The long-rumored, much anticipated Ruger piston rifle in 7.62/.308 arrives today!
The short story: 16.12 inch barrel; 1:10 Twist; weight coming in well under 9 pounds (8.6 on the spec sheet), probably because of the smooth-sided Ruger Adaptable handguard (which I really like on my 556). Includes 3 20-round MAGPUL PMAGs, essentially the defacto standard of the industry. The barrel is a chrome-lined hammer-forged 41V45 and is fluted. The flash hider is the Ruger Mini-14 style...paging TSD Kompressor! Hurry up with that .308 version! New Ruger comes with BUIS.
Hope to have one of these as quickly as I can get it. Been looking forward to this one! MSRP $2195.
I like the .308 cartridge and especially on an AR platform. As you recall, I shot the He-Man World Championships (and didn't finish last!) with a Colt 901 and Federal Match 168s. My FAL has been a long-time companion. Since I live in Rural Nowhere, I like the idea of a .308 at my fingertips. If ammo wasn't so DARNED expensive I'd settle on Heavy Metal class in 3-Gun, because it's just big fun. I wish GUNSITE offered their Battle Rifle class more than one a year (in mid-October!).
I've always been impressed with how easy the AR-10 platform guns are on the shoulder. Back in the very beginning of 3-Gun in the 1980s, I borrowed a friends HK-91, which was the ne plus ultra of of MBRs at the time, to shoot a couple of matches. It was like shooting with a jackhammer. It made shooting slugs out the 12 gauge seem like fun.
When I rise above my underemployment, and I've rid myself of Obamacare, I'm buyin' one of them. Since shootin' my uncles Hakim and later a Viet vet's M14 (sweet!), three-oh-eight has been the deal, so coming from a Ruger-pretty-much loyalist : I'm buyin' one of 'em.
ReplyDeleteNot that is a sweet rifle. I'm still a die hard M14 man, but these AR10s are growing on me.
ReplyDeleteAs for the G3/HK91, take a look at the AR stock adapter made by the inimitable Hakan Spuhr (the same fellow who makes the amazing Spuhr optics mounts). His stock adapter claims to tame the awful recoil impulse of the G3/HK91 through geometry alone. There's an impressive video of him shooting a G3 on full auto with one of these on his Facebook site. Here's the production glossies, though:
http://www.spuhr.com/hk-g3.html
Also, looks like Brother Jeff Quinn has a video review of the SR-762 up on his site today as well, despite his recent close brush with the Grim Reaper. Good to see him back on his feet:
ReplyDeletehttp://youtu.be/gfIupprJPpw
I actually wanted my AR10 in 7mm-08.
ReplyDeleteThey didn't have one in stock so it's 308.
Hardly a compromise since I had boxes n boxes of 30 cal bullets to load already. :)
Great news for those waiting since the 1985 "vapourware" announcement by Ruger of the 7.62 NATO chambered XGI (Mini-14 variant) :-)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBQFrnYrnn8
RSR
I wonder if they'll make a longer-barreled version for the Canadian market?
ReplyDeleteSemi-auto long guns with rifled portion of the barrel shorter than 18.5 inches are in same category as handguns in Canada. All muzzle device variants *not* included in the measurement.
RSR
I have loved Rugers since before it was legal for me to buy one on my own. And now I have a crap load of them laying about the house even now.
ReplyDeleteBut the SRP for this rifle appears to be the result of a bad lot of mushrooms or something of that nature. Over two grand? REALLY?
DAMN!
MSRP is rarely indicative of street price after the first few months when the "gotta have it NOW" types are willing to pay a premium. If Ruger can keep production meeting demand, I'll bet these will be $1800 rifles in fairly short order.
ReplyDeleteBesides, Colt, top-end DPMS, POF, etc. are all above $2K MSRP...
ReplyDeletemb
For Canadians, the barrel length is irrelevant as all AR variants are classified Restricted, regardless (a.k.a. 'scary looking gun syndrome').
ReplyDeleteAh, but not all AR-like variants are classified by the Cdn authorities as AR variants.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't have to make sense, it's government policy.
The Ruger SR-762 has its flaws. Overall, its still a keeper:
ReplyDeleteProblems:
Problem 1: 2 of the 3 supplied P-Mags had many FTE and FTFs. I called Ruger and was told I'm not the only one with this problem. Ruger has started a national mag exchange program for the 762. I sent my 2 bad mags in (11/25) and am still waiting to get 2 good mags back. The third mag runs flawlessly (or at least it has for 225 rounds so far).
Problem 2: The stock trigger was less than satisfactory. I dropped in a giesselle (sp?) and that solved the problem.
Problem 3: The peep aperture on the rear sight interferes with my optic. Normally I'd blame myself for not getting higher mounts (I got the Bobro), but the Samson peep aperture won't fold flat. The body of the folded BUIS fits under my Weaver Tactical FFP 3x15x50 just fine, but the stupid dual peep aperture doesn't fold down. Grumble grumble... If anyone wants to trade rear BUISs, let me know. Its a shame because I really like the Samson sights. BTW, the Bobro quick release mount has put my scope back to absolute zero about 5 times now.
Problem 4: Ruger will not sell spare parts for it. I asked and was told no on any “factory fitted” part, which is most of them.
Problem 5: it eats ammo WAY too fast. I blame the gun :-)
Enough gripes, here's what I like:
Its lighter than the other semi-auto 308's I played with. Are there lighter SA 308's out there? Probably, but not that readily come to mind or that I held.
I get submoa 5 shot groups with handloads. The first shot is a flier even when I slingshot it into the action, but the following 19 make tight little groups when I do my part.
The action stays very clean. I ran some Herter's steel cased ammo and didn't find any of those little yellow specs or much carbon fouling in the chamber. The gas piston gets dirty, but its easy to remove and easy to clean because its chrome plated. The Ruger's barrel cleans faster than my Remington 700 308 AAC-SD because the former is chromed.
I like the ability to control the gas (yeah yeah, insert your favorite fart joke here). This gives me the option to run it reliably with a can, run it reliably without cleaning for extended periods of time, or turn the gas off and run it like a single-shot if I don't want to chase my brass at the range or buy a brass catcher.
The AR platform makes it comfortable to shoot, easy to put on optics, and very customizable; ie I could drop in the trigger I really wanted.
I don't have to baby it when handling or shooting. The flash hider protects the crown so I can ride with it “muzzle on floor” in the pickup. Its first outing was in a hellacious snow storm in the top of the Utah mountains. The gun got sopping wet and heavily snowed on yet ran fine; I should have taken a video. Sub 0 temps didn't seem to affect it on another outing; when the good mag was in. The dust cover should keep most mud, dirt, and river water out of the action when I strap it on the ATV this summer and fall. Don't get me wrong, the rifle gets cleaned and dried, and lightly lubed, but its going to have to earn its keep in a mountainous and desert area. It is not a safe queen.
It doesn't have much recoil; I'd guess it has about 11 ft-lbs (just a guess).
$1,640 otd is a lot of money for me, however, the Ruger cost less than the Sig 716 and is (in my book) equally good and weighs less.
It feels good to buy an American designed and produced fighting rifle when the product fits my application, is well made (thanks Matrix Aero), and the value is there.