Ruger’s .308 Winchester Rifles
There’s just something about a rifle chambered in .308 Winchester. Doesn’t matter if it’s a bolt-action or a semi-auto, they just instill a bit of confidence in you as a shooter that some other calibers lack.
With that in mind, we’re going to take a look at a couple different kinds of .308 rifles, both from Ruger, with one being an incredibly adaptive bolt-action rifle and the other being a revolutionary semi-automatic rifle.
Ruger American .308 Rifle
Introduced in 2011, the Ruger American line of bolt-action rifles set out to stake their reputation on four key elements: reliability, versatility, performance, and affordability. More than a decade later, the gun’s popularity and sales speak for themselves.
In terms of reliability, these .308 rifles utilize a cold hammer-forged barrel combined with ultra-precise rifling that provides exceptional accuracy and longevity, meaning that you’ll likely tire of shooting this gun before you can wear it out. Ruger also equipped the gun with a one-piece, three-lug bolt with 70° throw that allows for excellent scope clearance.
When it comes to versatility, the Ruger American .308 rifle has it in spades. A variety of different versions of the American model in .308 Winchester means that there’s a Ruger American for any application. The Standard model features a 22” matte black barrel in a black synthetic stock; the Predator model has an 18” matte black barrel that is threaded to the standard 5/8x24 with a moss green synthetic stock; the Hunter model has a 20” matte black barrel with a heavy contour and threaded muzzle in 5/8x24 with a Hybrid Muzzle Brake and a gray Magpul American Hunter stock that is adjustable for the length of pull and the comb height; finally, the Compact model features an 18” matte black barrel in a black synthetic stock. Finally, southpaw shooters rejoice: the American .308 rifles are available in left-handed versions, too!
For performance, all Ruger American rifles in .308 Winchester have a Ruger Marksman Adjustable trigger that offers a crisp break and can be tuned to the shooter’s preference of weight between 3 and 5 pounds for the perfect shot. Additionally, the full diameter bolt body and dual cocking cams enable smooth, easy cycling from the shoulder so that you don’t have to interrupt your sight picture to prepare for a follow-up shot. Finally, the receiver is mounted using Ruger’s patented Power Bedding, which is an integral bedding block system that positively locates the receiver and free-floats the barrel for outstanding accuracy.
Of course, none of these features mean much of anything if the gun is too expensive. The different Ruger American models have MSRPs that range from $599 to just $1,019 with street prices as low as $450. That leaves plenty of money left over for the scope of your choice and lots of ammo.
The Ruger American line of bolt-action rifles has been so successful that they launched a brand new Generation II version at the end of 2023.
These new guns incorporate lots of user feedback to improve an already great gun. For example, they now feature splatter-finish stocks for better grip without being abrasive; an installed low comb that can be removed depending on your optic setup; a three-position safety that prevents inadvertent bolt opening and allows the gun to be loaded with the safety engaged; an oversized bolt handle with a 5/16x24 thread pattern so that you can change it yourself; barrels that have deep spiral fluting to reduce weight; and an easy-to-maintain Cerakote finish on the receiver, bolt handle, barrel, and muzzle brake.
The new Generation II of the Ruger American .308 rifles also has a new model: the Ranch model has a 16.10” threaded barrel with a radial ported muzzle brake and an FDE stock.
Big, heavy, and expensive. Those are three words no one wants to associate with a gun, especially an AR-style gun - but that is all too often the case when chambering this platform for a larger cartridge like the .308 Winchester. This usually involves a bump up in size from the smaller AR-15 platform to the larger AR-10 platform, but that’s not what you get with this .308 semi-auto rifle from Ruger.
The Ruger Small-Frame Autoloading Rifle, or SFAR, set out to create a rifle chambered for .308 Winchester that was more similar in size to a gun chambered for 5.56 NATO / .223 Remington. In short, it was not big, heavy, or expensive. Externally, the magwell is the only visual giveaway that this isn’t a standard AR-15 firearm.
All of the other aspects are similar in size to that of an AR-15 and not the larger AR-10. For example, the Ruger AR-556 weighs 6.7 pounds and the SFAR weighs just 6.8 pounds. With the stock extended, the SFAR is 37.25”, which is only 1.75” longer than the AR-556.
Made from a 7075-T6 hard-coat anodized aluminum forging, the upper receiver has all of the features you expect in an AR: a brass deflector, forward assist, and full-length Picatinny rail. The lower receiver has a nicely flared mag well to facilitate quick and easy magazine changes.
The barrel is cold hammer forged from 4140 chrome-moly steel and then cut with ultra-precise 5R rifling. The heavy profile of the barrel allows for exceptional accuracy and longevity without adding too much weight to the overall package. Whether you choose the shorter 16.10” barrel or the longer 20” barrel, both are outfitted with a free floated 15" Lite aluminum handguard with multiple Magpul M-LOK accessory attachment slots at the 3:00, 6:00 and 9:00 positions. The top rail has been deleted in the center section for better grip access, and sockets for QD sling swivels that allow you to carry comfortably however you choose to do so.
Equipped with a two-stage Ruger Elite 452 trigger, the Ruger SFAR breaks cleanly at 4.5 pounds and is complemented by a full-strength hammer spring and lightweight hammer to ensure fast lock times and consistent primer ignition.
Last but certainly not least, the SFAR ships with a two-port Boomer muzzle brake, but the barrel is threaded 5/8x24 and can easily accept a different muzzle device of your choice - including a suppressor.
Pick Your Action
Whether you go the semi-auto route with the Ruger SFAR or the bolt-action direction with the Ruger American, both are fantastic options when it comes to .308 rifles.
