Ruger American Compact 308

[Russian Bot]

Got it all set up, and took it to the range this week to zero. I was reminded why I like having a spotter with me. Also learning why I don't really enjoy shooting light weight rifles in larger calibers. Thing jumps off the table, and makes it really hard to track my shot. Got it pretty close before I had used the ammo I took with me. Will probably get a limb saver do some work on the stock to add weight and rigidity, unless I find Hunter stock for it on the cheap. Almost wish I had waited for Ruger to have the Hunter model available again.
On another note, I noticed a thread of metal around the bolt body when I took it apart for cleaning. Will have to take pictures maybe just left over from when they machined it.

[golfish]

I think your local. Do you mind if I ask what range you got to?

I'd really like to go to the new range that opened up in the canyon above Glen Helen.

[Russian Bot]

Yes I am. Usually West End Gun Club, but this trip I ended up at Route 66 (I believe the one you're talking about) over off the Kenwood exit.

[golfish]

Yes I am. Usually West End Gun Club, but this trip I ended up at Route 66 (I believe the one you're talking about) over off the Kenwood exit.

Yeah man, that's it... How did you like it ?

[Russian Bot]

Yeah man, that's it... How did you like it ?

It was cool, they're big on FULLY supporting the 2nd I paid $41 for a private 100 yard bay. They have a lot of shooting areas, and it looks like they're making more.

[1859sharps]

Also learning why I don't really enjoy shooting light weight rifles in larger calibers. Thing jumps off the table, and makes it really hard to track my shot.

Don't loose perspective regarding this rifle.

It is a hunting rifle, meant to be used from the field where it is carried more than shot. At 6 pounds + weight of scope and sling, you have darn near scout rifle weight depending on the weight of the scope.

It is a rifle designed to hit a 6" target zone (area of vitals on most large game animals) on demand, from field improvised shooting positions. It is not a precision target rifle used for shooting the smallest possible group.

While an improved stock might aid in comfort and reliably hitting your target, regardless of stock, light rifles force us to up our skills. To a point, "heavier" rifles can hide some of our "sins" in sloppy application of skills, or rusty skills etc. Light rifles... don't. If you mount the rifle correct, they can be very comfortable to shoot, if you don't...they aren't. and the list goes down the line for sight alignment, trigger control etc. small goofs in application of skills show up "bigger" on the target with light rifles.

I would suggest the following. If you are rusty at, or just starting out shooting a light rifle, start at 50 yards.

Once sighted in, focus on making sure your "groups" are all shots within a 4 inch zone, on demand, and not from a bench. Sitting, kneeling, prone, off hand etc. Once you can do that, move to 100. then once you can do that, move to 200. once you can do that, move to 300.

This is harder than it sounds and represents practical "groups" and accuracy that you can truly use in the field. Oh, and learn to use a shooting sling. Not a lot of makers of shooting slings out there, but Andy's leather, Galco's riflemann sling, and Turner slings are 3 sources that come to mind off the top of my head.

While one is free to do with as they want with their own rifle, this isn't the rifle to be "obsessed" over the smallest possible group from a bench. It isn't a bench rest rifle or PRS type rifle. It is a hunting rifle meant to be used in the field where there is no bench, shooting at large targets (Deer, pig, elk etc).

[Russian Bot]

Don't loose perspective regarding this rifle.

It is a hunting rifle, meant to be used from the field where it is carried more than shot. At 6 pounds + weight of scope and sling, you have darn near scout rifle weight depending on the weight of the scope.

It is a rifle designed to hit a 6" target zone (area of vitals on most large game animals) on demand, from field improvised shooting positions. It is not a precision target rifle used for shooting the smallest possible group.

While an improved stock might aid in comfort and reliably hitting your target, regardless of stock, light rifles force us to up our skills. To a point, "heavier" rifles can hide some of our "sins" in sloppy application of skills, or rusty skills etc. Light rifles... don't. If you mount the rifle correct, they can be very comfortable to shoot, if you don't...they aren't. and the list goes down the line for sight alignment, trigger control etc. small goofs in application of skills show up "bigger" on the target with light rifles.

I would suggest the following. If you are rusty at, or just starting out shooting a light rifle, start at 50 yards.

Once sighted in, focus on making sure your "groups" are all shots within a 4 inch zone, on demand, and not from a bench. Sitting, kneeling, prone, off hand etc. Once you can do that, move to 100. then once you can do that, move to 200. once you can do that, move to 300.

This is harder than it sounds and represents practical "groups" and accuracy that you can truly use in the field. Oh, and learn to use a shooting sling. Not a lot of makers of shooting slings out there, but Andy's leather, Galco's riflemann sling, and Turner slings are 3 sources that come to mind off the top of my head.

While one is free to do with as they want with their own rifle, this isn't the rifle to be "obsessed" over the smallest possible group from a bench. It isn't a bench rest rifle or PRS type rifle. It is a hunting rifle meant to be used in the field where there is no bench, shooting at large targets (Deer, pig, elk etc).

Very good points, this is my first adventure with this type of set up and I was thinking about carry weight when I bought this one to begin with. I just got a little surprised by how jumpy it was.

[Divernhunter]

the limbsaver pad will help quite a bit. You can also use a PAST recoil pad that you wear.
I do not find that rifle in 308win to be a hard kicker but if you do you can do as suggested.
The other thing to do for muzzle flip is to Mag-N-Port it. That will also reduce recoil but not take out your(or others) ears like a brake

[Epaphroditus]

I have the 243 version. A little work on the stock to clean up the rough edges.

Shoots subMOA.

Mine is the older version with rotary mags - be very careful with torque on the stock mounting screw otherwise feeding issues ensue as the mag indexes off the stock not the reciever.

I also have the ranch version which suffers to same issues but also shoots subMOA.

[golfish]

It was cool, they're big on FULLY supporting the 2nd I paid $41 for a private 100 yard bay. They have a lot of shooting areas, and it looks like they're making more.

That's a deal with gas prices being so high and they might be 10 miles from me.

The $41 was per hour ?

Thanks for the info.

[LindenBruce]

I have one of these and love it. It will save you ammo and your shoulder. B.

https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/sight-scope-installation-tools/optical-boresighter-kits/professional-boresighter-sku593000052-79733-53527.aspx

[LindenBruce]

I have one of these and love it. It will save you ammo and your shoulder. B.

https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/sight-scope-installation-tools/optical-boresighter-kits/professional-boresighter-sku593000052-79733-53527.aspx

[Russian Bot]

That's a deal with gas prices being so high and they might be 10 miles from me.

The $41 was per hour ?

Thanks for the info.

Technically its for one hour, but they don't really seem to bother you unless people are waiting. It would have been $36 but I didn't bring my target hangers with me so I had to buy one of their cardboard ones.

[1859sharps]

Very good points, this is my first adventure with this type of set up and I was thinking about carry weight when I bought this one to begin with. I just got a little surprised by how jumpy it was.

Learning to use a shooting sling will address the jumpy, and be much more practical/useful in the field than a compensator.

While I agree that the 308 isn't that hard of of a "kicker", not mounting the rifle right will make it hurt. Limb saver will have minimal affect on this issue. A light rifle "slamming" back into the collar bone hurts regardless of pad. But a rifle correctly mounted, even without the special pad is comfortable to shoot. You should be able to do 10 round strings without discomfort.

everyone is different in how their body perceives recoil, so if you need the limbsaver, you need the limbsaver.

My two cents, so take it for what it is worth... the order to concider making changes to your rifle should be...

buy and learn to use a shooting sling
practice mounting the rifle correctly in many different positions
determine if you need to replace the stock for something more stiff/durable
decide if the limbsaver is needed
and last, if the above isn't making the rifle comfortable for you, consider a compensator.

The order follows least expensive/non permanent, skills development, not permanent (the stock), then lastly a permanent alteration to the rifle, compensator.

[Munny$hot]

I have an 18" 308 and the kick/recoil is not excessive. It maybe due to the way you're mounting the rifle. A big misconception is you need to pull the rifle into your shoulder. Try to think as your body as a sponge to absorb recoil vs being ridgid and trying to keep it from moving backwards. Before you try to fix the recoil with changing our hardware, fixing the software is the first solution.