Since I really like both of my AR builds in 6.5 Grendel, I bought the Ruger Ranch in Grendel when my local dealer received one about 3 months ago. Although Im left-handed, when I saw the tag on the rifle was marked 6.5 Grendel, I instantly reached for my wallet and said, Yes please.
I put a Leupold 2-7x33 scope on it since most of my shots on Arkansas whitetails will be less than 300 yards, but likely less than 100 yards in the woods. 2 power is perfect for close range shots and 7 power easily gets me out to 300 yards. The scope has the illuminated center dot for confident shots in the dark woods during the last minutes of legal shooting.
Im a member of a private shooting range with steel starting at 300 yards and stretching all the way to 800 yards. With this little rifle I can routinely ring steel out to 500 yards. At 100 yards I can easily get 1.5 groups, often tighter. That is with the 1 MOA thick reticle line in this scope.
I have three minor gripes with this rifle. One is the barrel thickness. I wish it were a little thinner profile. As it comes stock it balances well. However, Ive installed a SilencerCo flash hider on the barrel to allow quick mounting of my SilencerCo Omega can. With the can on the front, it gets a little nose heavy. Not bad, but noticeable. I guess thats the price of threading things on the front. My plan it to stalk in/out of the woods without the can and mounting it once I get on the stand. This also keeps it short and handy for maneuvering in the woods... an advantage of the short 16 barrel.
The second thing I wish it had was a safety position which locked the bolt. Personal preference... lastly, I think the butt-pad rubber is a little grabby. The little 6.5 doesnt really need much of a recoil pad and the stock one tends to grab clothing as you bring it to the shoulder. Again, personal preference.
Would I buy it again? In a minute! Light weight, short, handy, nice trigger, accurate, quick pointing, magazine fed (same mags as my Grendel ARs), low recoil, and in a caliber perfect for whitetails. For me, this is the perfect caliber for the Ranch Rifle concept.
Edmo
I put a Leupold 2-7x33 scope on it since most of my shots on Arkansas whitetails will be less than 300 yards, but likely less than 100 yards in the woods. 2 power is perfect for close range shots and 7 power easily gets me out to 300 yards. The scope has the illuminated center dot for confident shots in the dark woods during the last minutes of legal shooting.
Im a member of a private shooting range with steel starting at 300 yards and stretching all the way to 800 yards. With this little rifle I can routinely ring steel out to 500 yards. At 100 yards I can easily get 1.5 groups, often tighter. That is with the 1 MOA thick reticle line in this scope.
I have three minor gripes with this rifle. One is the barrel thickness. I wish it were a little thinner profile. As it comes stock it balances well. However, Ive installed a SilencerCo flash hider on the barrel to allow quick mounting of my SilencerCo Omega can. With the can on the front, it gets a little nose heavy. Not bad, but noticeable. I guess thats the price of threading things on the front. My plan it to stalk in/out of the woods without the can and mounting it once I get on the stand. This also keeps it short and handy for maneuvering in the woods... an advantage of the short 16 barrel.
The second thing I wish it had was a safety position which locked the bolt. Personal preference... lastly, I think the butt-pad rubber is a little grabby. The little 6.5 doesnt really need much of a recoil pad and the stock one tends to grab clothing as you bring it to the shoulder. Again, personal preference.
Would I buy it again? In a minute! Light weight, short, handy, nice trigger, accurate, quick pointing, magazine fed (same mags as my Grendel ARs), low recoil, and in a caliber perfect for whitetails. For me, this is the perfect caliber for the Ranch Rifle concept.
Edmo
Embrace the Automation...