Ruger Compact American Rifle in .223

[AndyLate]

I picked up a used RAR Compact in .223 a few months ago because I liked the idea of a light, compact .223 bolt rifle. I don't really read any gun mags, so I didn't know a great deal about the RAR, but it was a Ruger and priced right, so I gambled on it.

I had a Leupold VX-2 2-7x32 scope and a pair of low Weaver rings on hand to mount on the provided bases. I don't think I could have come up with a better combination - the scope is low enough to provide a decent cheek weld and looks/balances about perfectly to me. There is roughly 1/8" between the objective lens and barrel and the bolt clears the eyepiece comfortably. I also think power range of the scope is great for the small 223 bolt rifle.

My wife and I set the eye relief on the scope to be comfortable for her with the 12.5" LOP factory stock and adjusted the trigger to the minimum, approximately 3 lbs. before we took it to the range.

Reading about the RAR online left me a little concerned about feeding from the magazines, but the magazine the rifle came with and the 2 spares I bought function just fine.

There are a lot of online reports of good accuracy, and that certainly proved to be true of the little Ruger. Hornady Black 55gr. HP ammunition shoots so well that I put a 150 Rd box in the "for emergencies only" spot in my safe. All the ammunition I tried shot well, but the Black was just ridiculous.

My wife and a petite lady from work both love shooting the little .223, and my wife staked claim on it after her first range trip.

EDIT - The 223 compacts are discontinued. They are available in .243 and 6.5 Creedmore; either would make a great budget youth/ladies hunting rifle.

It's not a "nice" rifle, but I wanted to share how pleased my wife and I are with her RAR compact.

Andy

[Pacific5th]

I’m glad you like it. I had nearly the same thing twice. I had the 762x39 model with the leapold 2-7. I traded the rifle for the AR mag 5.56 version cause I didn’t have anything else in 762x39. I ended up getting rid of that cause I felt the AR mag was sloppy in the magwell and had a few feeding issues. The 762x39 mini thirty mag did not have that issue. If Ruger ever does a Mini-14 mag version I would seriously consider getting that.

[CrowCommand]

I just put the same scope on my CZ 527 in .223. It does seem like a handy setup, I'm going to try and get it zeroed this weekend.

[FJCowboy]

I just picked up a Ruger American Predator in 6.5CM. It was a great deal at Dick's Sporting Goods. I hated to spend my money there, but the price was right. I think it is going to be a great hunting rifle.

I've got a Trijicon Accupoint 1x4 that I'm going to throw on there for now, but I would like to pick up a Vortex at some point with a little bit more power. I think it should be a pretty good set up along with my SilencerCo Omega. This will be my first 6.5CM and excited to see what all the hype is about. I bet that 30.06 on a light RAR was a fun ride. I've got an old Marlin 30-30, that I would like to have a gunsmith go through and clean up and thread the barrel. I love the old school lever actions.

[robbins290]

I’m glad you like it. I had nearly the same thing twice. I had the 762x39 model with the leapold 2-7. I traded the rifle for the AR mag 5.56 version cause I didn’t have anything else in 762x39. I ended up getting rid of that cause I felt the AR mag was sloppy in the magwell and had a few feeding issues. The 762x39 mini thirty mag did not have that issue. If Ruger ever does a Mini-14 mag version I would seriously consider getting that.

You can get the mag wells for any combo you want. Just call up ruger. I have the 762x39 and will be converting it to ar15 mags soon. The mag wells are only 30 bucks or so. I already had a pile of ar mags in 762x39 and do not want to stock pile another type on mag.

[ndmiller]

You can get the mag wells for any combo you want. Just call up ruger. I have the 762x39 and will be converting it to ar15 mags soon. The mag wells are only 30 bucks or so. I already had a pile of ar mags in 762x39 and do not want to stock pile another type on mag.

You sir, win the internet. I had no idea and am ordering the AR-15 Magwell right now. I'm guessing AR style single load solutions lockup perfectly as well.

[RUTGERS95]

You sir, win the internet. I had no idea and am ordering the AR-15 Magwell right now. I'm guessing AR style single load solutions lockup perfectly as well.

ok now I'm rethinking my earlier comment...lol

[ndmiller]

ok now I'm rethinking my earlier comment...lol

My 7.62X39 Ruger Ranch was about $300 and is MOA out to 200 yards (as far as I've shot). Fun with essentially milsurp ammo I've been buying in the 90's through early 2000's. Wolf MOA, Red Army Moa, utter crap steel cased ammo MOA, just so fun and cheap to shoot, while every other caliber is like it's being sold at Tiffany's my old AK ammo is amazing though this gun. I bought a kestrel to go further as this round drops like a lead ballon according to ballistic curves, but love to hit some steel at 300-500 for fun. My range has a 600 yard silhouette range with steel at every 100 yards, so don't even have to change out targets or even walk anywhere.

BUT mags are annoying and I don't want to stock up on mini 30 mags, so the other maxwell is ideal.

[AndyLate]

I think the 6.5 CM is a great medium game round (like all 6.5s) and the relatively mild recoil is a bonus given the light weight of the RAR. A hunter at the range was checking out the 223 Compact when he showed me the still healing scope cut from shooting a 30-06 RAR in the prone.

I bought a Marlin 45-70 (1895 GS) from Dicks, but that was before they started living up to their name.

Andy

[norcalAF]

I like the Ruger American series, I have the Ranch, it pairs nicely with my mini thirty.