Ruger American Predator .308

Wood Smoke II

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About a year ago I bought a lightly used Ruger American Predator .308 kind of on a whim with the primary intent of it being a test host for a .30 cal suppressor that I had not yet attached to anything other than a .223. Figured it’d be a good “see how I like it” .308 & suppressor combo without taking a deep dive into a higher quality, expensive rifle. Went ahead and scoped it with a new Nikon Monarch. Had it laser bore sighted, so I figured I’d be ready to go when I got time to go sight-in the new setup. Well, it sat in the safe until yesterday ...... almost a year! Took it out to some farm property yesterday. Fall weather here in north GA was awesome! Set up at a starting distance of 50 yards with regular factory Winchester 150gr psp’s thinking I’ll get dialed in & then move out to 100 yards & repeat. Y’all know the routine. My expectations with the Ruger were not for super tight sub MOA 3 shot groups. Just get some decent “deer rifle” groups, and then attached the suppressor to see what it does & how quieter it would be.

Ok, long story short is that pre-suppressor attached it was hitting way more than 2 ft. high and left. So much for the laser bore-sighting. Didn’t even start messing with the windage & elevation because it was evident that I needed to go back to rifle, mounts, rings, & boresight re-check for a do-over! We’ll get to that soon. Lastly, I did attach the suppressor just to “hear” it before wrapping up the failed sight-in session. Wow, it was a major difference! I actually took out my left ear plug and put a few more rounds through it. I guess I could call it very close if not “ear safe”. I’m pretty adamant about my own eye & ear protection and this was quite acceptable to my ears. At least this part of my test was successful.

Neat little rifle but the plastic flush mount clip is junk. Trigger was not impressive & that little pre-trigger thingy is annoying. Stock & recoil pad are ok. It’s a handy sized rifle, but I’m not really a fan of 18” barreled rifles. I’m just hoping that it doesn’t have some quirk such that I’ll never be able to get it nicely “on paper”.
 
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Man I have had rifles bore sighted and they were paper at 100yds first shot, but I have had some that were like yours why off. Could just be the bore sight sucks. I bet the gun will shoot good for you. Check it out again and go try it again I bet you will just need to adjust the scope to get it dialed in.
 
Quote:Trigger was not impressive & that little pre-trigger thingy is annoying.

Give the "accutrigger" (not sure what Ruger calls theirs) a chance, you may come to like it. I love the Savage accutriggers, but I grew up on 2 stage triggers, so don't even notice them now and they sure break nice.

Where was POI w/can installed?

Regards,
hm
 
I might add, suppressed it was kind of a “squish” sound. Not even close to a loud bang. This was my first use of the suppressor on a .30 cal for which it was made for. Amazed & impressed!
 
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Originally Posted By: docjon2013Man I have had rifles bore sighted and they were paper at 100yds first shot, but I have had some that were like yours why off. Could just be the bore sight sucks. I bet the gun will shoot good for you. Check it out again and go try it again I bet you will just need to adjust the scope to get it dialed in.

Yep, we’ll just say that’s the first fun of a new rifle. Cabela’s laser bore sighted it at 100, across the store to opposite wall. I watched them do it and was confident that the two gentlemen knew what they were doing. So, I’ll figure out getting it bore sighted again from someone else simply for being objective, apples to apples, & we’ll go shoot it again.
 
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Originally Posted By: hm1996Quote:Trigger was not impressive & that little pre-trigger thingy is annoying.

Give the "accutrigger" (not sure what Ruger calls theirs) a chance, you may come to like it. I love the Savage accutriggers, but I grew up on 2 stage triggers, so don't even notice them now and they sure break nice.

Where was POI w/can installed?

Regards,
hm



Definitely will not make any trigger changes. Previous owner said he dropped the trigger pull. It’s fine for my purposes. By the time I put the suppressor on, I wasn’t worrying about zero accuracy. We’d also hung an old 12” aluminum frying pan on the backstop & I just wanted to see if I could punch at least one hole in it, anywhere! With suppressor it may have dropped it a few inches. By then I was aiming extra (think feet, not inches haha) low & right, and I managed to punch one hole barely top rim center. Next shot blew the plastic handle off of pan.
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There is a reason we do not allow bore sighted rifles on the 300 yard indoor range here. Very seldom is one very accurate. I can look through the bird and do a better job. Adjust the trigger down on the rifle. The trigger on the Predators actually is not that bad.
 
Originally Posted By: reb8600There is a reason we do not allow bore sighted rifles on the 300 yard indoor range here. Very seldom is one very accurate. I can look through the bird and do a better job. Adjust the trigger down on the rifle. The trigger on the Predators actually is not that bad.
Thanks for the input. I agree with your bore sighting assessment. Was just hoping it was “horseshoes & hand grenades” close enough to start, but I’ll start over & get it done. I’m sure the trigger will grow on me some and I’m confident that I’ll be able to get the rifle to be a good decent shooter.
 
Originally Posted By: docjon2013Oh and once you go suppressed you won't go back I promise. It is awesome!!!


I had a couple of 12 year old boys & their dads standing safely behind me. All had ears on at first. The boys had never seen a suppressed rifle before and said “that’s cool!”. All of them agreed it was much, much quieter. I told them to save their money and mind their dads. Haha.
 
I have a bore sighter but its a POS. If I don't break paper on the first shot, I pull the bolt and look down the barrel. Usually three of four shots and I'm real close to zero. Sometimes a little fine tuning is needed but its usually fast and easy.
 
Both of my Predators, a 204 and a 6.5 Creedmoor, shoot quite a ways to the left of where a centered up scope is pointing. The barrels hug the left side of the barrel channel in the stock, and I figured the barrels were installed crooked somehow. I could send them back but they shoot so well I just use Signature rings with offset inserts.
 
Originally Posted By: pyscodogI have a bore sighter but its a POS. If I don't break paper on the first shot, I pull the bolt and look down the barrel. Usually three of four shots and I'm real close to zero. Sometimes a little fine tuning is needed but its usually fast and easy.

I think I’ll start the “do over” by following your method ...... first pull the bolt & do a barrel sighting from the breech. Thanks.

Originally Posted By: 204 ARBoth of my Predators, a 204 and a 6.5 Creedmoor, shoot quite a ways to the left of where a centered up scope is pointing. The barrels hug the left side of the barrel channel in the stock, and I figured the barrels were installed crooked somehow. I could send them back but they shoot so well I just use Signature rings with offset inserts.

Well, mine did hit too far left and way too high as described. Hopefully I’ll get some time this weekend to shoot and make some progress. I’ll make a note of any repetitive results like you described if that’s the case. Thanks.
 
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