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Ruger Precision Rimfire Review: Budget Bolt-Action
Ruger Precision Rimfire Review: Budget Bolt-Action
Ruger Precision Rimfire Review: Budget Bolt-Action
Chris Fortenberry Last modified May 2nd 2023

Introduction

Ruger Firearms is a prominent manufacturer of guns in the United States. The Ruger American, Ruger AR-556, and Ruger Precision Rifle are all quality rifles manufactured by Ruger and provide excellent performance and value for their users.

The Ruger Precision Rimfire is another rifle Ruger produces that seeks to continue Ruger’s long history of excellence.

The Ruger Precision Rimfire is a chassis-based rimfire rifle that should be instantly familiar to anyone who appreciates modern rifles and specifically the Ruger Precision Rifle. The Ruger Precision Rimfire is not a powerful centerfire rifle, though. It is chambered in .22LR.

With the word precision in its name, you know precisely what Ruger thinks about their rifle. This is a firearm they feel can put rounds on the target, and built it for that purpose. But it is not Ruger’s opinion of their rifle that matters. It is the consumer’s and end users’ opinion that truly matters.

So is the Ruger Precision Rimfire a diminutive rifle that matches the power of its .22LR cartridge, or is it a full-featured rifle that is capable and can make .22LR shine?

Read our review below and see what we at GunMade think about the Ruger Precision Rimfire and see if this rifle is right for you.

Ruger Precision Rimfire Review

Ruger Precision Rimfire For Sale

The Ruger Precision Rimfire is a rifle that eschews the look of traditional synthetic or wood stocks of many .22LR bolt action rifles and instead seeks to mimic the look, feel, and function of long-range precision rifles.

The Ruger Precision Rimfire features an 18-inch cold hammer forged barrel. The barrel is threaded for a 1/2×28 muzzle device and is free-floated to provide the best possible precision.

ruger precision rimfire barrel

The trigger for the Ruger Precision Rimfire is the Ruger Marksman Adjustable trigger. This is the same trigger that Ruger put on their premium centerfire precision rifle, the Ruger Precision Rifle.

I found the trigger on my rifle to be excellent. The trigger is adjustable between 3 and 5 pounds. There are some mixed opinions on the quality of the Ruger Marksman Adjustable Trigger, so try to get some trigger time on a Ruger Precision Rimfire if this concerns you.

ruger precision rimfire trigger

The stock that Ruger put the rifle in is adjustable for both the length of pull and the height of the comb. For me, this was a great quality-of-life upgrade. I was able to adjust my rifle to fit my 10-year-olds as well as myself and did so in a matter of seconds.

ruger precision rimfire adjustable stock

The Ruger Precision Rimfire magazine is the BX-style magazine you use for Ruger’s other .22LR rifles. This means my 10, 15, and 25-round magazines in my Ruger 10/22 can also be used in the Ruger Precision Rimfire.

This is a really great feature.

ruger precision rimfire ruger bx magazine

Specifications

Caliber.22LR
Capacity15 rounds plus other magazine capacities available
ActionBolt-action
Weight6.8 pounds
Barrel Length18 inches
Overall LengthAdjustable 35.13-38.63
Twist1:16 RH

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Accurate
  • Ergonomic
  • Adjustable
  • Aftermarket support
Cons
  • Long
  • Heavy

Range Report

Reliability

I have had great reliability with my Ruger Precision Rimfire. I literally have a 0-percent failure rate. The gun has fed, fired, and extracted every time in the 3+ years I have owned the rifle.

Accuracy

I am happy with the accuracy of the Ruger Precision Rimfire.

There are two types of shooting I have done the majority of the time with the rifle. One is using CCI Quiet setup on a 25-yard range shooting with my kids. The other is shooting with bulk packs of Winchester and Federal ammo I grabbed from local big box stores.

Both myself, my wife, and my kids can shoot well with the rifle regardless of the ammunition used.

Overall Feel

The overall feel of the Ruger Precision Rimfire is very solid. The controls will be familiar to anyone who has used an AR-style rifle. The adjustable stock and comb make using the rifle very comfortable.

ruger precision rimfire profile photo on stinger caldwell shooting rest

Features

Free-Floated Barrel

The free-floated barrel of the Ruger Precision Rimfire makes for excellent accuracy from the rifle.

Adjustable Stock & Trigger

Ruger ensured the Ruger Precision Rimfire could be adjusted to suit each shooter’s needs. The adjustable stock has made it possible for my kids, my wife, and myself to shoot the rifle comfortably and accurately.

Customizable

The Picatinny rail along the top of the rifle and M-Lok slots along the handguard provide a ton of options to customize your rifle. The aftermarket support for the rifle is very robust.

This is both because Ruger products enjoy lots of support from 3rd party manufacturers and the fact that Ruger makes their products compatible with other platforms. An excellent example is the pistol grip, which is compatible with AR-15-style grips.

How We Tested

I have owned my Ruger Precision Rimfire for more than 3 years. During this time, I have shot the rifle at the range and around my farm. The total round count is north of 1000 rounds. I have shot the rifle from sandbags, Caldwell shooting rests, off fence posts, and free hand.

Ammo Used

The majority of the ammunition used with my Ruger Precision Rimfire is CCI Quiet and Winchester or Federal bulk packs. I have used other ammunition types, but I would say that more than 90 percent of all ammunition shot was one of those two, with CCI Quiet being the most frequently used.

ruger precision rimfire review cci federal 22 lr ammo

Score Card

Reliability (10/10)

If you are looking for a reliable, bolt-action rimfire rifle, look no further than the Ruger Precision Rimfire.

Ergonomics (9/10)

The Ruger Precision Rimfire feels great. The reason I took a point off is it is a heavy rifle and really needs to be shot supported.

Customization (10/10)

If you can do it with an AR, you can do it with a Ruger Precision Rimfire. Ruger designed this gun to be customizable, and they succeeded.

Appearance (8/10)

The appearance comes down to personal opinion. I personally find the gun okay to look at, but it doesn’t have the same level of sexy, to me, that a CZ 457 with a wood stock has.

Value (9/10)

The combination of the Ruger Precision Rimfire’s features, including the ability to adjust the rifle to suit the shooter and the rifle’s inherent accuracy, make the rifle a good value at many price points.

Combined with the fact that the Ruger Precision Rimfire is cheaper than many of its competitors is icing on the cake.

Accessories

Vortex Crossfire II Rimfire

Vortex Crossfire II Rimfire

The Ruger Precision Rimfire does not come with any attached sights or optics. Your first accessory purchase needs to be a scope and rings.

The scope I mounted on my rifle is no longer in production. Therefore, I recommend you go with a Vortex Crossfire II Rimfire. It is a quality scope at a reasonable price point.

Bipod/Shooting Rest

Shooting Rest

Adding a bipod to your Ruger Precision Rimfire is an excellent way to increase the rifle’s functionality. You will want either a bipod or shooting rest since the rifle is heavy and is made to be shot-supported.

Caldwell Stinger Shooting Rest

An M-Lok bipod like the Harris S-BRM-MLOK Bipod or Magpul Bipod are solid choices. For a shooting rest, I recommend the Caldwell Stinger.

Alternatives

Savage B22 Precision

The Savage B22 Precision is Savage’s take on a precision rimfire rifle. Like the Ruger Precision Rimfire, it comes in a chassis stock system and sports an 18–inch threaded barrel.

The Savage B22 Precision stock has an adjustable length of pull and comb, allowing it to be adjusted to fit each shooter. If the Ruger Precision Rimfire does suit your needs, check out the Savage B22 Precision.

CZ 457 Varmint

The CZ 457 Varmint is a more traditional rifle than the Ruger Precision Rimfire. The 457 Varmint has a Turkish Walnut stock instead of a chassis and is a very beautiful gun.

The CZ 457 Varmint also has a heavy barrel which helps the rifle have better barrel harmonics and results in a very accurate shooting rifle.

Check out the CZ 457 Varmint if you want an accurate, high-quality rimfire rifle with a traditional look.

While we haven’t reviewed the 457 Varmint, we have reviewed the 457 if you want to check it out.

Last Words

The Ruger Precision Rimfire simply performs. The Ruger Precision Rimfire is capable of putting rounds on target with consistency and without fuss. It is reliable, adjustable, and everything you could hope to get from a .22LR rifle under $1000.

The build quality of the rifle is excellent. Ruger has ensured that the rifle is easily customizable and solid aftermarket parts are available. If you are invested in the Ruger 10/22 platform, you can find some parts, like the magazines, that are interchangeable.

The Ruger Precision Rimfire can be used for target shooting, hunting, or plinking. The heavy weight of the rifle does not make it one you want to carry around for long periods of time, but otherwise, there is little to dislike about the rifle.

If you are looking for a high-quality, accurate .22LR precision rifle, look no further than the Ruger Precision Rimfire.

Do you have a Ruger Precision Rimfire or have a question about the rifle? Leave us a comment. Also, check us out on your favorite social media account. Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, Instagram.

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