As someone who is always anticipating her next hunting adventure, I stay on top of my game and add to my bag of tricks whenever companies launch innovative products labeled “new and improved.” So last year when Sturm, Ruger & Co. said it was launching Generation II of the affordable, reliable Ruger American rifle at the 2024 Shooting Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show, I paid attention. The original model that debuted in 2010 as a value-minded alternative to the more expensive Ruger Hawkeye had earned a solid reputation as the company followed through on its commitment to deliver “the best bang for the buck.” Generation II was said to be better yet, so I did what any dedicated hunter would do: I tested it.
Ahead of the product launch, I joined a few women from Ruger at the FTW Ranch in Barksdale, Texas, for the ultimate shooting test: an FTW Sportsman's All-Weather All-Terrain Marksmanship (SAAM) training course. While such rigorous training instills the confidence to hunt in any conditions in pursuit of our game species of choice, it also pushes a rifle’s limits and exposes any drawbacks. If the rifle performed here, it would perform anywhere.
Getting to witness other women’s reactions to the rifle while on the firing line was important as I assessed the rifle’s merits and saw newer shooters benefitting from its features as intended. We shot for hours at farther and farther distances. While I wouldn’t take a hunting shot at 700 yards, there is something special about the sound of a bullet hitting a metal gong at that distance. As this lightweight, maneuverable and accurate rifle performed, I realized it was no wonder that Ruger’s public relations manager, Paul Pluff, had told NRA Media the company was proud to introduce Gen II, touting it as “an update to the American-made rifle that has been the benchmark for accuracy, durability and performance in bolt-action rifles for over a decade.”
The rifle, which I tested and ultimately hunted with in 6.5 Creedmoor, is packed with attributes hunters and shooters will appreciate. It deserves the attention of NRA women in search of an accurate, reliable rifle at a fair price, and here is why.
New features start with a ceramic-based Cerakote finish on the barrel, muzzle brake, receiver and bolt handle. This is a noted upgrade as the finish enhances durability, strength and corrosion resistance while making these parts easier to clean. Also important, the rifle has a three-position “tang” safety instead of the two-position safety on the original Ruger American. For newer shooters unfamiliar with that terminology, I’m referring to the sliding bar located on the metal strip, or tang—behind the receiver—that prevents firing. It includes a full-safe mode, a halfway point that allows you to work the bolt while the trigger remains on safe, and a fire mode. The three-position safety is an advantage for those who hike through the brush while hunting as it prevents the bolt from accidentally opening, and keeps the safety engaged.
While I like the aesthetics of Gen II’s spiraled, fluted barrel, the design serves two functions: It reduces weight at the muzzle—without compromising barrel stiffness or accuracy—and it provides a larger surface area to help the barrel cool faster compared to a smooth barrel of the same weight. This comes in handy when you’re shooting for hours on the range, and it increases barrel life. While the fluting process typically adds to production costs, Ruger absorbs the expense in its quest to deliver an affordable rifle that, like its predecessor, offers “the best bang for the buck.” The cold-hammer-forged barrel is now 20” instead of 22”, aiding its portability.
Ruger also redesigned the stock. While it is polymer like the original, it features what it calls “cross webbing” on the stock and fore-end, making it is stiffer and even more durable. Its tri-color gray splatter finish is indeed appealing, but the extra texture serves a purpose: to enhance your grip. If the stock gets wet while you’re hunting or your hands get cold, it keeps your hand from slipping.
Hunters of all physical statures also can take advantage of Gen II’s low, factory-installed removable comb riser. Change the comb height easily by sliding the comb piece to the rear. I saw the difference the comb made to the newer shooters and hunters at the FTW Ranch as they became increasingly proficient at acquiring targets and aligning the sights of their scopes. If you’re using a low-mounted sight, remove the comb. To tweak the fit, more comb options are available at ShopRuger.com.
As with the original Ruger American, the company’s patented Power Bedding system positively locates the receiver, keeps it in place and free-floats the barrel. This enhances stability and accuracy by preventing unwanted movement. The barrel moves freely each time a shot is fired, thanks to two stainless steel bedding blocks that are insert-molded into the stock. A Ruger Marksman adjustable trigger provides a crisp release with pull-weight options from 3 to 5 lbs. so shooters can customize the amount of force it takes to fire. The smooth, one-piece CNC-machined stainless-steel bolt has a familiar three-lug design with an oversized handle that makes it easy to work quickly, which is appreciated when a quick follow-up shot is needed. Its 70-degree throw provides for bolt handle clearance when taking aim through scopes with larger objectives.
Ruger addressed recoil management through a hollowed-out rubber recoil pad. The pad’s heel has a large radius for quick and easy shouldering, featuring “improved geometry that progressively collapses to reduce felt recoil.” This makes a difference. While shooting at FTW Ranch, I looked down the line of shooters in my group and noted that recoil was never an issue, so their focus remained on target acquisition, sight alignment, breath control and trigger squeeze. For those planning to mount a heavy muzzle device, Ruger’s stock-weight accessory kit adds up to 1.6 lbs. to the butt of the rifle to aid balance and diminish felt recoil.
You can’t shoot a rifle well if it doesn’t fit so Gen II arrives from the factory with a length-of-pull spacer (LOP) to tailor LOP from 13.75” down to only 12” for that custom fit. Those who need a longer LOP can order extra spacers.
For toting ease, the rifle weighs 6.5 lbs., has a 20” barrel with a 1:8” right-hand twist and a length of 41.25”. While I enjoyed shooting and eventually hunting with the it in the flat-shooting 6.5 Creedmoor, it is currently chambered in six calibers: .204 Ruger; .223 Remington; 6.5 Creedmoor’; 7mm-08 Rem.; .308 Winchester; and .450 Bushmaster. The MSRP is $729, though your local shop may even offer it for less. And there’s more good news: Ruger also launched a Ranch model that weighs 6.2 lbs., has a 16.10” barrel, an AR-style magazine and an overall length of 37.35” in four calibers with a stock that sports a tan splatter finish it calls “Flat Dark Earth.” It increased the Gen II’s lineup in the spring when it announced a Predator model with a burnt bronze Cerakote finish and green stock featuring a black and bronze splatter finish and a 22” barrel to achieve greater velocities (shown below).
For more details, the updated Ruger American rifle has a factory-installed one-piece Picatinny scope base and a detachable AI-style box magazine that holds three rounds. It sports steel sling-swivel studs so pull it from the box, add a sling and scope and start shooting. It is affordable—a great key word in today’s economy—and fun to shoot, partly because it is accurate right out of the box, which is what we require when shooting at a live animal. As FTW Ranch’s Tim Fallon reminds us, “You only have one first shot.”
And one shot was all I needed—make that one shot, three times—all in the grand state of Texas. First up was an April blackbuck hunt. One well-placed, 175-yard shot at this striking, spiral-horned animal that adorns the Texas Hill Country was all it took. It traveled about 60 yards and dropped. It was during this spot-and-stalk hunt that I appreciated the rifle’s relatively light weight, its 20” barrel and that three-position safety.
I took the rifle out again over Thanksgiving weekend as my husband, Phil, and I took part in the NRA’s vital National Wild Game Meat Donation Month initiative in November in recognition of the hunters across America who donate millions of pounds of nutritious game meat to help feed those less fortunate each year. We joined friends and ranch owners Guy and Karrie Bennallack on their El Papalote Ranch in Eagle Pass, Texas, for a management whitetail hunt. On the first morning I took a doe and on day two I took a beautiful mature buck. Neither deer went more than 50 yards. Phil and I are well stocked on wild game meat in our freezer, so were very happy to drop off a few deer in support of local Hunters for the Hungry efforts.
For more on this rifle—as well as gift ideas for both the men and women in your life who share your passion for the great outdoors and hunting—visit Ruger.com and ShopRuger.com.
