Ruger American Rifle Magazine: How Versatile Is It?

Ruger began cranking out quality firearms in 1949. Since then, they’ve become an American icon in the firearms industry. Any company that has been in operation since 1949 must be doing some things right. Whether you’re looking for a firearm for defense, competition, target shooting, recreation, tactical, hunting, or other tasks, Ruger has you covered.

One stellar aspect of their operation is that they stand behind their products in a huge way. If you have a problem with their products, send it in and they’ll make it right. Being able to buy with confidence like that really makes a person feel warm and fuzzy about the products.

Today we’re going to review the Ruger American Rifle Magazine so you have the full low-down on it and what it can do. Here’s a hint: it can do more than some of us might anticipate. Before we get into the magazine itself, though, a word about the platforms that it’s intended for.

What Is The American Line Of Rifles?

Ruger introduced the American line of rifles and it really took off. They offer solid performance and accuracy for a very reasonable price point.

There are a few dozen rifles in this line, and they really do cover the gamut of everything you’d want to do with a bolt-action rifle. Short range, long range, hunting, target applications, you name it, there’s a rifle in there for everyone. These are all bolt-action rifles. They have detachable magazines, some of which fit flush with the bottom of the stock, while others are larger capacity and protrude from the stock. Barrel lengths vary between models, and there are many different calibers available in both long and short action.

Some rifles come equipped with Vortex rifle scopes. Stocks are in various colors, including camouflage patterns, black, and earth-tone colors. Stocks are mostly composite, but there are a few wood stocks out there.

For this article, the test rifle for the magazine is the Ruger American Predator, which was introduced in 2016. It’s representative of the line and I have access to one.

Ruger American Predator.
This Ruger American Predator came with a Vortex Crossfire II 4-12x scope from the factory. It’s chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor and is surgically accurate. Magazines fit flush with the bottom of the receiver. (Photo: Jim Davis)

Ruger American 4-Round Magazine

This particular magazine covers five calibers: The .308 Winchester, .243 Winchester, 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5mm Creedmoor, and 7mm-08. All of these are short-action calibers. Honestly, I’m quite amazed that this one magazine reliably works with all of these various calibers. There’s either some serious engineering going on here, or else some sorcery!

6.5 Creedmoor and .308 rounds in American Magazines.
The American magazines for the short action rifles can accommodate five different calibers. Seen here are the 6.5 Creedmoor (on the left) and the .308 Winchester (on right). Versatility is the name of the game here. (Photo: Jim Davis)

The magazine itself is constructed of polymer, which keeps it lightweight. Inside, there’s a steel wire spring. The follower is also polymer.

6.5 Creedmoor rounds in Ruger American magazine.
Ruger’s American detachable polymer magazine can accommodate five different calibers. Seen here is the 6.5 Creedmoor. It’s lightweight and well-built! (Photo: Jim Davis)

All in all, the magazine is very light and durable. The polymer construction keeps weight down, which is an important consideration these days, especially for those who plan on toting the rifle in the field.

Magazine Catch

The front of the magazine has an integral magazine catch. The magazine is inserted into the magazine well of the stock, where it fits flush with the bottom of the stock. To extract the magazine, reach a finger into the front of the mag well and grab the tab on the release. Press the tab and the magazine is released from the stock. It works very nicely and is simple.

Magazine catch on the American magazine.
The magazine catch is built right into the magazine. It snaps into the rifle easily. (Photo: Jim Davis)

How Does The Magazine Work?

Like a champ! Reliability has been 100%. It feeds smoothly, ejects well, and inserts into the stock very easily. In short, this mag does everything that it’s advertised to do. As I said, I’m amazed that they can make a multi-caliber magazine that works so darned well. The rounds also slip into the magazine easily.

Extracting the mag from the firearm.
To extract the magazine from the Ruger American, press the catch and pull down. It easily pivots out of the receiver. (Photo: Jim Davis)

Overall

This Ruger American Rifle magazine seems to be very durable and should stand up to considerable abuse, given the polymer construction. Feeding is very smooth from these magazines. But then, given that they are Ruger factory mags, that comes as no surprise. Ruger magazines have always worked very well for me and I’ve never had a single complaint about them, for any of my Ruger rifles or pistols.

I now have a couple of magazines for my rifle, which is a good thing to have. In the event that I need or want to deliver several rounds on target in a short time frame, I can have a spare magazine pre-loaded and ready to go.

At the time of this writing, the Ruger American Multi-Caliber magazine is available for $28.99 from GunMag Warehouse. It’s a good idea to have a few of these mags on hand for your rifle. I plan on picking up a couple more.

Jim Davis served in the PA Dept. of Corrections for 16 ½ years as a corrections officer in the State Correctional Institute at Graterford and later at SCI Phoenix. He served on the Corrections Emergency Response Team (CERT), several of those years as a sniper, and also the Fire Emergency Response Team (FERT). For 25 years, he was a professional instructor, teaching topics including Defensive Tactics, Riot Control and Tactical Operations, Immediate Responder, and cognitive programs as an adjunct instructor at the DOC Training Academy. He was then promoted to the title of corrections counselor, where he ran a caseload and facilitated cognitive therapy classes to inmates. His total service time was close to 29 years. He was involved in many violent encounters on duty, including incidents of fatalities. He is a dedicated Christian and attributes any skills that he has to the glory of God.

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