03 Apr On the Upgrades to the Gen II Ruger American Rifle
When it comes to budget rifles that perform, Ruger’s American Rifle is often listed as a go-to. Available in popular chamberings like .243 Win, .308 Win, .30-06 Springfield and 6.5 Creedmoor, they are practical, affordable, and reliable.
The original Ruger American Rifle has been lauded not only for its price, but for its crisp, adjustable Ruger Marksman Trigger, recoil-reducing buttpad, Picatinny scope base, three-lug bolt (and full-diameter bolt body), as well as its Power Bedding system that free-floats the barrel, delivering nearly unbelievable accuracy for a rifle of this price point.
And they are great rifles – but remember, they are budget rifles, still.
Suffice it to say, without going into great detail, that the Ruger American is a design that could stand some improvements. Ruger has been good enough to do so of their own volition, in the Generation II series of Ruger American Rifles.
Here are the differences between the Gen I and Gen II Ruger American centerfire rifles, as well as some upgrades you might want to consider.
The Ruger American Centerfire: Generation I vs. II
Ruger has delivered numerous upgrades to the American Rifle in its Generation II iteration, many of which will be well-received by most hunters and shooters out there.
Right out of the gate, you’ll notice the eye-catching adjustments to the stock. The original was made with a lightweight synthetic stock that enables light, quick handling.
That said, if you’ve ever handled one, you’ll definitely have noticed that, though light, the stock feels a bit – thin. They’re tough, but they leave something to be desired in terms of toughness and modularity. That’s one reason the Magpul Ruger American stock was such a popular upgrade for the Gen I.
While that is still the case, the Generation II boasts an upgraded, splatter finished stock that offers extra texture and an excellent grip, without being too abrasive.
This new stock addresses some of the other shortcomings of the original Ruger American – namely, adjustability, which is another thing that keeps the Magpul Ruger American stock a good upgrade to the first Gen. The new stocks are also more rigid than the synthetic used by the Gen I, which some will definitely consider an upgrade as a common gripe around the first Gen was that the stocks were “flimsy.”
The Gen II also has a pre-installed low comb that improves sight alignment when using magnified optics, but which can be removed when shooting over lower sights. Length of pull is adjustable in the Gen II, addressing another problem of the Gen I, one that was also fixed by upgrading with a Magpul Ruger American stock.
(By the way, that Magpul stock is also compatible with the Gen II, so if you loved it on the Gen I, you can still switch it over notwithstanding the upgrades Ruger made to the stock in the second gen.)
The barrel is where many of the other upgrades lie, all of which are noticeable pretty much instantly.
One is that the new barrels are professionally treated with a Cerakote finish which makes them more wear-resistant in general. It’s an attractive finish, too, and one that’s easy to maintain, and which is corrosion, and scratch resistant. (The receiver, bolt, and muzzle brake are also Cerakoted, by the way.)
The new barrels are also spiral fluted, which represents a pretty serious upgrade. The fluted barrel is superior in that it maintains the same exact barrel profile while reducing weight, substantially. On top of that, the fluting increases the barrel’s surface area, which greatly improves heat dissipation.
A hot barrel is one that will start to shoot wandering groups, so this fluted barrel represents no small upgrade.
On top of that, the Generation II Ruger American is also pre-configured with a radial muzzle brake (the barrel is 5/8×24 threaded, though, if you prefer not to shoot with a muzzle brake).
The brake is a welcome addition to those shooting rounds that produce a bit more recoil, like .30-06, 450 Bushmaster and .300 Win Mag. The addition of the muzzle brake will help cut felt recoil, but more importantly will reduce muzzle flip, making accurate follow up shots faster and more intuitive.
With the muzzle brake installed, the barrel is about 2” shorter in the Gen II than the Gen I.
The mag of the Ruger American Gen II is different, too. It’s AICS-style instead of flush-mounted, giving you better purchase on the mag for drops and charges.
Another difference between the Generation I and Generation II Ruger American Rifle is the safety. In the Gen I, Ruger used a two-position safety. With the safety disengaged, showing red, the rifle could be fired; with the safety engaged, the trigger could not fire, but the bolt could be worked.
In the new Generation, the safety is a three-position version; red for fire, safety engaged in the first position, which locks the trigger but allows the bolt to be worked, and engaged in the second safe position (showing two white lines), which locks both the trigger and the bolt.
Speaking of the bolt, one thing that Ruger did not upgrade was the bolt shroud, which remains plastic. That’s one thing to upgrade if you care about durability.
Another good upgrade to make to your Gen II Ruger American is the bolt handle itself. As in the original, the bolt knob is threaded, making replacement fairly straightforward and easy. We sell Ruger American Gen II bolt handle upgrades that are made from 416 stainless steel to offer superior strength, corrosion-resistance, and general utility, although a black nitrided version is also available. They are easy to install and facilitate favorable handling and faster cycling.
As for the bolt knob, these bolt handle upgrades accept any of our 5/16×24 TPI bolt knob replacements, making it easy to personalize your rifle while improving handling at the same time.
Another practical upgrade to make for your rifle is the scope base. We sell Ruger American scope base upgrades compatible with both Gen I and Gen II rifles here. These bases are available in 20, 30, and 40 MOA, are machined from solid 6061 aluminum with a Type III anodized hardcoat, and include a bubble level so you can tell at a glance if your rifle is level or on a cant.
Shop These and Other Generation II Ruger American Rifle Upgrades Here
Ruger has addressed some customer comments in the Generation II American, but you can still improve it, and make it your own, with a little help from the upgrades here at Anarchy Outdoors. For more information, check out our full collection of Ruger American Rifle upgrades or get in touch with us at 833-980-0333.
No Comments