In case you hadn’t heard, the Department of Defense decided to change their sniper rifle ammunition of choice last year. What this means, of course, is that both military and distance shooting enthusiasts have been wanting to get their hands on something so that can have the “sniper” experience (without the killing a person aspect, of course).
Fortunately, Ruger was quick on the draw to give people what they want, and they recently introduced a model using ammo to DoD specifications. The new model is the Ruger 18083 Ruger Precision Rifle (Hat tip to here for the lead).
As you would expect with a rifle designed for specific high-stress uses (as in high-stress on the weapon), Ruger has given the attention to detail to make sure this firearm can handle what you put it through. For example, the barrel is cold-hammer forged chrome-moly steel, and, according to Ruger’s website, the “‘Upper’ receiver and one-piece bolt are precision CNC-machined from pre-hardened 4140 chrome-moly steel to minimize distortion.”
Additional nice features include an ambidextrous manual safety, an adjustable trigger which can be adjusted anywhere from 2.5 to 5 pounds of pull range (the rifle comes with the wrench for external adjustment), and a muzzle brake “with tunable compensator to effectively reduce recoil and muzzle jump.” And don’t forget the AR-style grip and that the stock can accept any AR-style stock, so you have some customization options.
And, of course, this rifle is using the DoD spec Hornady .300 PRC (Precision Rifle Cartridge).
So, if these specs and the picture above grabs your attention, your next question may be, “How much will it cost?” Frankly, while not the most expensive rifle in the world, this is unlikely to be a purchase made on a whim. Ruger doesn’t list an MSRP on their site, but a quick scan of my area shows prices currently quoting between $1,500 and $1,700 (of course, those prices could change at any time). Again, not incredibly expensive, but probably not something that you’re just going to buy without talking with your spouse first.
Still, if you want a modern sniper style rifle, then maybe the Ruger 18083 Ruger Precision Rifle may be one to consider.