Ruger Precision Rifle

To be honest, Ruger’s Precision Rifle (RPR) very much slipped under my radar when it was launched at SHOT in 2015. Not sure how but it did, but as soon as I found out about it, I was on to the importers (Viking Arms) to get one in. First problem; as it was so popular in the USA we Brits would have to wait (as usual). Second problem; RPRs started to hit the UK in small numbers and were immediately snatched up by shooters, so still no press guns available. To be fair, if a product is in such demand, perhaps it does not need testing; so you might as well sell them all! Speaking to Viking at the BSS indicated they were expecting more within the next few months and there might, might; be a possibility of getting a loaner.

BORROW MINE!

I’m an impatient bugger and was moaning to a mate of mine about the lack of availability and he piped up that he’d had an RPR for a few months and oh yes would I like to borrow it for testing? He had now just become my new best friend!

The RPR is an interesting and unusual build, as it incorporates a modern and proven bolt-action mechanism from Ruger’s American centrefire and an AR15-type layout. OK there are any numbers of chassis systems out there that apparently offer a similar thing, but the Ruger is built from factory and ready to go at very good money. So nothing to buy, as we shall see, apart from a scope and mounts!

Well, as an AR15-nut I could not fault the look and feel of the rifle. The American action is steel and features a large turned down/back bolt handle with tapered, synthetic knob. It has a 20MOA Picatinny base to suit longer range use. The 3-lug engagement gives a 70° lift angle, which operates smoothly in the shoulder, aided by twin cocking cams. Unusual is the long bolt extension, which is required as the bolt body (being fully enclosed) slides back into the buffer tube. It’s polymer and hollow and holds the trigger adjusting/bolt disassembly tool inside. Up front is a 15” Samson, Evolution, K-mod free-float forend with Picatinny rail at 12 o’clock. It comes with a short rail at 6 o’clock for a bipod as standard.

The lower receiver is aluminium, with an AR-type mag well and a lever-style release catch located at the rear. Ruger calls it their multi-magazine interface, as it allows the use of different, 308-style magazines; M110, SR25, DPMS, Magpul and AICS. They say it can also work with some M14-types too. For example the AICS is rear locking and the Magpul side-locking and it handles them equally well! Impressive is the fact the RPR comes with 2 x 10-round Magpul clips as standard!

ALL ADJUSTABLE

The Trigger is Ruger’s Marksman, externally adjustable unit and goes from 2.25-5 lbs. An AR-type pistol grip is fitted, with a fill-in back strap, to give a better hand/finger position! The safety is located on the left and flips through 40° and is reversible. As can be seen, this rifle wears an aftermarket stainless bolt shroud, improved rubber pistol grip and a trigger shoe.

The butt is fully adjustable and folds to the left, which has mainly been done for bolt removable, but on what is a long rifle also aids storage. It consists of a hollow, AR-type buffer tube (less buffer) that fits to the hinge with an L-shaped extension at the rear. The rubber butt pad runs on a slotted rod and is locked by a lever; undoing this allows it to be slid front to back and gives a decent length of pull (LOP) from 12 – 15.5”. The comb is adjusted in the same manner and between them if you can’t make it fit then it’s probably your body that’s wrong! The base of the L-shaped pad section features a Picatinny rail, so ideal for a monopod. The butt release catch is rear right of the action and there are twin QD swivel sockets front and rear on the left.

HEART OF THE GUN!

Now to the most important part; the barrel! Given the RPR was built primarily as a precision machine, Ruger have not stinted. Length depends on calibre as we shall see, but it use a heavy, tapered profile, hammer-forged from 4140 chrome-moly steel tube with a .75” muzzle diameter pre-threaded 5/8x24” with steel protector. Also 5R Rifling at minimum bore and groove dimensions, minimum headspace and centralized chamber. This form is said to be kinder to the bullet and improves long range performance!

One aspect of the RPR that struck me immediately was that the AR build means you can easily swap out forends, pistol grips and butts to suits. For example, if you wanted a fixed butt, just fit a full-length buffer tube and slide on the furniture of choice. Or if a 4-way forend floats your boat it’s no problem either! When I first saw the rifle I thought; that butt will have to go, but now having shot it, I would leave it as it is, as it does exactly what I need, as does the forend. So saving money again!

THE BIG THREE

Ruger offer just three calibre choices that also dictates barrel length. First and favourite for most will be, 308 Win in a 20” tube and 1-10” rifling, Second and my personal choice (also on test) is Hornady’s excellent 6.5 Creedmoor at 24” and 1-8” twist. Finally and with a lot of possibilities, is good old 243 Win, but at a stonking 26” and 1-7.7”, so will handle those lovely long 105-grain A-MAX and similar, heavier bullets.

Given the major usage of any calibre RPR, which will be longer range shooting off a bipod or rest. then weight is not a major concern, though saying that it’s no lightweight either. The 308 comes in at 9.7 lbs, the Creedmoor 10.6 and the 243 11. Length at maximum LOP is 41.75”, 45.75” and 47.75” accordingly.

Where the RPR really differs from a comparable chassis system is the straight-line build, so the recoil thrust is going directly down the action and not angling through the stock. I have a custom 6.5 Creedmoor with a 22” barrel of around the same weight and size and found it a bit jumpy and had to fit a brake. Not so the Ruger, as recoil and more importantly control, was very good.

LIKE IT?

Bearing in mind the RPR was built primarily for US competition-type shooting, then they have managed to make an awful lot of rifle for not a lot of money! The barrel is rigid and of good quality and 100% free-floating. The stock is eminently adjustable and shootable, as is the trigger, there’s a decent scope base and it feeds reliably from readily available magazines. Truth is there’s not much not to like if you are looking for what is primarily a pure shooting machine! Even the AR15 build serves a purpose and you don’t have to like it to appreciate what it offers. Equally, the standard, turn-bolt action negates at one stroke the potential primary extraction problems suffered by straight-pull, AR-style rifles; certainly in the larger calibres.

I fitted a Nightforce 3-15x56 with Zero Stop in a Warne, one-piece mount, along with a Hardy moderator; the spec was completed with a Harris BRS bipod. I reload for my Creedmoor and find it likes a 123-grain, Hornady A-MAX bullet with a BC of 0.510 over 47-grains of Hodgdon Superformance, which is averaging 2887 fps/2286 ft/lbs with an ES of 25 fps and shooting sub – ½”. With its 1-8.5” twist rate it does not like the more recommended fare of a 140-grain bullet.

I used my 123-grain reload and also cranked out some 140s too, these had a higher BC of 0.585, which would doubtless pay dividends at longer ranges. The RPR was shooting the latter at around .75”, at an average of 2513 fps, which seemed to tally with the data I had been reading from gun tests in the USA. The 123 however matched my custom Creedmoor in terms of group size and velocity, which was most encouraging!

Feed was reliable and smooth with that big bolt handle, with its 70° lift angle, offering easy manipulation in the shoulder. Recoil was very good with little serious jump. Overall a very impressive rifle and calibre combination. Would I change to the Ruger Precision Rifle given I already shoot the calibre? Currently my gun, though no lightweight, can be easily turned into a more hunting-orientated package with a lighter stock and more basic scope and makes a good deer rifle.

So the jury is still out, but if I did I think it would be the 234 Win! The RPR is what it is and I have no doubt will be used for hunting and more likely varminting, but in truth is more about shooting tight groups at longer ranges! My thanks to George Dean for the loan of the RPR; diamond!

PRICE:  £1450
CONTACT: Viking Arms Ltd, 01423 780810, www.ruger.com