Ruger American....wow, what a piece of crap!

Hitzy

Hitzy

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Since I had all the other popular "budget" guns in the stable (Axis/783/Howa1500/Vanguard) I bit the bullet and got one of these Americans before the new pricing kicked in. I've never been so disappointed in a new rifle in my life. I'm actually surprised these things sell at all, let alone how popular they are...
So what do I hate....the stock is equivalent to the ####ty Axis stock material in quality. Flimsy garbage.
Every round or curved surface has tool marks from turning too fast with a dull tool, inside and outside of the rifle. The barrel exterior and receiver rounds look like it has fine screw threading everywhere it's that bad and that obvious. When working the bolt it sounds like a ####ing zipper because of these tool marks inside the receiver. Brutal.
Mag is loose as hell and flops around in the rifle. Also full of over-flash on all the molding edges.
Bolt shroud is plastic....margarine container plastic.
And the best part, the bolt face came scored/pitted from either the proofing loads or test firing rounds having loose primer pockets. Nice ring of pits on a brand new bolt face....#### you Ruger!! Lol
I won't even sell this thing on CGN...I don't want anyone to buy it without a good look over. It will be going to the consignment shop and I'll be taking a bath on it....maybe start at $300 and go down from there lol.
Piece of ####
 
Hitzy said:
Since I had all the other popular "budget" guns in the stable (Axis/783/Howa1500/Vanguard) I bit the bullet and got one of these Americans before the new pricing kicked in. I've never been so disappointed in a new rifle in my life. I'm actually surprised these things sell at all, let alone how popular they are...
So what do I hate....the stock is equivalent to the ####ty Axis stock material in quality. Flimsy garbage.
Every round or curved surface has tool marks from turning too fast with a dull tool, inside and outside of the rifle. The barrel exterior and receiver rounds look like it has fine screw threading everywhere it's that bad and that obvious. When working the bolt it sounds like a ####ing zipper because of these tool marks inside the receiver. Brutal.
Mag is loose as hell and flops around in the rifle. Also full of over-flash on all the molding edges.
Bolt shroud is plastic....margarine container plastic.
And the best part, the bolt face came scored/pitted from either the proofing loads or test firing rounds having loose primer pockets. Nice ring of pits on a brand new bolt face....#### you Ruger!! Lol
I won't even sell this thing on CGN...I don't want anyone to buy it without a good look over. It will be going to the consignment shop and I'll be taking a bath on it....maybe start at $300 and go down from there lol.
Piece of ####
Click to expand...

Send it back with a letter exactly how you've written,here. My guess is you got a "dud" or a proof that was not intended to leave the plant (sometimes can happen). Ruger does NOT build junk....period. They'll likely send you a new one.
 
Interesting observations on their 'flagship' rifle, but not entirely a surprise.

I have 3 Rugers, a 10/22 and two Red Label shotguns. Comparing the Rugers to a similar priced Beretta and a Browning the difference side by side are stark. The fit / quality of finish etc are very, very different.

The 10/22 I cannot comment about as I have changed so much on it that only the receiver is stock.

It was because of the general comment on the QC at Ruger I decided not to go there precision rifle route. (In retrospect, I am very happy that I did not go that route, as several owners have had mixed results.)

Sorry to hear about the 'dud', but you should see if they can sort you out one that has a degree of QC in it. As a customer, they should rise to at least providing you a rifle that has been correctly manufactured?

Challenge them to do so!

Candocad.
 
Keep it until next year.

The new 2016 pricing will see these selling for close to 700 bucks - 800 if you want it with the crossfire II scope (factory mounted).

That should make it worth 900 bucks on EE by the year after next.

And yes, I have noted that the stock sucks on these. The first batch of them that I got in 2015 had edges "so sharp" (particularly along the barrel channel) that you could cut yourself on them - in other places there were "kling-on's" left over from the mold.

A bit of time with some crocus cloth would "fix them up" but pretty poor quality direct from factory.

These have not sold well from us - might look good "on paper" until you handle them, but the Axis still outsells them 5 or 6 to 1 with the 783 and even the Patriot outselling these.

My only real hope of moving these is keeping the price at 2015 rates and then not re-ordering. Because they certainly are not a 700 rifle...
 
Interesting comments.

I bought a 223 compact for my kids after giving up trying to find a cz527 carbine or a 223 kimber Montana

I liked it well enough to buy a 308 for myself and then a 243 appeared here for $250 so I bought that one too.

All three are accurate and reliable with good triggers. I didn't have much use for the 243 that had been chopped down so I dug a takeoff hawkeye 308 barrel I had and it practically dropped in so now I have two 308's and like them both for truck guns.

My only gripe is that the magazines are $39 usd instead of $5.99 like they should be, but they work.
 
Hitzy said:
Since I had all the other popular "budget" guns in the stable (Axis/783/Howa1500/Vanguard) I bit the bullet and got one of these Americans before the new pricing kicked in. I've never been so disappointed in a new rifle in my life. I'm actually surprised these things sell at all, let alone how popular they are...
So what do I hate....the stock is equivalent to the ####ty Axis stock material in quality. Flimsy garbage.
Every round or curved surface has tool marks from turning too fast with a dull tool, inside and outside of the rifle. The barrel exterior and receiver rounds look like it has fine screw threading everywhere it's that bad and that obvious. When working the bolt it sounds like a ####ing zipper because of these tool marks inside the receiver. Brutal.
Mag is loose as hell and flops around in the rifle. Also full of over-flash on all the molding edges.
Bolt shroud is plastic....margarine container plastic.
And the best part, the bolt face came scored/pitted from either the proofing loads or test firing rounds having loose primer pockets. Nice ring of pits on a brand new bolt face....#### you Ruger!! Lol
I won't even sell this thing on CGN...I don't want anyone to buy it without a good look over. It will be going to the consignment shop and I'll be taking a bath on it....maybe start at $300 and go down from there lol.
Piece of ####
Click to expand...

didn't you have a opportunity to handle the rifle before purchase ?
 
Ruger has joined the great American race to the bottom. Low cost garbage quality. I will only buy European guns any more. They are more expensive, but they generally build good quality. It's a difference in culture.
 
two things worth noting (in my experience with the Ruger American):
- if the bolt makes the "zipper" noise it's because of tool marks on the outside of the bolt not inside the action. I know, I have one and it's quite hard to polish but I've been told it can be done (I gave up after 3 sandpaper sheets).
- the bolt-face pitting: on my copy it rubbed off so it was greasy dirt that looked like pitting. I was so relieved...

p.s. to take apart the bolt you need a tool that can be made cheaply with hand tools.
 
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Pics for the fine folks at CGN....I must really like you ####ers because it pains me to look at that pile of ####.
I have an Axis and I hate it too, but it was $250 NEW after the $50 MIR, and way better finished. I expected at least 783 quality from Ruger, not sub-Axis quality.
I take back all those horrible things I said about the Axis. Ruger SUCKS. I've seen wartime Mosins made with more care then this thing.





 
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