Ruger American Ranch as Youth Rifle

[hkcavalier]

Want to hear some opinions on a 6.5G Ranch as a youth rifle. My 12 year old daughter will probably just shadow me this year and hunt whitetails the next. She's pretty petite, under 5' and not 100lbs.

How is the LOP? What is a good stock to adjust for future growth? The new Boyd's is intriguing but it looks like it weighs a ton. Is the 16" barrel a good sweet spot? My original idea was to find a Howa and have it shortened to 18" and threaded.

[FLshooter]

[Rosecrans1]

I don't think the LOP would work without modifying the butt stock. However............you could cut the factory stock and then as she gets older, get her an aftermarket stock for the rifle where you can order an exact LOP and she would have a gun for her lifetime. My Predator factory stock fits me well and I'm 6' 2" with long arms which is why I think there would be an issue with your daughter holding it and getting a good sight-line.
Another suggestion and cheaper in the long run is to advertise a need to acquire a factory Ruger Ranch stock, (AR Mag well), and then you could modify one and keep an OEM stock for when she grows more. These stocks wouldn't command much money and many people upgrade the stocks so they should be out there.

[Wanderson]

[hkcavalier]

Not a big fan of the factory stock anyway. I have a .450BM lefty gun, and the stock seems like a $5 blow-mold piece to me. Been contemplating a Boyd's for some time (bought the rifle in 2017).

I just don't want to make the youth rifle an 8.5lb pig with poor balance with a heavy adjustable stock. I'm sure it's pretty light ahead of the trigger with that short barrel.

[VASCAR2]

https://whittakercountry.com/product/79783

[rookie7]

Just my opinion and how I feel based on years of hunting and shooting, so here goes:

Over the years I have read countless threads about "what youth rifle/cartridge" etc. etc. Every last one of them tank very quickly with some of the worst information. Usually it's "Billy Bob" spouting off "buy a Remington model 7 in .308 or 708" which is a 6lb rifle that kicks like a mule and is about the worst advice that can be given. Then you get Billy Bob's buddy or cousin saying "well my son/daugther can shoot my '06 with no problem and they weigh 65lbs."

I never resond, and just SMH.

I won't even go into the psychology behind a child shooting their dad's rifle and answering "it is fine the recoil and blast didn't bother me" etc. etc. I will say this - I have spent over 2 decades teaching and coaching several thousand students and atheletes and the "saving face" and wanting to be like dad certainly comes into play.

I feel most if not all of the "youth" centerfire rifles designed for big game hunting have it all wrong. A recipe for disaster if you will.

The most common one would be a .243. Look at the Remington model 7 - short barrel = tremendous muzzle blast, lightweight = unsteady at the shot. Everyone talks about it's handling abilities and that it is short and light. Yep, but a child isn't going to be stalking through a thicket with it taking quick shots at moving game.

So here is what I did - when my daughter was 9 I bought the Ruger American Ranch in .300 blackout. I also bought the Ruger American Rimfire Predator model in .22 LR. The manual of arms for both rifles are exactly the same. (close enough). We practiced with the .22, and she hunted with the .300 blk. I added weight to the stock of the Ruger in the forearm to stiffen it which didn't matter, because I am carrying the rifle from the truck to the stand and we sit together.

Until children get to be about 15 to 16 they shouldn't be taking off-hand shots at big game anyway because they aren't strong enough to fully support the rifle for the shot. Truth is - I can do it, but would rather use a stationary rest any day.

Point is the weight of the rifle shoudn't matter and the heavier the better - absorbs recoil and stabilizes the shot.

My daughter is now 12, and I have since sold the Ruger Ranch 300 blackout. She has hunted with me for 4 years, and has killed 4 bucks.

We sit in double ladder stands, and she always uses the shooting rail. I never let her take a shot at a moving animal, and I won't let her shoot over 50 to 60 yards. The animal must be broadside. We used 110 Barnes TSX, Hornady 125 SST, and one year I used a factory load from Winchester which was their 150 deer season XP. They all put the deer down. I sold the Ruger because I did not like how easy it is to bump the bolt out of battery (which happened on her first buck resulting in a light primer strike) - and they are very hard to single feed. Accuracy out of the 300 blk and the Ruger was frustrating at times.

The spring of 2019 I bought the Howa mini in 6.5 grendel - cut the plastic stock, filled it with fiberglass cloth and epoxy, installed new recoil pad - fits her perfectly. We take that one rifle and share. She gets first choice and shot of the season - I go second.

We used 120 grain Sierra Pro Hunters this past year and killed 6 animals - 2 bucks, 3 yotes, and one hog.

The grendel in a 20" has about the same muzzle blast as the 300 blackout in a 16". I wouldn't want a 16" grendel for her. I have a 20" .243 and the muzzle blast out of it is tremendous.

I say get the Howa with at least a 20" barrel, or if you are dead set on the Ruger buy the Predator model with the 22" barrel and cut the buttstock to fit her.

Again, this is just my opinion and how I feel, and it's worth what you paid for it.

Good luck!

[hkcavalier]

rookie7, great info.

I'm no huge fan of the Ruger American. It's just that Ruger actually makes the rifles in the calibers, configurations, and barrel lengths I want...the other manufacturers are asleep. I got real excited about the Howa and now it's almost impossible to find anything but the 22" heavy barrel model. I like the CZ action too...the Mini Mauser. But the manufacturer interest in the 6.5G in bolt actions is soft while 6.5C is, of course, widespread.