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Affordable, dare I say “cheap,” rifles have gotten incredibly good over the last few years. These days, a rifle that costs under $500 will shoot about 1-inch groups, run reliably, and last a lifetime. Some of them even look decent. The Ruger American is a standout in the bargain rifle category, and now you can get it for even cheaper: They’re going for $449 right now online at Cabela’s.
Ruger American Specs and Features
- Available cartridges: .308 Winchester
- Adjustable trigger, between 3 and 5 pounds.
- Power Bedding for exceptional accuracy
- 3-lug bolt has a 70 degree throw for easy scope clearance
- Heavy-tapered barrel with a 5/8″-24 thread pattern
- Butt pad absorbs shock for maximum recoil reduction
- Smooth-feeding magazine fits flush with the stock
- Factory-installed 1-piece aluminum scope rail
“The most impressive thing about the Ruger American Rifle is how much innovation is crammed into such an affordable package,” Outdoor Life’s Shooting Editor John B Snow wrote about this gun in his review of the best affordable hunting rifles. Located beneath the hood, so to speak, is what Ruger calls its Power Bedding system, a group of four angled bedding blocks that slot into grooves in the receiver so that when the screws are tightened, it takes an immoveable set. When it comes to accuracy, this is a very good thing indeed.
In Snow’s range testing, he recorded some screamer groups, including two sub-MOA clusters with Federal’s Non-Typical 140-grain soft points (.674 inch and .973 inch). The rifle’s five best groups averaged 1.18 inches. That’s solid accuracy at a … cheap— yes, I’ll say it—price.