12-07-2021, 12:44 AM (This post was last modified: 12-07-2021, 12:47 AM by grayfox.)
My take on the Ruger Predator (I had and have several, well 2 on hand now) maybe "good reviews" on here but I'd say a better description is "mixed."
Yes on the stock, all points.
Yes the bolt action is rough, my 2 do fine now that couple hundred rounds shot. 243 and 6 CM.
I sold the one in grendel, could not get reliable feeding from mags no matter what I did. Some 123's would feed ok but you had to cycle the bolt "smartly"... anyway I went to the howa, and have not looked back, bolt-action wise. (to be fair both require mods, but the howa I've got so it's working well). I could not get shorter rounds like the 90 tnt to feed at all.
The bolt handle can be swapped out for a longer, easier one to use, I did that on 1 of mine (the 6 creed) and love it. Follow the instructions carefully b/c the thingies about the handle and bolt mate-ups can be tricky. But do-able if you're patient, and worth it imo.
One I put in a timney and the other I just honed/smoothed down the trigger and both work well for me now, ~2.5#.
But the feeding from an AR mag.... ARRRRGHHHH!!!!!
I don't think there is any cure for that mag, jmho.
On the boyd's prairie, had that one too, a couple times. The stock-grip around the hand-hold (hand for your trigger finger), well feels kinda blocky to me and slick, so I tried using some tacky stuff on it, which helped some.
The comb will not be high enough for your scope. you will need to either do their adjustable comb or get a kydex, your choice.
Edit to add, never I repeat never get a boyd's in the plain black... always do a laminate. the black's are some kind of single-wood and soft, so bad news all around.
"Down the floor, out the door, Go Brandon Go!!!!!"
When Ruger came out with their imitation of a prone rifle I took a look at one. Everything you just said about the Predator. I knew a guy who had one and shot it at a few 600 yard matches. Its performance was as poor as its fit, finish, and function.
I stay away from all Ruger rifles. Handguns? Nothing wrong with them from my experience but I just do not care for their style or ergonomics. Wonder why their rifles are made so poorly.
That said I would really like to see a straight pull Grendel. Savage is marketing a straight pull rifle in .308 and if they made a short action carbine straight pull in Grendel I would jump on it in a second.
Lol, did you blindly purchase it? I was on the verge on buying one for a good deal until I handled one and said no right away. Agree on all your points.
s3silver Wrote:Lol, did you blindly purchase it? I was on the verge on buying one for a good deal until I handled one and said no right away. Agree on all your points.
Lol, yeah...
I wanted a bolt Grendel. Howa had such negative reviews with cheap parts, and so did the CZ with poor accuracy.
grayfox Wrote:My take on the Ruger Predator (I had and have several, well 2 on hand now) maybe "good reviews" on here but I'd say a better description is "mixed."
Yes on the stock, all points.
Yes the bolt action is rough, my 2 do fine now that couple hundred rounds shot. 243 and 6 CM.
I sold the one in grendel, could not get reliable feeding from mags no matter what I did. Some 123's would feed ok but you had to cycle the bolt "smartly"... anyway I went to the howa, and have not looked back, bolt-action wise. (to be fair both require mods, but the howa I've got so it's working well). I could not get shorter rounds like the 90 tnt to feed at all.
The bolt handle can be swapped out for a longer, easier one to use, I did that on 1 of mine (the 6 creed) and love it. Follow the instructions carefully b/c the thingies about the handle and bolt mate-ups can be tricky. But do-able if you're patient, and worth it imo.
One I put in a timney and the other I just honed/smoothed down the trigger and both work well for me now, ~2.5#.
But the feeding from an AR mag.... ARRRRGHHHH!!!!!
I don't think there is any cure for that mag, jmho.
On the boyd's prairie, had that one too, a couple times. The stock-grip around the hand-hold (hand for your trigger finger), well feels kinda blocky to me and slick, so I tried using some tacky stuff on it, which helped some.
The comb will not be high enough for your scope. you will need to either do their adjustable comb or get a kydex, your choice.
Edit to add, never I repeat never get a boyd's in the plain black... always do a laminate. the black's are some kind of single-wood and soft, so bad news all around.
My unit seems to feed OK now.
Thanks for telling me I need the adjustable comb$
I'll add on the laser checkering$
Nutmeg laminate is the standard stock. Is that OK?
The only workable bolt action that does not have "cheap parts" (and no real argument there), is I think, a uintah upper.
The howa I got was a barreled action so didn't worry much about the stock etc.
All this being said, howa at least can be made into a good shooter with good stuff. Needs a stock, chassis, either bottom metal or the mdt style, the mags are quite functional unless you are going into battle or do particularly rough service... what you're really doing is going for the action and barrel, then add the rest. FWIW for those 123's in the RAP, I did get them to shoot pretty well for me... just too much headaches for anything else and I don't want to limit myself to just one bullet.
"Down the floor, out the door, Go Brandon Go!!!!!"
I used the Heritage Hunter model on my 700 Grendel build. It has a raised comb. Monte Carlo style. If you look back in the hunting and varmiting threads ..there are a couple pics of it from my antelope hunt this fall. And yes. Its in nutmeg with a skip line checkering. The barrel contour is #3.
Kosh65 Wrote:I used the Heritage Hunter model on my 700 Grendel build. It has a raised comb. Monte Carlo style. If you look back in the hunting and varmiting threads ..there are a couple pics of it from my antelope hunt this fall. And yes. Its in nutmeg with a skip line checkering. The barrel contour is #3.
I like the Ruger RAP. I have three, one in 6.5 grendel, one in 6ppc (1-7 twist shilen barrel) and one in .223. All are exceptionally accurate. For better feeding from the grendel mags clipping one or two "links" from the mag spring helps quite a bit, knowing that the last round feeding from the mag is the problem, smartly working the bolt on the last round mostly fixed it for me. You can get fine accuracy with the factory stock even though it feels spongy or you can fill the stock fore arm with bedding compound to help stiffen it. There are stock replacement options if the factory one is intolerable. I have posted accuracy results here on the forum if you want to look them up. I would say they are a good value for the money spent, you might like some of the other choices more but it will cost more as well.
12-07-2021, 03:19 PM (This post was last modified: 12-07-2021, 03:35 PM by Harpoon1.)
Couple of things.
The Rugers are like Bic Lighters, inexpensive entry level plastic disposable guns. What do you expect for $4-500 and made in America? IMO
Ive got 3 CZ 527 (17 Hornet, 223, 6.5G) all shoot, look, work great. Turn key, they didnt need anything. Ive also got 2 Howas, (6.5G and 7.62x39) and they both shoot and work great but both needed bottom metal upgrades to compete, be anywhere near on par with the CZs. And Ive got several Ruger Americans, 5.56 Ranch, 243 Compact, 6mm CM Predator, 6.5G Predator, 7mm-08 American and 308 Predator. All shoot from good to great and the only issue Ive had was the Grendel feeding but clipping 2 coils off the Mag spring cured that. Runs like a top now, from 90 TNTs to Nos 129 ABLRs. Completely different gun, the difference is unbelievable. The newer stocks are better than the original, a lot stiffer. I dont have a problem with them at all, to be fair, I dont compete with them and only hunt and bang steel at modest ranges with them. All the action had that corduroy sounds at first but get better with use. For the money, I dont have any complaints, and everyone of them has better, more reliable extraction than just about any other push feed gun Ive ever had.
For me the Boyds stocks are just too heavy, way over built. They could shave 25% off them no problem. It comes down to what are you going to use the gun for? Again I use them to hunt, so being lightweight is the most important thing for me.
Victor Company makes inexpensive screw on adjustable cheek rests that are rock solid and impervious to the weather. Not the most eye pleasing elegant solution but its cheap, lightweight and effective.
For me the Boyds stocks are just too heavy, way over built. They could shave 25% off them no problem. It comes down to what are you going to use the gun for? Again I use them to hunt, so being lightweight is the most important thing for me.
Victor Company makes inexpensive screw on adjustable cheek rests that are rock solid and impervious to the weather. Not the most eye pleasing elegant solution but its cheap, lightweight and effective.
Harpoon1 this looks like a solid option. Not having a cheek weld on a stock is a deal breaker. Your link could save me a ton of money and weight. Thank you! I have seen other ways of doing this but they looked flimsy or had big wheels/knobs. Have you used this product on a Ruger American Predator?
grayfox Wrote:Matthew's kydex.
I've used his a few times and recommend him.
'Course there could be others too. So you have 2 options to look at in cheek risers.
12-07-2021, 04:45 PM (This post was last modified: 12-07-2021, 05:22 PM by Harpoon1.)
Happy2Shoot Wrote:Harpoon1 this looks like a solid option. Not having a cheek weld on a stock is a deal breaker. Your link could save me a ton of money and weight. Thank you! I have seen other ways of doing this but they looked flimsy or had big wheels/knobs. Have you used this product on a Ruger American Predator?
No but it should work just fine. Ive used it on TIkka T3X, Victor Titan, McMillian A5, Boyds (), Savage and some others I havent really needed one on the Rugers but Im only running 40-44mm max objectives on them. I did have to file off the front lug on one rail for clearance but thats been it for any mods.
I have a Mathews (style) cheek piece on a Savage 12 LRP and I prefer the solid, fixed, screw on type. The Victor style is also less invasive if you want to switch back. Two small screw holes on top versus, two larger holes all the way through both sides. YMMV.
For reference, Diamondback 3-9x40 on a Grendel. Pretty low!
I hadn't seen those victor cheek rests before, they look interesting.
The one stock I can't find a good rest for is the savage accufit... this new savage stock has adjusters but frankly for my taste it is too narrow at the top...
(sigh)
"Down the floor, out the door, Go Brandon Go!!!!!"
grayfox Wrote:I hadn't seen those victor cheek rests before, they look interesting.
The one stock I can't find a good rest for is the savage accufit... this new savage stock has adjusters but frankly for my taste it is too narrow at the top...
(sigh)
I agree! Even though Ive got very narrow set eyes, think cyclops! I still find the Savage accufit cheek risers uncomfortably narrow!
The Victor check piece has a lot going for it, its solid, comfortable, at least for me, weather proof, cheap, durable, lightweight but ..and theres always a but! I just find it mud fence ugly! What are you gonna do?
12-07-2021, 09:24 PM (This post was last modified: 12-07-2021, 09:26 PM by Stinky Coyote.)
the Ruger is the working mans setup imo, functions great for me, no gunsmith required, got a 3 lb trigger, 1" low weavers on the rail will clear any 40mm objective and lines up great for the factory stock, only thing I hate about the factory stock is the super tacky/squishy recoil pad and it doesn't have adjustable lop (more on that later), you need to cycle it like you mean it it's not a tikka or sako, the heavy sprung AR mags not really thought of for bolt actions and likely a little too aggressive, guys who reload complained about brass marking from rough underside of bolt but polishing isn't a tough one to do, the only round that hiccups to feed may be the last round in the magazine if you just go slow and lazy it jumps out different than the first 9 so can tip up, but if you cycle it like you mean it it's not an issue, only discovered that on the range just slow cycling, as for the factory rail, it's easy to remove and 1" talley low rings put the scope at the exact same height as rail with 1" weaver lows...there's not much room between a 40mm objective and barrel, now...back to adjustable lop to fit the whole family, MDT LSS-Gen2 AR Chassis is what I put my RAR in, now we fit everyone, shoots 3/4 moa easy with hornady black to 500 yards, and we can treat it like a working mans rifle, very happy with it
perfect? nope, would I like a locking bolt when on safe? sure but the tang safety doesn't lend well to a chassis anyway so it's easier to just run bolt handle up, this is a benefit to the magazine spring tension, it holds there very well and doesn't budge easily
perfect would be sako 85 XS action based Grendel but sadly they don't chamber it, but perfect for us is the Ruger, we love the 10 round mags and robust accurate little rifle
I tried the cz and Howa, prefer the Ruger platform. The new cz600 will be one to watch once chambered in Grendel
), Savage and some others
I havent really needed one on the Rugers but Im only running 40-44mm max objectives on them. I did have to file off the front lug on one rail for clearance but thats been it for any mods. 