I found that Federal bulk box 223/5.56 ammo had about a 2-3% failure to ignite on first snap. PMC bulk FMJ seems to ignite 99.9%. Handloads with CCI primers ignite 100% so far. I'm not surprised that the ammo made for AR15's doesn't always go bang in a bolt action though.
<LOL> ...... The irony here is that many of the new entry class "junk" guns shoot as well or better than guns we paid a premium for 25yrs ago.
They might not be pretty, but ........
After the gun ban last year I bought 2 Ruger Americans in 5.56 to use my many AR15 magazines. Their round count is now 3500-4000 each so I have a reasonably good idea of how the rifles perform. I haven't shot a group with them recently nor do I intend to but they can hit a 2" gong at 100 yards every time with bulk ammo so I think they remain accurate enough for any sort of hunting purpose. Any malfunction that they have had was magazine or ammunition related so I would say the rifle design is reliable enough too.
<LOL> ...... The irony here is that many of the new entry class "junk" guns shoot as well or better than guns we paid a premium for 25yrs ago.
They might not be pretty, but ........
Had both of mine 270 and 3006 for 6 years and still sub moa and they have not been as babied as the Sako. They ain't pretty but they shoot.Give them time and years and we'll see how well they shoot. From a long-term (and short-term!) reliability perspective, they don't match-up in my experiences. They ain't pretty but they shoot.
And you have to tie a pork chop around the barrel to get the neighbour's dog to play with them.
I have a fairly new Ruger American, and I cant hit a damn thing. I bore sighted and tried to zero it in at 50, 75 and 100. Out at 100 nothing is on paper, I'm no Flinching Flynn, .308 isnt new to me. The rifle claims to be free floated, but looking at the fore end, its contacting the barrel. Somewhere on the internet, I've read other people having this issue and just dremelling it away until its truly free floated. I don't know if i was just unlucky with 25 rnds, or if i need to re-think my zero'ing strategy.

The Ruger American is not your typical rifle. Maybe if people would not purchase "junk" firearms, maybe manufactures will stop making them.
Newbie OP ask question, go bye bye. I'm shocked! <eye roll>
Purchased the 5.56 ranch AR mag model because it was on sale, was so impressed by the budget performance I picked one up in 7.62x39 too. Great plinkers for burning through piles of military ammo.
edit forgot to mention the 556 can be picky with primers, haven't got around to measuring to see if firing pin within spec, not all sunshine n rainbows I guess
LOL Junk rifles eh ? I bought a RA Ranch in 5.56 when the ban hammer came down last year as I have a very very large stockpile of 5.56. After shooting it for a bit I bought another one to set aside for safe keeping. Here is how they perform.
Rifle #1
Round Count : 2200 +/- 100
Bulk 5.56: 1.4 MOA
Bulk 55 grain campro reloads: 1MOA
68 Grain Hornady BTHP Match: 0.33 MOA
69 Grain Sierra Match King: 0.4 MOA
85 Grain Barnes MatchBurner: 0.75 MOA
Rifle#2
Round Count : 300 or so
Bulk 5.56: 1.5 MOA
Bulk 55 grain campro reloads: 0.9 MOA
68 Grain Hornady BTHP Match: 0.45 MOA
69 Grain Sierra Match King: 0.3 MOA
85 Grain Barnes MatchBurner: 0.65 MOA
For $700 rifles, this is dam good performance. They have proven to be reliable and to hold accuracy with increasing round count. I did have to clean up the bolts to smooth them out, and drop a $20 spring kit in them to get 1.5lb triggers but most rifles need trigger jobs anyways. I don't consider them junk in any way shape or form.


This aligns with my experience as well. Mine shoots like a rifle priced twice as much.
LOL Junk rifles eh ? I bought a RA Ranch in 5.56 when the ban hammer came down last year as I have a very very large stockpile of 5.56. After shooting it for a bit I bought another one to set aside for safe keeping. Here is how they perform.
Rifle #1
Round Count : 2200 +/- 100
Bulk 5.56: 1.4 MOA
Bulk 55 grain campro reloads: 1MOA
68 Grain Hornady BTHP Match: 0.33 MOA
69 Grain Sierra Match King: 0.4 MOA
85 Grain Barnes MatchBurner: 0.75 MOA
Same rifle.
Almost exactly the same ammo.
Add 1-2" to all your measurements (69 gr were at 2.0", 55gr sako at 1.5", 77gr were at 2.5"). Lighter ammo shot best which is weird given the twist.
When cycling the bolt it would also hang up on parts of the receiver.
Just sent it back to SnapShots for warranty we will see what they say.




























