Opinion - Ruger Precision Rifle, Which Caliber?

[orygun]

Sure wish they would bring these out in a long action - I wants me one in 300 WM

I'd be happy as a clam with an '06, but in a rifle like this 300 Win is more likely to happen.

 

[3MTA3]

I'd be happy as a clam with an '06, but in a rifle like this 300 Win is more likely to happen.

For now this is the closest thing I can find - the 110BA Stealth. If the butt stock was in line with the recoil like the RPR it would near perfect. C'mon Ruger...

 

[Seared Saba]

Like many other have said in here, I would also go with .308 as well to avoid getting new reloading dies and brass.

 

[2ndtimer]

The .308 is a great option. Attached are a couple targets I shot a week ago at 100 yards prone with a Harris bipod and my Savage 10T. The one on the left is 5 rounds of factory seconds SSA 168 gr match loads, the target on the right is 4 rounds of my standard 42.5 gr of IMR-4064, these were the Hornady 168 HPBT Match bullets. I usually load the Nosler of the same weight. My frugality shows through, as I picked up the rifle on sale at Cabela's for just $424 after mail in rebate. Have to admit my son's 12FV from Cabela's shoots just as well, and it was only $379 on sale (the FV lacks the tactical bolt handle, accustock, detachable magazine, and 5R rifled barrel, but does add a little more velocity with the 26" barrel). The .308 Win. can shoot!

 

[n8train]

I just went to the range this past weekend to dial in my 308. While I was there, I met a guy with a new RPR Creedmoor and he let me stroke a few downrange. That thing was RIDICULOUSLY accurate, fun, and minimal felt recoil. I could definitely see buying one of those.

 

[Cortes]

Yep, another "which caliber is best" thread!! If interested, read on, if not, read on!

Nearing the top of my 'want' list is the Ruger Precision rifle. If I don't get it this year, I will get one next year. I find I'm back and forth over the caliber choice though. I'm always interested in getting feedback and opinions from folks here that have more experience with such things.

Since some may ask: why the rifle? Mainly for fun and to have something to work on for longer distance shooting. The goal being that some day down the road, I'll learn more about long distance and maybe even consider competing in some matches. I hope to have some property I can shoot long distance on of my own some day, so this is also meant to look ahead to that time. I'm interested in shooting out to 1,000 yards, probably no further.

As far as this particular rifle, I know there are a lot of options out there, some expensive, some more expensive. I'd like to start with something that's known to be good out-of-the box, with the ability to build on that later, if needed. Other considerations are the precision adjustable stock, the compatibility with AR style magazines and the styling, which I do like. For the price, it seems to be well regarded as a great value.

Currently there are 3 calibers offered that may interest me: .308, 6.5 Creedmoor and 6mm Creedmoor.

My first thought is to go with .308 for a few reasons. First, I already have 2 other guns in .308, so keeping calibers consolidated would be a nice bonus which leads to the second consideration, hand loading. My first hand-load rifle caliber will be .308 when I'm ready to move on from pistol loading. That said, I'll be set up for that cartridge, so no extra equipment for other calibers. Know that I'm not opposed to adding another caliber, and it may even give me a reason to add an AR in that new caliber too

But the other 2 calibers are interesting and I see and hear some folks saying they would be good, even better choices. I've read a bit about them, but don't know much about them myself. I'll continue to do my own research, but I find that individual input/opinions is a valuable part of that research.

Given those 3 options, what would you choose, and why?

My experience with Ruger leads me to believe that the term Ruger and precision don't belong in the same sentence, but maybe it's just me.

I prefer the .308 but that said, the 6.5 Creedmoor has better ballistics. As others have mentioned, it may not stand the test of time but if you want to compete in long range shooting, a Savage Model 12LRP in 6.5 Creedmoor can be taken out of the box and competitions won with. I think they are guaranteed 1/2 MOA out of the box. There are local shooters here winning national and world championships with them.

So for about $1200 you can buy the rifle, add optics, work up a load, and you are good to go. No modifications necessary. They are shockingly accurate.

Money no object, 6.5 Creedmoor; some level of economy (same brass, bullets, dies) .308.

Definitely more expensive to shoot the 6.5 Creedmoor. But it's only money!

 

[Dan Adams]

I bought a RPR in .308 just because that was the only one I could get when they were first available. One of the local gun store managers took the 6.5 Creedmoor for himself (the scoundrel!). I've been a .308 fan since I was 12, my first deer rifle being a Savage 99. I rationalize the .308 as a good choice because ranges this side of the mountains go out to 600 yards. If and when I "graduate" to 1000+ yards, the 6.5 Creedmoor far outshines the .308 for bucking wind and gravity. I'm thinking of having my RPR converted to 6.5, mostly because I have found the Hornady ELD-X bullets perform very well, but so far Hornady doesn't make .308 Match ammo with the ELD-X bullet, only 6.5. Otherwise, I haven't found a single fault in the Ruger. By the way, the shooters on Long Range Reality consider the .308 Win as a proving ground for riflemen (and women), because .308 demands much better skills to make 1000+ yard shots in windy conditions than the 6.5.

 

[Happyshooter]

I am in the same predicament. A store in my area had the 308 but than he recommended the Savage stealth BA wich they had in both 6.5 and 308. The Savage felt a little more comfortable to me however I think it looks kinda funny, I think the Ruger looks badass. I have shot a couple service rifle matches with my AR so iron sights out to 600 yrds, I would like to step up to a 1000 yards and try some high power matches. Decisions decisions, looks like 308 is the winner but now wich rifle??

 

[Dan Adams]

If you're going past 600 yards, I still say the 6.5 or even 6mm is the better choice. Check out the ballistic charts. And check out a few of the precision rifle forums. At 1000 yards, I have to give my .308 RPR about 55 inches more elevation than I would the 6.5 Creedmore, which also is far less susceptible to wind. Even a mild 5 mph breeze requires quite a bit more holdover with the .308. As for rifles, the Ruger doesn't just look badass. You can adjust it to feel however you like. And having lots in common with the AR platform, you can swap out furniture until you get it to feel and shoot the way you want. Also, I've found Ruger's customer service to be superb. I emailed a question once and got a reply in less than three hours from the CEO. The question, by the way, was their recommendation on how to break in the barrel. Lots of voodoo about barrel break-in on the 'Net. Ruger's answer: clean it before you shoot it, and then clean as necessary--somewhere around 600 rounds later, depending on how clean the ammo shoots.

By the way, just to confuse the issue, Bergara just came out with a precision rifle not that much more expensive than the Ruger....

 

[rcnpthfndr]

.308 if you don't punch paper and its more versatile. me, I bought one in 243, and 2x in 308. though one of them is being re barreled into a 6.5x47lapua. I love the .308 though she is slower and requires more mil/moa adjustments at distance its still a proven workhorse in the accuracy department. you want speed and less adjustments with a .308 try 155gr Scenars. There's no fault with the old girl. As others have said 6.5 creedmore is the current darling of people who punch paper for a living shes just another niche in a long line of 6mm and 6.5mm cartridges for guys running in the PRS competitions. My .243 with 115 and 107 DTACs will out shoot the 308 to distance with less recoil. another thing to consider is barrel life. you will get a lot more mileage out of a 308 than the others.
As for barrel break in, I don't do it. hell, my precision rifles I don't even clean until accuracy falls off, then I just pull a bore snake through it a couple times. read this article and make your own assumptions on barrel break in.
How to Break-in a Barrel

 

[Dan Adams]

The .243 is a sweet caliber for all the reasons rcnpthfndr mentions. My .308 Ruger Precision Rifle prefers heavier bullets (175 gr), at least with me behind the scope. They ding the steel nicely, too! The boresnake does work well, although after a few hundred rounds, I like to wet the barrel with Butch's Bore Shine, leave it for a few minutes, scrub it out, and then run the snake.

 

[etrain16]

Still some great responses coming in. After some urging, I found myself looking into a Savage Model 10, specifically the 10FCP-SR. For less than 1/2 the price of the RPR, it seems a great way to get a start in LR shooting, leaving more $$ for a decent scope. Who knows, maybe I can be persuaded to think about a different gun?

 

[11Charlie]

@etrain16 interesting article on the savage you mentioned.

Savage Model 10 FCP-SR Review

I found it interesting if your wanting to shoot long range.

 

[2ndtimer]

Still some great responses coming in. After some urging, I found myself looking into a Savage Model 10, specifically the 10FCP-SR. For less than 1/2 the price of the RPR, it seems a great way to get a start in LR shooting, leaving more $$ for a decent scope. Who knows, maybe I can be persuaded to think about a different gun?

I sure like my Savage 10T from Cabela's. It is available in .308 Win and 6.5 Creedmoor. When I bought mine, it was .308 only or I may well have gone 6.5. The current model 10T-SR adds a threaded barrel for suppressor or muzzle brake and includes the previous 10T features, tactical bolt handle, accustock, 5R rifled heavy barrel and lists for $649.99 and has a $75 mail in rebate valid through April 1st.
Savage® Arms Model 10T-SR Tactical Bolt-Action Rifle with Threaded Barrel : Cabela's

 

[Dan Adams]

Not a bad idea to start with a less expensive rifle so you can afford superior optics! Recently I was talking with a local gunsmith about my growing box of holsters, and he said, "Get into long range shooting like I am, and that box will start filling up with scopes and that gets really expensive!" I chose the Ruger for its lower cost so I could add a good scope. Although I love my .308 RPR with Nightforce 4-16 scope, after a year I'm already yearning for a 6-30 scope. So if you like the Savage 10, I'd recommend putting the savings (vs the RPR) into glass.

 

[2ndtimer]

Not a bad idea to start with a less expensive rifle so you can afford superior optics! Recently I was talking with a local gunsmith about my growing box of holsters, and he said, "Get into long range shooting like I am, and that box will start filling up with scopes and that gets really expensive!" I chose the Ruger for its lower cost so I could add a good scope. Although I love my .308 RPR with Nightforce 4-16 scope, after a year I'm already yearning for a 6-30 scope. So if you like the Savage 10, I'd recommend putting the savings (vs the RPR) into glass.

That is what I did with my Savage 10T, actually spending more on the scope than the rifle. I got a deal on a Leupold MK4 LRT 4.5-14x40, Mil-Dot. It has worked really, and I got it for $700 on sale at the local Sportsman's Warehouse. Being frugal, it was the most I have spent on optics.

 

[11Charlie]

I have been looking long and hard at the Mossberg MVP-LR. Two reasons it's designed to be a long range gun and it accepts AR style magazines M1A or LR308/SR25

That is huge selling point to me because I already have a bunch of those magazines.

Mossberg MVP LR-T Tactical Rifle - In-Depth Review

 

[etrain16]

I have been looking long and hard at the Mossberg MVP-LR. Two reasons it's designed to be a long range gun and it accepts AR style magazines M1A or LR308/SR25

That is huge selling point to me because I already have a bunch of those magazines.

Mossberg MVP LR-T Tactical Rifle - In-Depth Review

I didn't know there was a long range version of the MVP - I guess I'll have to look at that one too.

 

[11Charlie]

There is a good video to watch at the bottom of review etrain. The other thing I like is the price tag

 

[Ura-Ki]

That review of the Savage points out some things to consider, He got an improvement in accuracy by changing the stock, This tells me that he ether didn't torque his screws on the factory stock, or he didn't check the bedding to see that it was consistent and had full support. I also suspect he didn't fully break in his barrel before doing his report. I have been able to get less then 1/4 moa out of my 10T-SR with simple mods and adjustments. Now it sits in a very trick MasterClass F-Prone stock and combined with a few more tricks, it is a 4" natural dispersion rifle at well beyond a grand. Mine really likes the 168 gr MatchKing BTHPT and the 175 Gr SMK's the best. Also puts respectable groups with Swift Scriccos 165 gr. FOr a long reaching hunting round on Yoties.
For some serious Long range work, Have a look at this mount.
Cold Shot Scope Base System - MOAB 150 and M1A/M14