Ruger Gunsite Carbine

[WKAYE]

Randy,
You mentioned a 1-8 scope. Minox makes a 1.5-8 that is a very nice scope for the price.
Mine has the Versa Plex reticle and the optics compare well to my Zeiss Diavari.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Wkaye: What is the price on the Minox? A 1.5x8 would be a good choice if I can afford it. A source for the product would be helpful too.

I was able to order 2ea 5 rnd mags from Ruger today 4/26 They didn't have them yesterday. $68 ea.

Curly: if you want 5rnd mags I wouldn't wait. They go fast. According to the customer service rep they are being made by Magpul. And Magpul is way behind on this product.

Combat Diver: I talked to Brownells and the tec didn't know if the ones listed were the same thing or not. The 5rnd ones are the same price as Ruger the 10 rnders are $79.95 which is $10 more. Ruger is still out of 10 rnders.

Randy

[WKAYE]

Randy,
In the US, I think Cameraland is an internet dealer. The price up here is around $500.

[Curly James]

Thanks Randy, Already got a five round from Brownell. Their stock number is 100-005-887, 5 round AICS magazine, $67.00 shipped to my door. Like I said kinda pricey but very well made. There is another company that makes a ten round magazine that works well in the Ruger that has a shorter profile than the factory mag, CRS kickin' in right now and can't remember the name of the company.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I got my 2, 5 round mags today from Ruger took 2 days to get here from Prescott AZ.

I get my Rifle next Tuesday, have to assemble some ammo as soon as my dies get here. I have had good once fired FC cases for some time I just have to reload them.

Will be doing 147gr boattails, and 311299's to start, We'll go from there.

I am pretty excited about this gun and believe me I haven't been this way over a specific gun for a long time. This one is the first one that has really interested me to that degree. I think it is because of the Front Sight trip 3 weeks ago, and the obvious survival characteristics of the gun.

I'm already thinking about how to mount it in my Jeep.

If I can get everything together this week I can shoot silhoutte next Sat. Since I won't have a scope mounted they will let me shoot sitting down over crossed sticks.

This may be a big mistake for them, as I can hit pretty good over any rest.

Randy

[Artful]

Randy look into a electrolock - It's what the cops use I just mounted mine against the roll bar with one of the plastic buttstock cups from a failed attempt at another way to secure rides next to rollbar and real secure - only issue is has to be wired to use must have ignition on and then press the magic hidden button.

[W.R.Buchanan]

We had a gunshow here in Ventura today and I scored a Leupold VX III 1.5-5x Matte finish in perfect condition for $300. Only mounted on one Rem .416 and shot 5 rounds in Africa. Midway has that model at $400.

It will be the scope for my Ruger. The guy is a member of my gun club so I think I did pretty well. I can always find him if I need to.

I really like that the eye relief on this scope doesn't change when you change the power setting. This was a problem on my other gun with an inexpensive scope.

Now if XS will get on the ball and finish the extended rail I can complete this gun before too long.

Have to order some Warne QD rings for this one on Monday..

Randy

[W.R.Buchanan]

Art: I'll check it out. Thanks Randy

[Hang Fire]

Looks like the love child of a SOCOM Scout and a mauser military action.

I will stick with my $90.00 7.62 NATO FN Mauser Scout.



Scroll down at link for more info and pics: http://hstrial-rchambers.homestead.com/early.html#

[Bullshop]

Looking at the cover of the new American Rifleman I see this new Ruger carbine.
My first thought was that they re invented the SMLE.
10 shot detachable mag, bolt action, battle sighted, sound familier?

[W.R.Buchanan]

Well guys here's the report. I got my new gun yesterday. Got to play with it for a while last night and deburred some of the sharper edges.

Spent another hour working on it today.

This gun is rough! it is defiantely NOT a Mauser. The bolt is rough to operate. The bolt raceways are rough as a cobb because they are as cast. I would have thought they would have ran a broach thru to dress the raceways but NOT! The bolt has been tumbled and is in pretty smooth shape overall. The bolt is stainless also and that makes for sticky operation.

Cartridges are very rough feeding off the magazines, I have 3 and the best one is the 10 rounder, both the 5's are sticky as the magazine lips are rough and that creates drag and leaves scratches in the cases. You can't just smoothly cycle this action you must get rough with it.

My gun has a very tight chamber. I loaded some dummy rounds, and I had to take them back a part because they weren't short enough. Had to completely run the sizing die all the way down until the press was preloading the shell holder by asignificant amount to get the shoulder set back enough. Much more than any other case I have reloaded. This is my first .308 cases BUT I have loaded many hundreds of 06 cases and never has a rifle been this tight. I literally had to force the bolt closed to chamber a dummy round. I chucked up a few Federal live factory rounds and they went in tight but fine.

I kind of expected a little of this, as my Mini 14 was pretty stiff going in, however this is a bolt action rifle.

I figure if it doesn't smooth out considerably after 200 or so rounds I will send it back to Ruger with a note to fix it!

Please to understand::: I am pretty picky, especially about Machined things being right. That said, this gun probably will smooth out very nicely. It is after all a "generic gun" and they don't get the same hand treatment as they got 50 years ago. It will get a lot of rounds thru it, and nothing makes a gun work better than being shot.

As far as looks go, the thing is nice!!!! It handles really nice. Comes to point very smoothly. I put both of the stock spacers in to the buttstock so it fits well now. It is also light, and you could carry this one along ways before you got sick of it. I will mount my Leupold 1.5-5X variable as soon as XS comes out with it's replacement rail. If they are too far off, I'll just use the Ruger rings included.

The stock looks just like the one in the Ruger Pictures, nice Medium Gray Laminate, checkering is very sharp and well done, and the flat/satin black finish on the gun is attractive.

All in all, if the gun smooths out it will be fine, if after 200 or so rounds it is still sticky I will send it back to Ruger.

Don't take this post the wrong way ,,,This is just my opinion! You need to look and see for yourself. Overall I like the gun alot, I just have to smooth it out.

Randy

[JeffinNZ]

All this talk of extra magazines. If the rifle was a true 'scout' as Jeff intended it would be charger compatible so additional magazines would not be required. Nice looking rifle but what is the international obsession with 16 inch barrels? LOUD!!! I agree with the 18 inch minimum or a ported 20 inch better still.

Me, not ever likely to buy one and if I wanted such I would do as Four Finger Mick suggested and get me a smoooooooooooooth Lee Enfield.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Jeff: A M94 Swede Carbine is already done when you get it. This is what I origianally wanted, but I missed the best one I had ever seen so time to move on. He wanted $550 for it anyway.

This new gun is very close to being ideal .(my opinion) Its .308 which is a big plus. I just bought 5 boxes, 100 rnds of American Eagle (Federal Ammo) at the gun show last week end for $10.95 a box. No other full sized sized rifle round is even close to those prices. So the gun will get shot more.

Also the rifle handles very well due to that short barrel. It will work out fine. I wear earplugs.

I haven't seen decent Lee Enfield over here for years and years. You Brithish subjects kind of have the monopoly on the good hardware from the crown.

I will keep everybody posted on how this gun performs with factory, bullet reloads and Boolits.

Would love to go tomarrow but I have stuff to do, so no gunplay for me..

Randy

[Larry Gibson]

All this talk of extra magazines. If the rifle was a true 'scout' as Jeff intended it would be charger compatible so additional magazines would not be required. Nice looking rifle but what is the international obsession with 16 inch barrels? LOUD!!! I agree with the 18 inch minimum or a ported 20 inch better still.

Me, not ever likely to buy one and if I wanted such I would do as Four Finger Mick suggested and get me a smoooooooooooooth Lee Enfield.

I absolutely agree!!! Here is my idea of just about the perfect "scout" rifle.

It is a Mauser
It feeds smooth from the magazine
It has 9 rounds in stock carrier to keep mag topped off
It can also be charge with 5 round stripper clips
Barrel is 18" but the M14 flash suppressor cuts down the muzzle blast considerably
Would prefer a 20" barrel
Burris 1.5X scout scope is correctly mounted low to receiver
Lyman receiver sight and m14 front sight offer excellent sight picture
No magazines to lose

Yes it is 1 lb heavier and 2" longer than "scout" spects but I don't care. It is also h*ll for stout. Having used the Styer and Savage scouts along with several other put together scouts. This FR8 scout comes as close to being perfect in fit and use as I have found. I sometimes think it would be better withM14 magazine capability, perhaps in a military concept but do we really think anyone in the military are going to use a bolt gun other than a true sniper rifle? I think not. In a civilian context this FR8 is just about perfect.

The GSR does look promissing but I really would have preferred a long barrel. For that reason only, a very important reason to me, is why I won't get one.

Larry Gibson

[panaceabeachbum]

I have had my gunsite/ruger scout for a few months now, happy over all, bolt operation was very rough initialy but has worn in quite well . Rifle shoots great although I havent found the right cast bullet load for the gun yet . XS sent me one of the full length rails a few weeks ago, very nice piece and gives the option of a conventional scope.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Bum: I was waiting for them to come out with this item, which I was told 3 weeks ago, was 3 weeks off waiting for packaging approval.

Does your's have the integral rear sight? Would you post a picture of the rail on the gun or by itself if you haven't mounted it yet?

My action was also very rough and I spent some time deburring the bolt races, and the underside of the magazine feed lips on all 3 of my mags 2ea 5's and 1ea 10 rounder. Mine has smoothed out pretty well just by running it dry. I haven't fired it yet but this weekend is looking good.

I went ahead today and mounted my Leupold 1.5-5X Vari-X III using the supplied rings by removing the rear sight. I also installed the Butler Creek Scope Covers. I am tempted to send the scope to Leupold for the installation of Tac Turrets so I can predictably change the zero between cast and Fed FMJ Factory loads.

I will use this rifle mostly for Short Range 200yd Silhouette at my club with Boolits, however it will also go to Front Sight where I have to run Factory ammo. Be nice to know where everything shoots and just be able to move the knobs to the new position.

As far as hunting goes this gun will go where where heavy guns don't go, because even with the scope it only weighs 8lbs. It will fit completely down inside my Eberlestock Back Pack, just like a lever gun will.

Once it is rung out, I see it being good to 400yards with relative ease.

Here's pics

Really like to see pics of the XS Rail?

Randy

[W.R.Buchanan]

I just find it impossible to believe that everyone is not as worked up about this gun as I am?

You gotta admit, it is cool looking. Very handy too!

Randy

[W.R.Buchanan]

Well: I got to shoot it yesterday. Took 7 shots to get it in the ballbark.

We had a cannon shoot going on a t the range so the relays were very long and I couldn't examine the target very well. Will finish sighting in next week.

The gun weighs 8lb 8oz as pictured above and I was firing Federal Factory 150 gr loads.

Recoil off the bench is noticable, however very tolerable. I was shooting with only a tee shirt and there are no bruises today! In the standing position it will be a regular creampuff. I was surprised as I expected this light a gun to be a little more lively. Not so.

This gun will be very enjoyable to shoot with Boolits, and my jacketed bullet handloads.. I see this one getting alot of rounds put thru it.

Randy

[W.R.Buchanan]

Here is another report on this thread that nobody seems to be interested in.

Shot my first Silhoutte match with this gun. The gun is a total Creampuff to shoot (Federal 150gr FMJ factory loads).

I hit one 500 meter Ram on one bounce. Still counts!

Hit one 300 meter Pig on one bounce, and

Hit one 200 meter Chicken clean !!!!

Not bad for 40 rounds offhand thru an 8.5lb gun with a 5X scope.

More on the action stickyness

After 2 full hours of removing all dingleberrys and high spots in the receiver bore and bolt races this gun is not any smoother to operate than it was to begin with. In fact it is stickier. Adding oil or grease just makes it worse!

I found out the bolt is made of Stainless Steel similar to 410/416 series.

This explains why the bolt is sticky. This material is soft and gooey! I have machined a lot of it in my shop and have a good working understanding of how it machines.

The solution will be to have the bolt sent out and plated with a Electroless Nickle/ Boron Nitride process that will make the surface very hard, smooth and very very slick.

This should fix this problem.

I don't believe for one second that Ruger doesn't know about this problem. It was obvious to me as soon as I installed the bolt in the rifle the first time. All of the testing and development they did on this gun should have made this point come to the surface and it should have been corrected before the production run was authorized. In fact,, I would have thought the engineers who designed the thing in the first place would have known this combination of hardened cromoly and velveeta cheese would not work.

I was told the stainless bolt was one of the selling points, and looking at the ads, it is indeed mentioned, but a steel bolt in this rifle would allow free bolt movement just like most every other Ruger M77 has. Nobody is buying this gun because it has a Stainless Steel bolt!

I will be writing the head engineer of this project as soon as my bolt is plated and hope to get a response I can print here. If they pooh poo me I will report that too. If this process doesn't fix the sticky bolt problem, I will send the gun back and demand a steel bolt be installed.

Once again,,, the only thing I am disappointed with on this gun is the bolt operation.

Still this is a pretty big deal as it IS,,, A Bolt Action Rifle!!!.

I will keep everyone posted on my progress.

I really do want this gun to work right as it has so many nice features. I can't live with it the way it is.

Randy

[Combat Diver]

Randy,

Best of luck on the getting the bolt hardend. You would think that the engineers would have done their homework. Been away from the site the last two weeks or so. Keep up the good fight with the reports.


CD