Rifle question need answered please.

[Uncle Duke]

So I would assume most people that shoot 5.56 use an AR15. I do. I know Ruger makes an American Ranch in 5.56 which is a bolt action. What I don't know is what can the Ranch do that the AR15 can't? Why would someone buy the Ranch? I don't think to many people hunt with 5.56 but maybe I am wrong.

Lots of people hunt with .223. The cartridge shines as a varmint cartridge. It is adequate (and/or arguably adequate/less than adequate to some) for somewhat larger game as well. Varmint hunting is a type of hunting that is a lifetime passion for a lot of people. How one goes about varmint hunting can be as varied as their are varying firearms options. Vary the firearm, and one can greatly vary the game.

I get what your saying but it still doesn't really have a purpose other than a range gun. Am I wrong?

In a word, yes. It can be used for a lot of different purposes. For some purposes it's arguably close to being an optimal choice. For others, not so much. All rifles are compromises, in some form or fashion.

Wouldn't that have to be a big varmint? To me a good varmint rifle is a CZ 457 in 17hmr. But I am no expert when it comes to varmint hunting.

If what you want is to hunt varmints inside of 150 yards on a wind free day with a rimfire cartridge, and chambered in a well made rimfire rifle? You have yourself a good and fun combo. Decrease the range and the varmint size, and that combo arguably becomes even better still. But if your game stays the same, and your range becomes 300 yards instead, that .223 can allow for shots that the .17HMR simply can't make.

Mostly. But it is really for a SHTF situation for me. My go to for the zombies. lol.

Mine too. That's where the AR shines brightest IMO. In a varmint field, the AR isn't and would rarely be my first choice, unless I want to AR hunt varmints specifically on purpose.

Folks can (and do) debate optimal all day long. 22lr can be optimal within limited range. 17HMR is capable of rimfire performance that I had to see to believe. 22WMR is likewise a great rimfire cartridge. But all 3 are just that.....rimfire cartridges.

Want a good 200 yard low report varmint cartridge? The old 22 Hornet is a great step up from rimfire into the center fire realm. It has been around for almost a century for the niche it fills. Not too hot. Not too cold. For many applications, just right.

250 yards? .223 Remington. 300 and 400 and further? .22-250 and 220 Swift can both stretch varmint fields, as can others.

Like Biggfoot mentioned, some people like and want bolt action rifles on purpose. I have nothing but respect for the AR platform. But to me at least, a 24/7/365 daily dose of AR....over and over and God Almighty over again.... is a whole lot like kissing one's sister. Sometimes, there's better to be had.

 

[calicojack]

I like a 243 Win for a varmint and deer rifle. That caliber can do both with different bullet weights.

One thing you can do with a bolt action that you can't do with a gas gun is shoot suppressed with subsonic 5.56/223 ammo. I would be curious to see how accurate it is.

 

[Uncle Duke]

I like a 243 Win for a varmint and deer rifle. That caliber can do both with different bullet weights.

One thing you can do with a bolt action that you can't do with a gas gun is shoot suppressed with subsonic 5.56/223 ammo. I would be curious to see how accurate it is.

243 Winchester is a great cartridge. It's also an example of a cartridge that sort of bucked the heavier bullet trend, and went the other way.

Used to be .243 as the popular choice for varmints and deer both. Used a 70 grain for varmints in .243, typically a blitz king. And 95-100 grain and more heavily constructed soft point bullet for deer.

In more recent years, 55 and 58 grain bullets became available in .243, in component and factory loaded options both. Now .243 mimics .22-250 velocities, in a larger diameter bullet.
Always something different going on to play with.

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

There are advantages to a bolt rifle verses a semiautomatic. With reloading being one of them. Typically a semiautomatic is harder on brass when you reload them multiple times. I do know about the 30.06 cartridge but not the 5.56.
As far as accuracy I think that more people than not can't really tell the difference between the two and I would take that into account when buying a semiautomatic.

 

[Pale Ryder]

The Ranch in 7.62x39 is usually quite a bit more accurate than say an AK, SKS, Mini 30, et al. The 7.62x39 round is equivalent to a 30 30 that has allegedly killed more deer than any other cartridge. It also takes Mini 30 mags if you happen to have a bunch of these lying around. Finally, being bolt action, it is much faster to clean. BTW, the Ranch in 5.56 now accepts AR mags. YMMV

I saw a guy on YT that changed the mag unit on a x39 Ranch to the 5.56 mag unit of a Ranch model and was the using AR type P mags in 7.62x39 instead of the Mini 30 mags. Contacted Ruger CS and told them his plan, so they sold him the unit with the caveat that any problems encountered was on him. So that is an option.

 

[Pale Ryder]

Here is video on converting to AR type mags.

 

[hobiecat590]

I saw a guy on YT that changed the mag unit on a x39 Ranch to the 5.56 mag unit of a Ranch model and was the using AR type P mags in 7.62x39 instead of the Mini 30 mags. Contacted Ruger CS and told them his plan, so they sold him the unit with the caveat that any problems encountered was on him. So that is an option.

This would be a really great solution for folks that have a bunch of AR mags but would like to use a larger 7.62x39 round in a bolt action rifle for deer and whatnot. Thanks for the scoop.

 

[TwinTurbskis]

Bolt actions (especially with wood stocks) just do it for me in a way that semi-autos never will. Having them in intermediate calibers like .223 allow me to enjoy them at the range even longer without getting beat up from full power rifle rounds.

...that being said if SHTF i'm grabbing one of my AR's.

 

[Uncle Duke]

Bolt actions (especially with wood stocks) just do it for me in a way that semi-autos never will. Having them in intermediate calibers like .223 allow me to enjoy them at the range even longer without getting beat up from full power rifle rounds.

...that being said if SHTF i'm grabbing one of my AR's.

Yep, yep and yep!

 

[Cool_Moo5e]

Bolt actions (especially with wood stocks) just do it for me in a way that semi-autos never will. Having them in intermediate calibers like .223 allow me to enjoy them at the range even longer without getting beat up from full power rifle rounds.

...that being said if SHTF i'm grabbing one of my AR's.

I agree, I like manual actions but when it's time to defend I would like at least semiautomatic for more rounds down range.