Mighty happy with this little Ruger American

[Billinthedesert]

Finally got to the range with the new Ruger American Predator wearing 4.5 x 14 Burris glass. Zeroed at 50 yards with Privi 110-grain FMJs then moved out to 100 yards. Five Sierra 107-grain TMKs over 24.0 grains of H4198 gave a ho-hum group of one inch. I say ho-hum, because things tightened up when I turned to the 120-grain Nosler Ballistic Tips and Reloader 15. 28.0 grains gave me 3/4 an inch, but 29.0 gave me 9/16ths with a 5-10 mph breeze from the left. These were the third and fourth five-shot groups out of this rifle. Very impressed. I'll do some ladder work to dial the 120 BTs in, but really hope to get as good or better performance from the Barnes 100-grain TSXes next time, and I will take a look at the trigger with the trigger pull gauge in the interim. Primers were CCI 400s and brass was Nosler.

[garyrapp55]

Could be the Noslers group tighter, or it could be it needed to be fouled a little. Nice job regardless.

[TedBrewer5]

Do you recall the shot order on that string?
Left two first vs right three?

[biodsl]

Nicely done, Bill. The Grendel is a fun, rewarding cartridge.

[Billinthedesert]

Ted, if were to guess, that would be about right. Pretty sure the first two were in that single hole on the left.

[Billinthedesert]

When I can get CVA or someone else to provide a sling swivel stud forend screw long enough so that I can actually mount a bipod, I'll get the CVA Scout back in action to compare some of these loads. I now have LVR, Varget, CFE223 and Re15 to mess with. Curious how the rifle loads compare with the handgun loads.

[JCart]

[se3388]

I was just about to mention XBR 8208, it gives fantastic groups with 100 gr Ballistic Tips. The 8 point I took this year @182 yds dropped like a rock. I used my T/C G2 rifle.

Steve.........

[Stinky Coyote]

I was just about to mention XBR 8208, it gives fantastic groups with 100 gr Ballistic Tips. The 8 point I took this year @182 yds dropped like a rock. I used my T/C G2 rifle.

Steve.........

you got pics of this little rifle? I had an ultralight build all worked out on paper on one of them, curious to see any builds around the TC's

[PAStillHunter]

Occasional lurker, new member. After reading Billinthedesert's post, I had to join up and reply. It's almost like I wrote it!

I got my American Predator in September, along with a box of PPU 110 gr. FMJ's. I mounted a Burris 4.5-14, and sighted it in, first a few shots at 25 yds. Then moved back to 100. Brass was hard to find back then, so I also got a box of Nosler 120 BT's to shoot from Midway. They blew me away!

thumbnail_IMG_20221101_103132360.jpg

Finally, from a post I saw here, I bought some Nosler brass from Shooters Pro Shop and started working up a load with powders that I had in my cabinet. IMR4198, IMR4895, and Rl15. I have Varget too but am saving that for .223. I'm still trying to decide between the 3, 23.7 gr. 4198, 27.5 4895, and 28.5 Rl15. Started with 120 Bergers, and found some 120 BT's that might have a slight edge. I'm still in the testing stage. Here's 28.5 Rl15 with the Match Burners.

thumbnail_IMG_20221101_103222256.jpg

Hoping to find some XBR 8208 or Benchmark locally, but so far no luck. BTW that Nosler brass is good stuff!

[se3388]

Stinky Coyote

Here you go. I have several Encores and usually like blue and wood but this little G2 in stainless and plastic is starting to grow on me. Barrel is a Match Grade Machine and I replaced the recoil pad with a small Limb Saver (not that it is really needed).

[ike838]

That Burris scope is a sleeper, I bought one about 6 months ago for around 160 bucks and it very nice for what it is.
Just picked up my new Predator yesterday from my ffl.I am looking forward to trying to find some loads it likes.
Hoping to find something that excels in the Ruger and is ok at least in my AR's.
Are there any target loads for the Predator that you can suggest to get started for target shooting under 300 yds?

[dpete]

Just picked up my new Predator yesterday from my ffl.I am looking forward to trying to find some loads it likes.
Hoping to find something that excels in the Ruger and is ok at least in my AR's.

If you are talking about handloads for the Predator and have loads already worked up for an AR, try those. When I got my RARR in Grendel I tried out the loads I had for my ARs first. I found the Ruger shot one of those loads as well or a little better than the AR it was loaded for. Might be worth a try.

[PAStillHunter]

That Burris scope is a sleeper, I bought one about 6 months ago for around 160 bucks and it very nice for what it is.
Just picked up my new Predator yesterday from my ffl.I am looking forward to trying to find some loads it likes.
Hoping to find something that excels in the Ruger and is ok at least in my AR's.
Are there any target loads for the Predator that you can suggest to get started for target shooting under 300 yds?

I've decided on 27.5 grs. IMR4895 for my Predator. It has been most consistent over the other powders that I have tried and resulted in some pretty exceptional groups. These 100 yd. groups are with 120 Nosler BT's. Group on right shot yesterday, left hand in early January.

27_5IMR4895.jpg

I'm kind of backwards from you, I just got a BCA upper and plan to try that load in it with some cheaper 120's tho.

[Stinky Coyote]

Stinky Coyote

Here you go. I have several Encores and usually like blue and wood but this little G2 in stainless and plastic is starting to grow on me. Barrel is a Match Grade Machine and I replaced the recoil pad with a small Limb Saver (not that it is really needed).

Awesome, I built one of these on paper at one point and it would have been very light, nice to see someone did it from the g2 contender stainless. Only blue/wood 30-30 I could find in my part of world as potential donor. And I think I was researching the AR style grip/adjustable butt stock option as well but ultimately I think I wanted stainless walnut so it would have cost me a couple donor rifles lol, I gave up on the idea.

I did a 20" barrel takedown 7-08 pro hunter stainless at one point and my clever machinest was able to build a knurled alum take down knob that was the bottom of the pistol grip which allowed spinning butt stock off and on for backpack sheep duty but despite all the accuracy tricks available I couldn't shake the first round poi shift if set awhile, once shooting it and rezero would group tight but put it away and go to shoot again and lottery on where that first round would be, maybe I had scope issue but felt it was rifle? Anyway it was an attempt at a poor mans blaser k95 and so I sold it and went blaser, which was amazing. But this g2 on grendel would have been a lot lighter and in a cartridge I loved.

Very cool rifle, thanks for sharing.

Do you have any weights on that? What barrel length did you choose?