Ruger, this week, unveiled its offering to the affordable rifle market — the Ruger American Rifle.
The company has billed it as "an all new, 100 percent American made bolt-action rifle that sets a new standard of excellence among value-priced, bolt-action rifles."
Spec sheets show that the rifle, available mid January, will be offered in .243, .308, .270 and .30-06. Cost: $449.
According to the company, "The Ruger American Rifle combines the rugged reliability of Ruger's past with the award-winning ingenuity featured in so many of Ruger's new products."
The company's president and CEO, Mike Fifer, remarked, "The Ruger American Rifle delivers exciting features and outstanding accuracy at a very reasonable price."
"Our new rifle is lightweight and quick handling," he added, "yet (it) manages recoil surprisingly well. With a great trigger, smooth-cycling bolt, and tack-driving accuracy, the Ruger American Rifle gives hunters an affordable tool to achieve success in the field."
The 6-1/4 pound Ruger American Rifle offers the new Ruger Marksman Adjustable trigger which, according to the company, "offers a crisp release with a pull weight that is user-adjustable between three and five pounds."
Also, the rifle's new patent-pending "Power Bedding" system uses "stainless-steel bedding blocks insert-molded into the stock to positively locate the receiver and free-float the barrel. The barrel's rifling is cold hammer forged to exacting tolerances, providing sub-MOA accuracy, long-term endurance, and a mirror-smooth finish that is easy to clean," the company said.
The Ruger American Rifle's three-lug, 70-degree bolt provides ample scope clearance, and uses a full diameter bolt body and dual cocking cams for smooth, easy cycling from the shoulder. The reliable four-round, rotary magazine fits flush with the stock and offers the smooth feed that has become the hallmark of Ruger rotary magazines, the company said.
The receiver is drilled and tapped for mounting the included scope bases.
Ruger officials said the new rifle "carries easily, shoulders quickly, and shoots comfortably, thanks to the ergonomic design of its trim, lightweight stock with an ambidextrous palm swell, forend finger relief, and soft rubber recoil pad."
They added that "the easily accessible tang safety, which can be placed 'on safe' while the bolt is cycled, is complemented by the passive, trigger-mounted safety which positively locks the trigger for an additional measure of security."
