It might just be me...

but the RAR is the adult version of a Red Rider BB gun!

LOL

Red

What is everybody using for bloods on their Ruger Ranch Rifle. I ordered Gen 2 in .300 Blackout. Thinking I might want a bipod. Has anyone tried one of these?

https://magpul.com/bipod-sling-stud-qd.html?mp_global_color=175

I carry my bipod a lot more than I use it, so I have the Magpul MOE which is notable lighter.

Mine doesn’t like metal magazines much at all, but it will work with my Okay 20-rounders. 30-rd metal mags are an absolute no-go. It feeds best with 10 & 20-rd Pmags.

This one is my second. With the first one, the bolt had that "zipper-ish" sound that the gun is known for, and the Anarchy Outdoors cocking piece did almost nothing to improve the bolt throw. With this one, the bolt was smooth out of the box, and the AO cocking piece lowered the effort required to lift the bolt by probably half (subjectively). Both are gen 1 guns.

All I've done to mine are the AO cocking piece, a Glades Armory bolt handle (MUCH less expensive than AO) & bolt shroud, and an A2 flash suppressor. Oh, and dremeled & sanded out an opening to uncover the magazine release.

Grendel models are out.  Wish I didn’t already have one.  lol.

I bought me one today at the gun show new in the box 7.62x39 $500.00 out the door. A guy a few tables down had a used one with a red-field  scope for $550 plus tax. Besides changing to the AR mag well what other mods are there for this rifle. I see to remember some kind of bolt mod

Honestly unless you’re invested in 7.62x39 AR mags, the mini 30 mags are great

Having an AR in 7.62x39 already is the reason I want to convert

Then convert away!

Mine feeds fine from the 10 round PMAG it came with, 30 round USGI mags and 30 MFT mags. Just got a few Hexmags with my X95 Tavor, I will try those.

5 minutes on a buffing wheel with ultra-fine grit completely does away with the zipper sound.  The tightest and best feeding mags I've found are the really old Thermold 10 rounders I bought back in the 80's.  They also work well with the .300 AAC Ranch

The 7.62 x 39 is the roughest feeding, I blame that on the steel mini 30 mags. May be clipping the springs on those to see if it helps.

Mine feeds horrible, I have MPUL and Lancer mags and use both 10 and 30 rounds.  I'll have to get out and run a few through but sometimes it's so hard to feed it'll get stuck 1/2 way and I'll have to drop the mag and start over. I have to run the bolt HARD.  Also, it doesn't like to slide the bolt back once fired.  Before I blame the guns or mags, I'll need to do a test of different mags, capacity, and ammo.

I believe a large part of the problem is possible the Ammo. I'm using Stryker factory reloads and the brass seems, like soft or sticky.  Not 'slick like other brass.  I just  got some Sig ammo so I'll  give that a try.

SIDE NOTE: I would avoid the Stryker reload ammo,  I bought it for cheap range ammo but on my Saint Pistol (9 in barrel), it keyholed BAD, at only 25 yards, I'm surprised I didn't have a baffle strike.

I'll have to do the mag release mod, I have also seen where if you cut a similar relief on the left side you can add an ambi mag release, I'm thinking about that one as well.

I did not know that, maybe I'll try a little experiment on magazine position.

I did a couple experiments on my 300 BO, I assume the 223 would be similar.

Most of the resistance is one of a few things.

Closing the bolt on a Lancer 30 rd mag, the resistance is the round sticking/catching/gouging a small channel in the brass case as it passes the end of the feed lips and starts to angle up, much worse on a full magazine due to spring pressure.  Opening the bolt, most of the resistance is from the spring pressure on the next round dragging the lug down the case in addition to extraction effort (not certain how much 'effort' that creates).  I could see the bottom lug on the bolt dragging/rubbing down the length of the cartridge making a shiny line.  My lugs are pretty smooth and I had already knocked any burrs off.  Short of really shaving it down and changing the geometry, not much to do but polish the lug a little bit more.  On the first round on a full mag, the round sticks about 1/2 way to closing, when the round is nose up and hits the feed ramp, and at the same time it's at the greatest angle to the (metal) feed lips, so the lips are gouging (slightly) into the brass case.

Solution?:  Maybe feather the edge of the forward lip of the magazine to match it to the angle/shape of the case while on the feed ramp vs. being the lips being rounded.  Not certain if this is a great idea, changing the geometry.

Magpul 30 rd mag. Didn't really have the same nose up 1st round issue as I think the round slides over/across the plastic feed lips better.  Opening the bolt, the drag was greater than the Lancer (Lancer harder to close, MPUL harder to open).  I can only attribute this to higher spring pressure on MPUL.  Closing was a bit easier as I think to round slides over the plastic better.

However, on the 10 rd MPUL I use for the 300 BO, it was very hard to open.  The reason for this is (2) items.
1) The bolt lug is catching on the leading edge of the left feed lip, I can see a small sliver of plastic hanging off the corner.
2) the bolt lug is dragging down the left feed lip, causing friction.  I can see the drag marks clearly on the feed lip (not on the other side though).  When I manipulate the bolt while closed but not locked, you can see the bottom lug make contact w/ the lips and rock the magazine slightly back and forth.  I don't leave MPUL mags loaded w/o one of the clips, but I suppose the lip could be slightly deformed.  Likely easier to shave the feed lip a few thousanth's vs shaving the lug.

I also tried a 10 rd ASC mag and a 20(?) rd Colt that has been limited to 10.  The gun didn't like either one, probably due to the metal feed lips creating extra drag down the cartridge.

All magazines had about the same amount of front to back play.

MPUL mag seemed to be the most consistent with fairly light drag in the well on insertion.

Lancer's were a bit harder to insert than MPUL when loaded, and very little friction when empty, telling my the magazine is spreading apart slightly.

Metal magazines, of the ones I had, one was the hardest of all to insert, one was the loosest of all.

I hope this helps and makes sense.


The Stryker brass seemed a bit softer, so on all tests, the Stryker ammo needed a bit more effort that the SIG ammo.

Do you think shimming the magwell with washers would help?

Good question, I'm not sure.  There is really only a few degrees of front to back play.  I'll put a magazine in and play around and see.  If I were to guess I'd say somewhere between minimal and no difference.

I got one in .300 Blackout. I took mine out to the range today. After shooting 20 rounds to get it on the paper on the indoor range.  I used the 10 round P mag and found it did not cycle easy. Took it out to my outdoor range to shoot at 100 yards. Got it zeroed in nicely. I used one of my straight 20 round metal Duramags and it cycled a whole lot easier.

IIRC, Ruger made mini 30 mags are expensive. Do ProMags work for this rifle/caliber?

How is the Gen 1 chambered in 7.62X39? I fondled one when they first came out.

The bolt felt rougher than one chambered in a different caliber. Is it still the same?

Is feeding reliable from the mini 30 magazines and the aftermarket versions?

*I have not put many rounds through mine.  

After I got mine, I ordered a few of the 10 round ProMags for it.  I don't have a mini 30 so didn't have any mags for it.  I found the 10 round ProMags on sale for about $20 a pop so I ordered just a few to try.  Once I found they worked ok I ordered several more.  The mags lock in the mag well nice and snug.  The ProMags do seem to have a stiff spring and found 9 rounds works best.  They don't have an anti-tilt follower so load them square and give them a good mag tap and good to go.  At least on my Gen 1.  

Other than a couple factory 5 round mags which I havent even tried I only have the ProMag 10 rounders for it.

My bolt feels appropriate for the price of the gun if that makes sense.  I posted a page or two back in comparison to a few older Remington's I have.

I looked into shimming the front/back of the magazine and see if that could be an issue, the actual issues are totally different.

There are several causes on my 300 BO:

My Magpul 10 rd mags ride higher than my 30's, and higher than the Lancers, one MPUL 10 rd in particular seems a tad higher than the other (or  very possibly the top round rides higher?).  What this means is that when opening the bolt, the bottom lug is dragging along the cartridge, catching on several places as it runs down the cartridge.  You can test by inserting a loaded magazine on a closed bolt (be careful!), slowly open the bolt, and at least on mine, the place where the bottom lug transitions from an angle to flat, is getting hung up on the mouth of the neck, and again on the case shoulder.  Then drags down the case.

If I tilt the bolt handle clockwise and counter-clockwise, depending upon which side of the magazine the round is loading, I can increase or decrease the drag and how hard it catches.  Since the Lancers don't seem to ride as high, not as big as an issue.

Second issue is it really needs M4 style feed ramps and the edges deburred and polished,  I tried to slowly chamber rounds, it doesn't matter the mag or cartridge, the round would catch on the feed ramp edge burr (calling it a feed ramp is a stretch). There is an opening at 6 o'clock for the bottom lug to ride through, and the rounds feed at 5 and 7 o'clock. There are 2 distinct copper lines where the tip of the bullet is traveling up the cone, and once it hits the transition to head into the barrel it's getting caught on the burr.

I ran all the same tests on my 223, even trading bolts,  and I suppose due to the differences in geometry and angles of the round... it's not nearly as bad, but still stiff from dragging.  The 223 also drags on the bottom of the bolt in certain spots, more so than the lug

Lastly, the zipper sound, I assumed was caused by downward pressure (gravity) on the bolt, maybe it is, but it's definitely worse with a loaded magazine, meaning wherever it touches from upward pressure needs polished as well.

ProMag may have 5 round mags for it as well.

It'll probably smooth out if you cycle it dozens or a couple hundred times. I always disliked snatchy bolts.

Supposedly the Gen 2s addressed this.

I have one of the ProMag 5 rders. It works for the first 4 and jams on the last, like every time. I wanted to like it because it is the shortest mag I could find.
I am not looking at now, but a couple weeks ago, I noticed that the feed lips are somehow different from the lancer 10's that I usually use.
I plan to try to modify it to resemble the lancer when I have time.

Do what I did, load one round and close the bolt slowly and see exactly where it is hanging up/stopping.  I bet it's a combo of things: feed lips, follower changing the angle on the last round, and catching on the edge of the feed ramp.  Maybe, a little polishing and dremmel the edge of the feed ramp at 5 and 7 o'clock will help.  It's what I will be doing on my 300 BO,  I don't recall my 223 being that bad but it's been a while since I shot that one.

Dammit, just added another Ranch to the pile.

Could not resist grabbing a green stocked 350 Legend. Just for the hell of it. No idea why. Well, it was a good deal. New In box. Ok, I got it because it was in a Green Stock. Instead of the regular FDE Ranch stock. Yeah, that's why. And Gen 1. Still partial to that version although I will be getting a couple Gen 2's later on when the calibers I want finally hit the shelves at a decent price.

Place Holder Picture until I get my hands on it. And mod the crap out of it.

What did you pay? I’ve been toying with a 350L

It's nice looking, I may have bought it myself just for the color.  What mods do you have planned

$414. Best deal I could find on that model with the green stock. So I said screw it and bought it online with free shipping.


As for the mods, going to do the bolt handle thing and not sure about the rest yet, and I'm also looking for a suppressor for it. I may change out the stock, putting it on another rifle, but not sure what chassie or stock I will install. Lots of choices out there.

Medium rings (.375 height) good fit for a scope with a 40MM objective?

This set?

I took my rail off and used Talley extra low, mounts directly to the receiver. Any lower and an obj lens cover would not fit.

Current production has a higher optic rail.
Old/New Stock might have the shorter rail.

I haven’t found anything other than information here.

Are there replacement or 3rd party receivers available?   Just the receivers.

Iv used a file to remove sharp edges on magazine lips / that front edge and even put a slight bevel to improve feeding n certain guns occasionally, it can help big time to smooth things up.

Not to my knowledge.

Has anyone tried a lighter firing pin spring to lessen the effort needed to cock?  Both my RAR rifles require enough effort that I they are unable to be done from the shoulder.  Granted, I have a shoulder issue, but the effort still seems a bit much.  I have lubed and deburred all surfaces, lugs and everything.  I'm pretty certain friction isn't the issue as spring pressure pushes the bolt back down with the about same effort as lifting up, vs. hanging up and/or dragging back down. In other words it slides freely.

I have heard some folks have luck with the Anarchy cocking piece, but if the geometry is the same and your stock cocking  piece is polished and greased, I don't see how a harder material will help.  Am I missing something?

So, I thought perhaps the firing pin spring is a bit stiff (I have worked the bolt a lot) a lighter one would help, I have not had any light strikes.

I can't find any aftermarket springs and not certain cutting the stock spring is the answer.  Lastly, I have the trigger set to the lightest setting, I don't know if that makes a difference or not.

Has anyone installed a different spring or able to lessen the effort needed?

A viper barrel vise with some leather pieces is what I’ve used for bolt action work including the RA.

Are you talking about the action of the Ruger American? I'm not aware of any and can't think of a reason to make one. So many quality actions and barreled actions available you'd have to really want that specific thing to jump into that market.

I think I just used the Squirrel Daddy aluminum vise blocks with some crushed up Pine Rosin.

https://www.amazon.com/Aluminum-Barrel-Vise-Pads-Channel/dp/B00ILWMOM6

In regards to optics. Anyone using a Primary Arms GLX2 on their Ruger American? I just ordered one, we'll see how it works out.

Forgot I also have an Anarchy action wrench.