On Safari with Ruger's American Gen II Predator Rifle

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The visual aesthetics are vibrant and different. The overall feel is refreshingly unique and grips you—a stirring buzz of modern and old. Its contours and shape are foreign, yet familiar.

(I’m talking about Africa), but the same can be said for the Ruger American Gen II Predator rifle.

Colloquially, there is a dichotomous adage that says there are either predators or prey, but in an evolving world of categorical musical chairs, plains game may stand alone due to their toughness and tenacity.

Ultimately, a perfect foe ensemble to test the mettle of this new Ruger offering.

The Wielded Rifle

The first iteration of the Ruger American rifle was a big success, but there was certainly room for refinement. Most noticeable with the Gen II was the absence of the notorious and tangible zipper noise while working the action.

Functionally, while it never impeded meaningful performance, it wasn’t as smooth as some desired, and it seems that with this new edition, that has been rectified well.

The Predator model sports a 22-inch cold hammer-forged barrel that is fluted and threaded (compared to its Standard Model counterpart’s 20-inch barrel), which I was pleasantly surprised by—especially after I found out they were sending me a rifle chambered in .300 Win Mag.

I’m a sucker for adventure, but not a glutton for punishment, and anything shorter than 22-inches in a serious .30 Cal magnum cartridge isn’t my cup of chamomile. I found solace in knowing that the 175-grain Terminal Ascent ammo (a tough and slippery bonded bullet from Federal Premium) cruising around 2,900 fps would be the perfect Rx for any plains game we encountered.

Durability

The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about a rifle to bring to Africa is taking one that not only will thrive once there but also will make the long and tedious trip relatively unscathed. Thankfully, Ruger built the American Gen II Predator like a refined, rugged tool.

I am a big fan of the splattered finished stock, as it provides an excellent grip without feeling sticky or abrasive. I wore fingerless mittens in the mornings and went barehanded in the afternoons—always having a confident grasp on my rifle system during all elements encountered.

Nicks, knocks, and the jarring around of a rifle on the back of a Toyota Hilux while on safari is expected. As a countermeasure to heavy use (what these hunting rifles were designed for), Ruger professionally Cerakotes the barrel, muzzle brake, receiver, and bolt handle, resulting in a durable finish that withstands impacts and creates a buffer layer that discourages corrosion.

In addition, the burnt bronze Cerakote colorway, in tandem with the green stock, not only creates a handsome look but also blends well in with foliage and rocks.

Reliability

Dust, sand, grit, debris, heat, rain, mud—and a partridge in a pear tree (or guinea fowl in this case) are likely to be encountered and potentially serve as a nemesis during your hunt. Bearing this in mind, having tight tolerances in a rifle is important. Ruger’s refinement of the American Gen II can be seen by the fine attention to detail and thoughtfulness put into its conception.

During my hunt, I was able to witness the rifle’s reliability and repeatability from a smorgasbord of shooting positions and hunting scenarios I encountered.

This included stalking in on an impala ram with 15 females surrounding him and taking an 82-yard shot from shooting sticks; laying prone on a koppie and waiting for a large gemsbuck to enter a small shooting window at 267 yards and dropping it where it stood; a 137-yard frontal heart shot on a leery zebra off sticks; a full-tilt running broadside shot offhand at a blue wildebeest—nose dive, dead; and sneaking into the bedroom of a large and solitary nyala and shooting him at 17 yards away.

Safe to say, if I did my part, the rifle was fully capable of anything and all.

Accuracy

Colonel Townsend Whelen once said, “Only accurate rifles are interesting.” I’m confident he’d be fully invested and intrigued by the rifle I used! The Ruger Marksman trigger is crisp and can be adjusted from 3 to 5 pounds, which aids in tailoring it to the shooter and increasing accuracy.

The rifle itself maintained sub-MOA groups consistently at the range from the bench, with its average groups hovering around .71 MOA. Hunt-worthy for sure. But you can’t hit what you can’t see—and that’s where the Burris Eliminator 6 offers its excellent optical prowess.

The Burris Eliminator 6 4-20x52mm riflescope “harnesses over 20 years of cutting-edge technology seamlessly integrated into a modern riflescope chassis, empowering hunters to achieve unparalleled accuracy in the most challenging conditions. At the touch of a button, this redesigned marvel ranges and displays the target distance, swiftly calculates the exact aiming point and wind data, all within the scope for heightened situational awareness.”

I can confirm that it is the epitome of advanced technology—even having 1/8 MOA click turret adjustments for finite and precise dialing. When pairing an advanced optic such as this with a highly capable rifle like the Ruger, accuracy is the byproduct.

A caveat to my time with the riflescope in the Limpopo region of Africa, which is considered thick bushveld country, is that I couldn’t use it to its maximum thresholds due to the nature of shots being so close and happening in split-second fashion. The silver lining is that the Eliminator 6 has excellent glass and optical clarity, even if you utilize it as a traditional scope. The magnification range is perfectly suitable for all types of big game hunting, and I elected to set the magnification at the lowest range (4x) most of the time in Africa—and never felt hamstrung.

The Brass Tax

Ruger knocked it out of the park with the American Gen II Predator rifle. It shoots great, feels good in hand, and is available at a super competitive price point. There are many other factory production rifles that cost hundreds of dollars more—that simply won't outshoot it.

It’s not frugal to save your money; it’s prudent. That way, you can save up to purchase a Burris Eliminator 6 scope and have the ultimate setup, capable of close- to long-range engagements on any continent.

Ruger American Gen II Predator Specs

• Type: Bolt-Action
• Caliber: .300 Win Mag (Tested)
• Capacity: 3
• Barrel: 22-inch cold hammer-forged, fluted, 1:10 twist RH
• Weight: 6.5 lbs.
• Overall Length: 43.75 in.
• Finish: Burnt Bronze Cerakote
• MSRP: $729
• Manufacturer: Ruger, ruger.com

Burris Eliminator 6 Scope Specs

• Magnification x Obj.: 4-20x52mm
• Weight: 30 oz.
• Length: 14.6 in.
• Click Value: 1/8 MOA
• Illuminated: Yes
• Eye Relief: 3.4 in.
• Main Tube: 34mm
• Focal Plane: Rear/Second
• MSRP: $3,000
• Manufacturer: Burris, burrisoptics.com

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