You're are good, honest man who gives a real review for all of us who can't afford the top of the line rigs you see some people shooting. I started off on a Ruger with my dad forty years ago and I still love their rifles. The new version ticks all the right boxes and looks a treat. Can't takee to see how it shoots and groups and of course your first hunt with it.
I don't care about the capacity as much - I'd prefer it to still be flush fit though. I never load more than 2 rounds into my bolt gun when hunting anyways.
Yep, I bought the 5 and 10 rounders for my Gen 1 predator! The three round mag works great for 3 shot groups, the 5 is perfect for hunting and the 10 is perfect for all my snipery situations
Ruger has fixed all of the things I did not like about the Ge I American. Bolt body has been smoothed. Definite stock upgrades, LOP adjustable, threaded bolt handle, comb height adjustment, it does have cool factor. Spiral fluted barrel, not on the 450 BM.
Proof of the pudding is in the size of the shooting groups as well as the trigger squeeze, smoothness of the action between shots and how well it can shoot well with different types of ammo.
I like the gen 2 rifles better. Both of my ruger American rifles are in mdt chassis. The weak part of the ruger American stock is actually through the grip area. But people have to realize the ruger American is one of the middle of the road hunting rifles and are capable of shooting small groups if you don’t bear down on the stock and torque it out of spec. I will still take that ruger over some other brands.
@edwardh1591 I am looking at either the Gen 1 or Gen 2 in 308. Either way it’s going into a MDT field stock, so the stock and magazine differences will not be an issue. That leaves the differences pretty minimal I think. Any real reason to get the Gen 2 over the Gen 1? I think the Gen 1 is about $200 less.
Getting a gen ll soon as they release it in 400 legend I have a 350 predator in stainless love it im blown away by the new look and design of the gen ll cant wait to get one here in Ohio we can only use straight wall rifles
My barrel on my gen one would touch the stock with just the weight of the scoped rifle on shooting stick. I restocked it with Magpul and love it. The gen 2 seems to have fixed the issue so I can have that lighter weight rifle.
I appreciate all things Magpul. It would be awesome if they expanded into optics and triggers, etc. Sort of like the Walmart of guns, only higher quality domestic goodies. MAGA
Got gen 1 in 450 love it might have get gen 2 in 350 for the money don't think you can beat them. Never thought the stock was a problem if you are leaning on it so hard it is flexing stock is not your problem lol. Great presentation as always.
@WHO_TEE_WHO - did you by chance get to see Davidson GoG - did a tour of the Ruger American Gen 2 factory - explains and shows the assembly process for Gen 2's really a GREAT to watch - I am with you I love the RA's and I am going to be getting one also myself - cant wait to see how they shoot - THANKS for all you do and KEEP up the GREAT CONTENT !!!!!!!!!
Looks really good but that short of a barrel might discourage me from buying. It would depend on application. If just a moderate range deer rifle in a typical short action caliber, I might be fine with it. If it is an elk rifle and a larger caliber I would want all the powder potential I could get.
I agree with you - I think the stock on the original RAR is fine, although I only have the Ranch and Predator models which might have a heavier stock. I think a less than 20" barrel is a bit short for 7mm-08 but I would be ok with an 20" barrel for something like 308 Win.
Great video, My Friend! As always. So just a quick observation. The Cerakote finish is $150 aftermarket. So, without ever actually holding a Gen 2, Im thinking it's a pretty good upgrade for the money. God Bless!
This! Is about to be a really fun video.... love that intro man, it never gets old... I know when I hear it I'm in for some good stuff! Looking for either a 308 or 6.5 creedmoor and definitely considering the new Ruger American Gen 2.
That 18.750” barrel is a concern though for a caliber like the 7mm-08. The ballistics for long range work take a hit 20” is minimum 22” is even better and 1 less round in the magazine.
That method of measuring the barrels is especially problematic if it holds true on the ranch rifle as well. That means sub 15" barrels on some of these calibers which would result in much lower velocity and far greater muzzle flash.
Ilike the gen2 model, however, with all rhese changes to make it a modern boolot slinger, where is the vertical grip. That change would make this a great entry level competition slinger. And still effective for deer catching. Why put a krg bravo on it if you didn’t have to. Just my 02. Great video.
I wondered why no RU-vid channel or viewer here or person on Reddit mentioned there was no upgrade to the grip. I like that Tikka gives the option of swapping out for a vertical grip.
You said after the first video to stay tuned …. I like this video, but I am staying tuned for the items I requested for comparison. 👍. But thank you for this info. You answered a few other questions I had! 🙌🏼
Ruger makes great firearms...I have a model 77 in 270 I bought twenty yrs ago....no need to upgrade on this one...they don't make them any better than the older model 77...made to last lifetimes
Even if the stock was made of steel you could probably still flex it into the barrel, that is the power of long leverage. Mount your bipod further back.
Not true. I have an aluminum MDT chassis for one of my rifles and when I grip the end of the stock and barrel and pinch it hard it does not move even a tiny bit.
@@Mike_858 Steel will still flex even if you think you can't see it, the Ruger American was always intended to be a hunting rifle not a bench supported target rifle achieving consistently tight groups. They do very well considering though.
I think it's really a wash. If you have a gen 1, I don't see any major reason to upgrade to gen 2. If you are in the market specifically for a Ruger American, I think it comes down to price and availability more than anything.
Price point will be an issue here in Australia the the ruger american is seen as a great budget rifle and price rises will push it into proven higher quality rifle territory like tikka who has fantastic after market support here
@@chrisb9478 Bergara gets a lot of publicity in the US they could try it on here in Auz and see how they go, I don't see them much here. If marketed right could be good.
Only other thing I'd like to see is how it shoots and feeds / extracts, I'm basically already sold but that would be nice to and I'm sure that'll be coming up.
A little slip of the tongue but both only carry one in the pipe, but 3 or 4 in the magazine. Thanks for sharing this side by side comparison with the chart and the sweet discount. Even though I am left eye dominant I am interested in one in 7mm PRC and either 350 L or the new 400 L.
Love the new barrel, bolt, stock. As the mag only holdong three my flish mount does malfunction when i have 4 in it so i always just load it with 3. So not a big deal with the mag only holding 3, but the 20 barrel i dont care for. With that being said looks like ruger knocked it out of the park! Great video man!
My only complaint about my current RA is that it rusts fairly easily. Otherwise it’s a nice little rifle. Killed plenty of deer in WI. I like the new models upgrades but we will see what price they sell for…
The cerekote on the gen 2 should help with that, otherwise i try and wipe em down with a remoil wipe after i'm done for the day. Michigan here, so we get similar weather in the UP.
I don't hunt with a supresser so I would like to see the full 22 inch barrel, plus the muzzle break. I would be interested to see a chronograph test between the old and new generation. Cartridges like the .243 and other magnums need the extra barely length to get close to the posted velocity on the box. Otherwise it could throw off your long range ballistics.
I have the Gen I in 'Go Wild', don't consider the stock flimsy. Now, the Savage Axis II, that I consider flimsy. Only reason I swapped to the Magpul hunter stock was for the cheek riser. I want to get the Gen II when the 30:06 becomes available.
I think I should talk to doctor Peterson bc every time I buy a 7mm mag I think I should have got it in 308 and every time I buy a 308 I think I should have got it in 7mm.
I’m very much contemplating picking one up especially since it seems like the feeding issues are fixed according to Jim from Backfire. The only thing that concerns me is the shorter barrels. I understand because it seems like suppressors are more common, but it still takes a hurt on velocity.
Seems like when you preload a bipod it would pull the stock away from the barrel instead of push it into it. You don’t exert downward pressure or pulling force which would be what’s needed to flex the stock into the barrel when using a bipod. But maybe I’m wrong 🤷♂️
I watched a new Ruger video that showed the Gen2 bolt being machined, it’s now stainless which is good. I didn’t know the 1st gen was just naked carbon steel. Good thing I oil mine. I need to know if the Gen2 fits Gen1 stocks. I emailed Ruger, no response yet. I might buy a Gen2 & pit in a KRG Bravo stock later.
@@braedench that's a matter of needs or opinions..for myself i would like a rotary flush-mount mag for astherics "better looks" sleeker design..but that aside more importantly because of that, easier carrying, and another round available in the mag..plus an extra mag would be much easier to carry in a pocket. There really isn't a reason this rifle model doesn't have that..except they were cutting down on cost.
@@camwinston5248I doubt it had anything to do with cost…they still make the magazine that comes with it. The old rotary mags, the ones that had metal inside, worked pretty well. They switched to an all plastic rotary mag at some point and they fed terribly, especially if you actually loaded 4 into the mag. This new mag was supposed to eliminate that problem, plus…I don’t know if you noticed, but the whole rifle kind of appeals to the crowd that’s running huge scopes, suppressors, big mags, etc. I think they missed the mark for the average deer hunter that wants a flush mag and a small/lightweight scope…oh, and a thread protector in the box so I don’t have to deal with the brake…but apparently THAT costs too much…even though they don’t sell a matching color/profile thread protector…so I have to do my own research/shopping and put a black thread protector on a rifle that costs $600…ohhh, and want a different length of pull or comb height? That’ll cost you extra too. Hard pass for me for multiple reasons.
Gen 2 has 3 round capacity? That stinks. I like to have at least 4 in the gun when hunting. Unlike every other hunter out there, I do miss from time to time and need the additional rounds! I think I’ll stick with my gen1 guns. Thanks for the video.
I have a rugar gen 1 . Only gun i had to send in for warranty. They fixed it. Extractor wouldn't close. Id probably throw the extra 400 and buy another tikka.
Hey Adam, huge fan! Watch everything you post. You don't happen to have a factor stock for a original savage axis rh for a s.a. .223 do you? I broke mine and find a factory one?
