Budget conscious hunter will be happy with Ruger American

A comparison of common cartridges that can be used in the Ruger American rifle. 

The Ruger American rifle is designed to be a lightweight and trustworthy hunting rifle for buyers on a budget.

It is a centre fire bolt-action rifle manufactured in the United States.

The standard model comes in either short- or long-action, has an overall length of 42 inches and weighs six to 6.5 pounds depending on the choice of calibre.

The compact model comes only in short-action, has an overall length of 36.75 inches and weighs six lb.

All models come with a detachable four-round rotary magazine that sits flush in the stock.

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The magazine and stock are made from a black composite material, while the hammer-forged sporter barrel is free-floated.

Primary safety is on the tang and the receiver is block-bedded in the stock and pre-equipped with Weaver-style scope bases.

Loading the rotary magazine took a little getting used to for those familiar with the box magazine or top-loading firearms. However, it proved to be reliable in operation.

The rifle isn’t intended to be a bench rest or competition precision firearm, but it’s accuracy was more than sufficient for hunting game at appropriate distances using a variety of off-the-shelf ammunition selections.

The trigger proved to be crisp and user adjustable for a three to five lb. pull. The bolt was dependable and smooth for the comparative cost of the rifle, and its 70-degree lever throw had plenty of room for gloved manipulation when mounted with a scope.

The stock came pre-equipped with an effective and soft recoil pad.

The rifle does not have iron sights or a raised stock comb. Some shooters will probably need an aftermarket cheek pad for use with a scope.

The pre-equipped scope bases limit owners to Weaver-style rings unless they replace them.

Lightweight firearms such as the Ruger American rifle are excellent to pack or sling while on foot. However, the trade-off is notable recoil in larger calibres.

This appears to be an overall design choice by Ruger, considering that the sporter barrel is designed for one or a few hunting shots at a time.

I personally found it beneficial to use a shotgun recoil shield strapped over my shoulder when testing a standard model chambered-in .30-06 Springfield cartridge.

This rifle will reward an owner who attaches a good scope with strong rings. Owners should consider buying a scope from a respected brand name for about the same money they spent on the rifle.

This combination should create a shooting package that is more capable than the average hunter, leaving room to further develop shooting skills.

Many budget hunting rifles are on the market, and buyers must be careful to balance cost, features and quality when going over the options.

The Ruger American rifle is an excellent choice for the dollar.