more than 5 rounds
 
I'll be getting one of those in 350 Legend so I can hunt in lower Michigan with my buddy without being arrested. And without using a slug... something about not operating a bolt while hunting pains me. Seems like it'll be a good option. Will put a 3x fixed or 3-9x ish scope on it and probably improve the trigger, if needed. Sadly hunting east of the Mississippi is basically sitting in a tree stand and firing within 100 yards. It's pretty lazy. I should move, cuz it's not all that fun compared to the west.
 
I've handled both the Ruger and the Howa (mine). Both are good but I very much love my Mini allot more. I use factory Hornady Black and it's easy to keep it under and inch. Have taken several whitetail out to 300 yards. Place one in the chest and it drops. Lots of fun dinging steel out to 800.

Part I dislike about both is the plastic fantastic stock and bottom plastic. I put mine in a MDT LSS and just last week swapped it for a Brownells BRN (think LSS-XL). My buddy has the pre-AR mag version of Ruger American. He plans on upgrade also. For a Grendel out of the box that you do not want to upgrade I'd look at a Palmetto State kit AR or the Ruger.

Either way you go, have fon in the field with the kids. Memories are better than fancy gear.