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Joined: Dec 2022
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OP
New Member
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Gentlemen:
I have a problem with the new Ruger SFAR with 16 " barrel I bought a few weeks back. After around twenty or so rounds on the first trip to the range the rifle started to misfire. I got it back home and found that the bolt had tiny one mm brass discs in it. These had apparently come from the primers blowing out of the cartridges fired. I sent the rifle back to Ruger and they replaced the barrel and bolt carrier group. I got the rifle back and shot it again. Accuracy was a dismal 2 inches at 100 yards, even with Federal 175 grain Sierra Matchking ammo. Ejection was rather lively, so I tried to turn down the adjustable gas block and found it was locked up tight. Ruger said they would need the rifle again because the gas block had to be fitted to the barrel. I sent it off and got it back, then out to the range again.
This time the rifle worked as advertised (including the gas block), but the best accuracy was still no better than 2 inches at 100 yards with a variety of Federal target and hunting ammo and hand loads. I got a bright idea and thought I would try the rifle out the next day after taking off the muzzle break and shutting off the gas block to factor these things out of the equation. Then off to the range again.
Shooting without the muzzle break in place was enlightening. I was surprised at how much more recoil there was without it. Ruger did a great job designing the break, as it really does mitigate recoil significantly. I shot the same variety of ammo with the same results, so I am convinced that neither the muzzle break or the gas system is causing the poor accuracy.
I did, however, notice a pattern to most of the three shot groups fired. Usually the first two shots would fall within an inch of each other at a forty-five degree angle, then the third shot would open to at least 2 inches and often more. The hand rail is nice and tight. I am out of ideas.
Does anybody out there shoot a Ruger SFAR? Has anybody else experienced this sort of thing on an AR platform? Surely 2 MOA is not the best the Ruger SFAR can do (I hope, anyway!!!!). I had hoped to make this rifle a go to hunting rifle because it is light weight and shoots the powerful 308 Winchester (as compared to 223 Rem, anyhow). My son has an Adams Arms piston AR 10 and it shoots a good 3/4" group at 100 yards, so obviously such rifles are capable of great accuracy. What do y'all think?
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Joined: Feb 2008
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Campfire Regular
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Not being sarcastic, have you checked all optic connections? Bases, mounts, rings, fixed sights, mbus, etc...
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Joined: Feb 2008
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I've been very interested in the SFAR also and waiting to see some reviews. Please let us know what you figure out. Sounds like Ruger has at least been good to deal with?
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Joined: Apr 2011
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
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I've been very interested in the SFAR also and waiting to see some reviews. Please let us know what you figure out. Sounds like Ruger has at least been good to deal with? Ruger’s Customer Service has always been excellent. I’ve also been interested in the SFAR .308. Another member here gave a review of the 16” version. His accuracy seemed much better with Factory Ammo, IIRC. I’ll have to go back and look it up now.
"Allways speak the truth and you will never have to remember what you said before..." Sam Houston Texans, "We say Grace, We Say Mam, If You Don't Like it, We Don't Give a Damn!"
~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
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I had to send mine in because the gas block was pressing on the inside left of the handguard. The paper sent back with it says they replaced the "barrel group", it's more centered up now, so that's a better place to start load development. I have a bunch of loads to try with 165gr TGKs and AR-Comp tomorrow if I can get to the range. Hopefully it's reasonably accurate as I to bought it to use as a hunting rifle.
Fair warning though .308 ARs , and especially light .308 ARs are work to shoot well, you really have to drive them more than most bolt guns. I previously had a similar POF Rogue, and it shot well, but took a little work.
Last edited by Gtscotty; 12/08/22.
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,856
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Sep 2009
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Gentlemen:
I have a problem with the new Ruger SFAR with 16 " barrel I bought a few weeks back. After around twenty or so rounds on the first trip to the range the rifle started to misfire. I got it back home and found that the bolt had tiny one mm brass discs in it. These had apparently come from the primers blowing out of the cartridges fired. I sent the rifle back to Ruger and they replaced the barrel and bolt carrier group. I got the rifle back and shot it again. Accuracy was a dismal 2 inches at 100 yards, even with Federal 175 grain Sierra Matchking ammo. Ejection was rather lively, so I tried to turn down the adjustable gas block and found it was locked up tight. Ruger said they would need the rifle again because the gas block had to be fitted to the barrel. I sent it off and got it back, then out to the range again.
This time the rifle worked as advertised (including the gas block), but the best accuracy was still no better than 2 inches at 100 yards with a variety of Federal target and hunting ammo and hand loads. I got a bright idea and thought I would try the rifle out the next day after taking off the muzzle break and shutting off the gas block to factor these things out of the equation. Then off to the range again.
Shooting without the muzzle break in place was enlightening. I was surprised at how much more recoil there was without it. Ruger did a great job designing the break, as it really does mitigate recoil significantly. I shot the same variety of ammo with the same results, so I am convinced that neither the muzzle break or the gas system is causing the poor accuracy.
I did, however, notice a pattern to most of the three shot groups fired. Usually the first two shots would fall within an inch of each other at a forty-five degree angle, then the third shot would open to at least 2 inches and often more. The hand rail is nice and tight. I am out of ideas.
Does anybody out there shoot a Ruger SFAR? Has anybody else experienced this sort of thing on an AR platform? Surely 2 MOA is not the best the Ruger SFAR can do (I hope, anyway!!!!). I had hoped to make this rifle a go to hunting rifle because it is light weight and shoots the powerful 308 Winchester (as compared to 223 Rem, anyhow). My son has an Adams Arms piston AR 10 and it shoots a good 3/4" group at 100 yards, so obviously such rifles are capable of great accuracy. What do y'all think? Pierced primers are due to an oversize firing pin appature. Ie small pieces of primer in the bolt. Small Frame is the future but it takes a bit of time to get all the bugs worked out. The G2 didn't happen overnight.
John Burns
I have all the sources. They can't stop the signal.
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 14,542
Campfire Outfitter
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Two Ruger ARs and two replaced barrels. That’s not surprising.
your flippant remarks which you so adeptly sling
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Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 4
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OP
New Member
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Gentlemen:
I did check the scope mounts and rings to make sure all was right and tight. And yes, Ruger is a great company and they stand behind their products. I have a number of Ruger products and have never had an issue with any of them. Perhaps not quite all the bugs have been worked out of the rifle. I hate the thought of that since I have one!
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Joined: May 2007
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: May 2007
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Ruger may be a great company but they jumped on the AR bandwagon and are putting out trash ARs.
your flippant remarks which you so adeptly sling
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Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 757
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 757 |
I have the SFAR 16” and really the only issue I had with it was with Factory Nosler 125 gr Ballistic Tips. It was piercing primers with part of the anvil poking through. Average velocity was 2970 fps which was a slight bit faster than a 20” bolt action.
The gas block did stick on one outing, but It is easy to dissemble and clean.
It shoots the factory Hornady American Gunner 155 gr BTHPs with 5 shots inside 3/4” but at a measly 2482 fps. It did group just under 3” at 300 yards.
I am loading Hornady 168 gr BTHPs with 42 grains H4895, and it shoots those fine. Some groups just under 3/4”.
I was shooting it with a SWFA 10x but just switch that out for a 1-4 SWFA in case I wanted to take it out after deer.
I have built a few AR-10s for family, and would never consider taking one out after deer, but this SFAR is small/ light enough to go.
Last edited by scoony; 12/09/22.
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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 24,870
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 24,870 |
What a coinkydink! I just returned from my nearby range where I shot beside an editor from G&A working with one of those. Seemed to function fine, but was really loud, and he said that with the ammo he was using anyway, it seemed to throw one out of five out of the group.
Interesting, but not related, is that while we were at least six feet apart, his Labradar was picking up my .223 rounds, futzing up his data collection somewhat. Heard about a lot of Labradar quirks, but that’s a new one.
A Remington 600 cured Pappy of any foolish notions about short-barreled .308s, around 1971 IIRC.
What fresh Hell is this?
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Joined: Dec 2022
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New Member
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OP
New Member
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The plot thickens ...
I went back out to the range this afternoon with the Ruger SFAR after re-installing the muzzle break. When I re-installed it I thought of the Browning BOSS muzzle break that Browning came out with decades ago. For those of you that do not know about the BOSS, it was a muzzle break that could be adjusted up and down the end of the barrel within about a 3/4" range so that a shooter could find the "sweet spot" for maximum accuracy of a given load. I therefore made a conscious choice to position the muzzle break on the SFAR about 3/16" from the original spot. I changed nothing else. I shot the same loads as before, but this time the best loads grouped under an inch at 100 yards! Perhaps this information will be helpful to others that run into a similar situation.
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Joined: Nov 2013
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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That IS interesting. Does the brake have a locknut?
What fresh Hell is this?
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Tension on a flash hider or brake can do odd things to accuracy. I loctite mine And get them just hand tight.
Just something to think about.
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Campfire Regular
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That IS interesting. Does the brake have a locknut? Yes, the brake does have a lock nut. I have not shot my SFAR with the factory brake. I switched it out with a ASR brake/mount for my Hybrid-46. Actually have not shot that AR without the suppressor. Now to add to the thickening plot... I have a Ruger No. 1 that has a new threaded barrel. As a test, I mounted the brake from the SFAR to that rifle and shot it. The POI changed slightly, which was not surprising, however, the groups opened up a little. It would be interesting to play around with that, but since 6mm CM has very little recoil, I will simply leave the brake off.
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Joined: Dec 2022
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OP
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The brake that comes from the factory on the SFAR is a pretty hefty chunk of steel. I can visualize how it may change the barrel harmonics and therefore the POI.
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Joined: Nov 2003
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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That is good information, I have a 6.8 SPC I am going to try that with.
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Wow, who would have thought Ruger would have QC issues, especially with a new design? They are giving Kel-Tec a run for their money.
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Brakes are known to be an accuracy issue. Bare, more than not, shoots better.
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If Ruger ever offers that gun in 7mm-08 and the bugs are worked out, I can imagine one living in my safe.
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