223 Ruger American Compact.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Great shooting three44s. I hope the T Day feed went well. They say you tend to generate more wind as you get older.

[Three44s]

Thank you sir!

Yes, indeed the "feed" went very well. ........ I am relieved ... well pun intended ...... that it's getting "windier" due to my increasing age ...... I don't have to apologize for a natural occurence do I? LOL!

But the truth is ........ I shot these groups before the feed and the wind was already blowing hard ....... weather related wind that is ..... LOL!

Best regards and good shooting!

Three 44s

[rhbrink]

Question? Is it possible to single feed a loaded round into the port and push it into the chamber? This would be as in not using the magazine the loaded rounds would probably be too long to feed through the magazine anyway. This is the way that I use most of my bolt action rifles anyway, I never use the magazine unless I would be hunting.

RB

[rintinglen]

Got my RAC in .223 on paper for groups this AM.


I shot two more groups and the wind came up ...... I seem to be able to generate wind by merely bringing a fire stick and a target out into daylight these days!!

Three 44s

I thought that was my super power! The last two times I went out, all was still, until I began to unload the truck! I have a 308 American than I need to get on paper and have been casting an envious eye on these .223 compacts. All reports seem to indicate they shoot good to "fishing-story" excellent.

[Three44s]

rintinglen,

What you do is bring a portable wind turbine and set that up ...... the wind will die in it's tracks!

You start to make money off the wind and it will be dead as the do do bird!

As to your question, I am afraid I don't have an answer. My .223 RAC seems to be short throated enough so I have not run out of room in the magazine ......... but that's just with 55 gr. flat base spitzers (all I have tried thus far) ...... so I just load my magazine up with the test loads.

Best regards

Three 44s

[Four Fingers of Death]

My origons with bolt guns were SMLEs and Mauser 98s. I was taught in the Army Cadets to load the mag and even did that with a scoped rifle (charger clip loaded otherwise) and Mausers are loaded into the mag to save the extractor. I've never really loaded single rounds. I have a feeling that I tried to when I was having mag troubles and the American was not fond of it at all.

[rhbrink]

Thanks for the reply Four fingers' most of my shooting is single shots and if I do shot a bolt gun I always just drop a round on the magazine follower and feed it into the action. I do have a couple of controlled feed actions and then start a round about half way into the magazine and then make sure that the bolt grabs it before pushing into the chamber. Since the Ruger American has a 8 inch twist I was thinking about a 75 or 80 grain bullet and even a cast bullet like the new NOE 227 80 grain bullet but I can almost bet that it is too long to fit in the magazine.

I was looking one over a while back and it appeared to me with the small ejection port and the way the magazine sets low in the action that feeding single shot might not be very user friendly. Just guessing.

RB

[Four Fingers of Death]

I'll try and get to the range today with it. Last shoot before heading off on a camping trip which will take me up until Christmas. I'll let you know.

[Three44s]

I can't tell you if the cartridge would ride in successfully with the rifle horizontal but I just finnished a range session and tried a round with the muzzle down. The extractor did ride over the rim and extract an unfired round. ......... for what it's worth.

The more I shoot this Ruger American compact the more I am impressed ......... save for one thing ..... the trigger. It's not a bad trigger ....... and yes, I did adjust it lighter than the Lawyer setting ........ it is this:

The trigger is not up to the rifle's accuracy capability!

I absolutely cherrish this rifle!

I am swamping around like a sick duck with a FOUR X Weaver scope at 100 yds and get clover leafs!

My packin' load as of now is shooting at 3 @ .325" (Hdy 55 gr. SX)

Sub .5 MOA was the norm as I ran my loads up ......... and I know that an improvement on the trigger beyond what I could adjust would yield better. A couple of the powder charges netted a group with two in the same hole.

I had given up hope that we'd see another "Remington 788" come around. Well, Ruger has bettered it!

I have no idea what the lock time on these are but the way I was dancing over the paper ......... it must be FAST!

Best regards and good shooting!

Three 44s

[rhbrink]

I appreciate your reports!

Thank you.

RB

[Three44s]

Found this over at Firing Line forum:

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=519494


Three 44s

[Four Fingers of Death]

I took the compact to the range today, fed rounds loaded singly no problem.

[rhbrink]

I took the compact to the range today, fed rounds loaded singly no problem.

Thanks again, just guessing throw them into the port and close the bolt and all worked fine?

Now your going to make me go spend some money

RB

[Four Fingers of Death]

Seemed to work best when I just threw them in.

[Three44s]

I had some time this evening and pulled my Compact from the stock and opened the trigger according to the thread over at firing line (the link above).

But, you know the drill ........ I am not advocating you try this ...... it is merely offered for it's entertainment value or something like that!

I inspected the spring they write about clipping and rather than do that, I raided one of my ball point pens (a free one of course!).

The spring is within a few thous. of the same over all diameter and longer and softer. So I shortened the one from my pen, straightened out and re-curled it the best I could. I managed to install the repurposed pen spring in place of the stiffer Ruger original.

I now have a 2#

I am not so sure that I will stick with that spring. I may go shopping for an intermediate one between the original and my redneck spring. My preference would be less creep and more pull than where I am now.

I also did a little sanding on the barrel channel ........ one side was just a wee bit close/gently touching.

I changed to a 3-9 power scope a friend loaned me ........ I was going to raid my stash of mounted scopes and a friend brought his spare out before I could get to mine.

Did not get it back on paper this evening ...... too dark too soon and for $%@%$ sure ........ TOO COLD!

Maybe tomorrow?

Three 44s

[Four Fingers of Death]

Don't you just hate that?? ����

[Three44s]

Well .... YES! LOL!

I have rechargeable LED lights ....... I can and have used with good results ......... but the cold ..... that's a hard one .......... there are much colder places out in the midwest right now but we were running about 13 deg F last evening.

A friend and his son dropped by on the way to late season archery camp and we sat inside by the fire and talked guns instead. ....... then they were off to their tent ...... burr!

Best regards

Three 44s

[Scooby]

[QUOTE=I had given up hope that we'd see another "Remington 788" come around. Well, Ruger has bettered it! Three 44s[/QUOTE]

I used to be a 788 lover I had a 3030, 222, 22-250, 308, and 243. My dad had a lefty 6mm rem. loved those guns however I do not have any of them now, sure wish I too were smarter in years past. I own 2 of the Ruger American compacts one in 223 and one in 308. I have about 100 rounds down the 223 and the 308 is still nib have not got around to cleaning it and mounting scope. It seams the more I shoot the 223 the tighter the groups get. I give these rifles 2 thumbs up for price and shooting ability they are all around a good gun.

[vmathias]

I bought the standard size American in 243 2 years ago. Absolutely LOVE this rifle for the price. Accuracy is right there with savage rifles I have owned. I bought the RCBS 100g cast mold and loaded some up. I am running these casts from 1300-1600fps. The hotter loads 1600 plus were grouping at 1.4 inches at 70 yards. I am not done tweaking and think if I run these a little faster I will be able to hit 1" at 100 as the groups seem to get tighter as velocity climbs. There are a lot of "budget rifles" on the market today that are just that, "budget". I dont really consider this a budget rifle with the quality and accuracy I get. Will definitely purchase another American in the 223 compact. Note: Water jug test with half gallon milk jug at 70 yards. Jug exploded up in the air flying approx 3 feet above the target at 70 yards. I am developing these loads strictly for coyote.

[Three44s]

For ranch work, I pack my .223 compact everyday. My "American Express Rifle" if you will .... don't leave the house without it!

I never beat guns up on purpose and never would this one as well but if a scratch or scuff happens ......... and it's not affecting the rifle's purpose, it's a badge of honor with this one.

Best regards

Three 44s