The Ruger precision rifle, or RPR, is revolutionary in that it brought long-distance shooting to the average gun enthusiast. The rifle is built to be reminiscent of an AR-15, and comes with so many features that even beginners will be giddy with excitement. After getting to shoot an RPR Gen III, I compiled a quick list of my favorite features to help all of you on the rocks to make the decision.

Attachment Ready

The RPR Gen III comes with a M-lok rail that is one of the many things AR lovers will enjoy, and a 20-MOA Picatinny rail for sight mounting. To take full advantage of the picatinny rail, I’d recommend using a high-quality 6.5 Creedmoor riflescope to enhance accuracy. 

Stock

Okay, so I’m going to both praise and rant a little bit about this stock.

It is a fully adjustable folding stock, which you can adjust not just the pull and comb high, but also the cheek rest. It takes a little fidgeting to get it just right, and you’ll find yourself spending more time messing with the stock than you would like.

Good news: if you don’t like the stock you can replace it with any buffer-tube compatible stock, but I personally love the customization it offers. Also, there is a little Picatinny rail mounted on the bottom of the stock that can allow for monopod mounting or just to be more securely rested on a sandbag.

Trigger

The RPR comes with an adjustable trigger, ranging from around two to five pounds. This is perhaps one of the best factory stock triggers I have ever used. But as with everything else on this gun, if you don’t like it, you can change it out.

Bolt

The RPR is a three-lug bolt action and a 70-degree throw. The bolt locks when the magazine is empty, and it can be cycled when safety is on.

There are plenty of other features that I loved with this gun, that I’m just going to list quickly:

• Sub-MOA rifle
• Matte Black finish
• Comes with two 10-round Magpul pmags
• Muzzle break included; cuts recoil effectively
• Magazine well compatible to wide range of magazine types 
• Chambering available in 6.0, and 6.5 Creedmoor as well as .308.
• Safety and magazine release are very similar to that of an AR-style rifle.

And below are the specifications:

• Barrel length: 20” for .308, 24” for 6.0 and 6.5 Creedmoor 
• Weight: 10 pounds without scope
• Overall length: 42.75” for .308, 46.75” for 6.0 and 6.5 Creedmoor
• Twist rate: 1:10 for .308, 1:7.7 for 6.0 Creedmoor, 1:8 for 6.5 Creedmoor

To sum it up:

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly precision rifle, then I’d recommend getting the Ruger Precision Rifle. It’s incredibly affordable for the market (only costs $1,200 at Cabela’s), and comes with so many extras that you’ll feel like a kid in a candy store.

Richard Douglas is a firearms expert and educator. His work has appeared in large publications like The Armory Life, Daily Caller, American Shooting Journal, and more. In his free time, he reviews optics on his Scopes Field blog.

Image: Creative Commons.