The Ruger American line of bolt-action rifles has been around for some time, and it’s now possible to build your own Ruger American Predator. The question is whether it’s worth taking the time to build your own American Predator rifle or if you’re better off simply buying one ready-to-go from the factory. We’re going to consider the pros and cons of a Ruger American Predator build and list some of the components that may make doing your own rifle build worthwhile.
What is the Ruger American Predator?
The Ruger American Predator is a bolt-action rifle designed for superior accuracy and enhanced performance. Ruger offers it in quite a few calibers including 6.5 Creedmoor, 308 Winchester, 350 Legend, and 243 Winchester. Barrel lengths differ as well. The rifle is made to give bolt-action fans and hunters the opportunity to run a higher quality rifle at a more affordable price.
How is the Ruger American Predator different from the Ruger American?
A question that sometimes comes up is, what is the Ruger American Predator and how does it differ from the standard American model? The biggest difference between the two models is the barrel. The Predator has a threaded and cold-hammer forged barrel. This means the Predator version is ready for suppressors or other muzzle devices right out of the box and the barrel itself has an edge for accuracy and durability. Because it’s cold hammer forged, the American Predator barrel can typically withstand longer use and a higher round count which is fantastic for serious shooters.
Can you build your own Ruger American Predator?
It’s important to note that while you can absolutely build a bolt-action rifle that’s similar to the Ruger American Predator, most shooters talking about building their own are referring to customizing their existing rifle. Shooters tend to want specific features in order to get the greatest possible performance out of their gun. This is especially true of precision shooters. Basically, you get a gun that’s well-made overall and fine-tune it to fit your specific needs. So yes, you can build your own Ruger American Predator, but the best and most common way to do that is by breaking down the factory rifle and re-building with specific parts.
What parts should you use on your build?
Gun owners often have differing opinions regarding what parts of the rifle to replace because it all depends on the specific purpose. Some of the plastic parts on the American Predator can be prone to breakage, so it’s common to replace those. The most common parts to consider for an aftermarket upgrades for your own Ruger American Predator build include:
- Trigger
- Chassis/stock
- Barrel
- Bolt
One of the simplest parts to start with is the trigger because upgrading your trigger can make such a big difference in target results. But if you’re looking to build your own Ruger American Predator, using the factory rifle as your base, you’re going to want to do more than just swap out the trigger.
What barrel should you customize your build with?
For the barrel, it’s a good idea to buy a pre-fit model to ensure it works well on your rifle. When you start messing with barrels on bolt-action rifles it can require more extensive gunsmithing, which is certainly doable, but also more of a challenge. Make sure the barrel you want to use for your American Predator build properly fits the chassis and action.
The factory cold-hammer-forged barrel on the American Predator is a nice, accurate barrel right out of the box. Of course, there’s always room for improvement. For an edge on precision, consider getting a heavy barrel, as long as you don’t mind the weight. Stick to a 22+ inch barrel, because you’ll get an edge for ballistics with slightly longer barrels. The exception here is if you’re interested in building a more portable rifle, in which case you might want a 20-inch or shorter barrel instead.
If you get a pre-fit barrel that means it will be compatible with the Ruger setup, including the barrel nut. That means you don’t need to worry about specialty gunsmith work, but it might also restrict your choices. You might end up needing help from a gunsmith if you don’t get a pre-fit barrel, but there’s nothing wrong with that. It opens up your options and makes it possible to build whatever rifle you want.
What chassis should you put on your Ruger American Predator?
Changing out the factory stock for a quality chassis is a great way to make your build a top performer. MDT’s Oryx chassis is well-made and offers a bevy of features that make it a serious upgrade over the factory Ruger stock. Those features include an integral barricade stop, fully adjustable buttstock, M-LOK compatible forend, and the ability to use AICS magazines. The adjustable buttstock just might be its best feature because that gives you the ability to fit the rifle to the shooter not only for length of pull but cheek riser height. Those seemingly minor changes can have a substantial impact on accuracy.
Before choosing a chassis, stop and ask yourself what you want the gun to do. If your goal is to build the ideal precision rifle, you’re likely to be fine with using a heavier chassis. However, if you want a solid predator rifle that’s capable of fantastic precision on animals like coyotes, you might be looking for a lighter-weight chassis to make it easier to carry. After you decide how much weight matters, start looking at specific features.
What is the optimum trigger choice?
Timney Triggers makes some of the greatest aftermarket triggers on the market, and that includes their designs for bolt-action rifles. Their aftermarket trigger for the Ruger American delivers a clean, smooth pull and glass-rod crisp break. The trigger pull weight can be set at the factory and has factory options between 1.5 pounds and 4 pounds. Choosing the right trigger is important, so take your time doing it. Minute differences in the trigger can show up as major differences on paper or steel. The trigger might not be the heart of your build, but it comes close.
What are the cons of building a Ruger American Predator?
The biggest downside to building your own Ruger American Predator is the cost. It’s not an inexpensive undertaking and once you get going you’re likely to find more components you want to change. Building a bolt-action tends to be time-consuming as well, so the results need to be worth the cost to you.
What are the pros of building a Ruger American Predator?
By building and customizing your own Ruger American Predator rifle you can create the rifle you really want. Every detail will fit your needs and preferences from aesthetics to ergonomics. Building it yourself is a great way to get a rifle that’s capable of doing precisely what you need it to do.
Should you build a Ruger American Predator?
If you’re fine with the investment of time and money, it’s a great idea to build your own Ruger American Predator. Don’t rush the process, just take your time choosing parts, and if you run into a situation where you require the assistance of a gunsmith, don’t worry. It’s better to get help from a gunsmith familiar with how bolt-action rifles work than to try to forge ahead and do it yourself, potentially ruining an expensive part (or parts).
What features would you put on your Ruger American Predator build? Share your ideas in the comments.
