Browing vs Ruger

[younghunter12]

I've been looking at the ruger compact and the browing a bolt micro hunter. Which one has better quality? Is the accuracy better on one model than the other? Is the action better on one model than the other. The rifle will be chambered in .243. Thanks. Alec.

[wis_sharpshooter]

I would take a browning over a ruger anyday, I belive the bolt on the rugers are to sloppy, and there accuracy seems to be hit or miss. I would get the browning and never look back...there must be a reason I have 3 brownings and 0 rugers.

[flathead]

Hello,

Get the Browning. I have a micro in 243 and 257R. Supremely accurate and great triggers, quiet safety, nice clip, free floated barrel. Ruger...You will have to fix the trigger yourself or hire it out. It may be accurate but they are NOT free floated. I think the safety is complicated and somewhat noisy. Three position is fine but I think Ruger's is awkward. Savage has the best safety now I think. Three position, quiet and top tang. You'll also appreciate the Browning clip as compared to dumping shells out of the Ruger floorplate. The Rugers are OK but I can't tolerate an 8 pound trigger. You'll love the micro. Good luck!

[flathead]

Hello again,

Sorry I forgot something. Just my 2 cents. From your handle I assume you are young . Maybe this is a first deer rifle? 243 is a fine deer round if you shoot it well. Things can and do go wrong however. I track wounded deer a lot with a dog. I get a lot of work from the 243 and other similar rounds. Have you considered the micro in 7-08. Unless you are very recoil sensitive you might consider that. You can also buy a good recoil pad that will help also. Hit em good and hit em hard! 

[shilo]

I'll second what flathead said about the 243.

[Val]

I don't think that there is any problem dropping deer with a .243. My last deer took one step and keeled over with a double lung/heart shot. There are too many hunters out there that only shoot during the hunting season and don't make well placed shots. These same hunters would misplace their shots even more with higher recoil super mags. My advice to younghunter is regardless of what caliber you purchase, practice shooting that rifle. You need to practice shooting it the way you'll shoot in the field. Freehand, in my opinion is a less than 100 yd type a shot. You should get a set of bipods or shooting sticks and practice with them.

[tanoose]

The ruger compact has a 16 1/2" barrel so that 243 isn't a 243 anymore i am old school but i would pick the ruger over the browning and i would make it a .308 winchester. The ruger compact and ultralight models are excellent rifles and everyone i have seen has been accurate.the only thing i can say bad about them is some of them need trigger work.And this is a very easy fix. However the young man didn't say what he was going to hunt and at what ranges he expected .

[alwaysread]

The Ruger is made in the USA-any questions!

[Hairtrigger]

The Ruger is made in the USA-any questions!

Winchester WAS also!
Unfortunately we live in a day that top quality is no longer the norm with US built things. The jap's have beat us at the game ie  just like cars.
Japanese Brownings are good guns

[major257]

The young man asked a good question that deserves our honest opinions not an arguement. I personally have a ruger in .257 Roberts and love the gun as a whole. I have killed many deer with it before and after I replaced the trigger with a timney. I am in the process of buying a new A-Bolt in 270 WSM. The only reason I am buying it is that I am passing my Ruger down to my daughter to hunt with and out of the box I believe that the Browning A-Bolt is a better rifle for me. Print out the spec sheets on both rifles and set them side by side. Stare at them for a week or two and make up your mind. What ever you buy shoot it and shoot it and shoot it, be confident that when you pull that trigger on the deer you worked so hard to see that you know you will put that bullet where you want to hit him.

[MZ5]

I have a Browning A-bolt in .30-06, and I HAD a Ruger M77 MkII Varmint/Target model in .220 Swift until it was stolen a couple years ago.  I really like both guns.  I like the shorter bolt throw of the Browning.  I really liked the balance of the Ruger for a target gun, but it was not a field hunting gun so the comparison is not there.  The Ruger's target trigger was really excellent, but on the sporters they are not nearly as good.  The Ruger sporter triggers I've pulled are nearly always in need of help.  My Browning's trigger is very, very good for a sporter, though there is some creep.  My Ruger was quite accurate, and so is the Browning even though I haven't done enough tuning of the BOSS for my present preferred load.  Made in America holds some sway for me in firearms, and I like the controlled round feed of the Ruger.

Truly, honestly, I'd handle and shoulder both and choose on feel.

[Will_C]

The Ruger and the Browning are really different rifles. The Ruger is really a youth model, while the A-Bolt is a slightly smaller fulll -sized rifle, suited more for a man wanting a quicker handling rifle. If you don't need a true youth model woth a 12.5" LOP, my choice would be the Browning.

[264 WIN MAG]

I was out shooting the other day. Had my Browning A-Bolt 270WSM and my buddies 300WM Ruger. The Browning was putting up .5" groups, while the Ruger was lucky to slap up 3" groups at 100 yards.

That Ruger shot horrible. Don't know if it was just a freak coincidence, or just that particular rifle.

He's looking to sell it if anyone is interrested...

[gould]

I have had 9 Rugers becouse I realy like the feel of them and all but 2 shot 3" groups at 100 yards. The other 2 shot great I got 1" to 1 1/2" groups with them and thats good for hunting but not paper punching. I also have 3 Brownings 25wssm,270wsm, and a 7mm mag and all of them shoot under an inch at a 100 yards. And the triggers on them are great and the Ruger triggers all had to have some work. So I will stick to the Brownings for now.

BTW, the 25wssm is close to the best shooting gun I have ever owned and the recoil is very light also.