I’m Drew Case, welcome to Beyond Seclusion where I only give you my honest opinion, and it is what it is. So, looking it over, Ruger came up with some new things for me. Let’s check out the specs and tech and take an up-close look at this and go from there. This comes fully loaded, guys, I mean it’s got some interesting stuff, so pay close attention!
Ruger SFAR 308 MSR Specs & Tech
| CALIBER | 7.62 NATO / 308 WIN |
| WEIGHT | 6.8 lbs |
| LENGTH | 34″-37.25 |
| BARREL | Cold Hammer-Forged |
| TWIST | 1:10 |
| MAGAZINE | SR/25 Magpul-Style |
| GAS BLOCK | Adjustable Rotary (4 Settings) |
| STOCK | 6-Position Adjustable |
| FIRING PIN | Titanium w/ DLC Coating |
| TRIGGER | 2-Stage w/ 4.5 lbs Break |
| MUZZLE BRAKE | 5/8″-24 Thread Pitch |
| FEATURES | Mil-Spec MSR Triggers Compatible, Upper Receiver Venting Holes, Barrel Extension, BCG to direct gas away from the shooter (especially with suppressors), 5 QD Sling Points. |
Ruger SFAR 308 MSR – Closer Look
I want to kind of show you an up-close of the SFAR, we’ve got Magpul furniture, we’ve got the SL stock, six-position, quick detach point on both sides and then we also have a quick detach in here. Then we have the MOE pistol grip, classic, something here that I do like.
The SFAR has an adjustable gas block and then the pistol grip, it comes with the packing here to keep this from rattling around, but this is the tool that we need to adjust the gas block, I like that that’s actually really smart thinking, putting that in there. As you can see here we have a flared Magwell, they really did not think of everything on this.
Outside looks pretty standard, I like the cuts, it’s got a great look and feel, and if you’re familiar with Ruger they like tight retaining pins, this is going to breakdown just like what we’re used to AR-15 charging handle, and a lot of the accessories are going to be interchangeable with the AR-15. The one thing that is not is the BCG, it is sizewise gonna be the same, but it is a dense alloy with a high nickel content.
Ruger SFAR 308 MSR Trigger
Up here you have two ejectors, and then a specifically tough design for the extractor so that we have consistent and reliable extraction. Anyway, trigger here, I wanted to show you the trigger. Man, that is a light trigger, the reset got a little bit of travel. Nice, quick, short, crisp reset, little take up, pretty crisp, pretty clean. The big thing that you’re going to notice is the pounds, I’m guessing maybe four, let’s just find out. Man, I’m good, four!
Now it may not be perfect as far as zero creep, zero travel, but I can tell you the feel of it is really nice, you’re not gonna feel a need, I don’t think, to put a drop-in trigger in there.
SFAR Gas System
It is easy to remove the hand guard if we want, we’ve got these two screws here, otherwise, we have a mid-length gas system, and it is adjustable, I really like that. Showed you the screw that comes in the pistol grip, and then let’s see if I can get the right light, you’ve got three different settings, you got zero, which is off, and then one, two, and three.
It comes in the three position, that’s going to be the biggest opening, is going to give us the most gas to go back and extract our cartridge. We dial that down. What they recommend is after the breaking of 100 to 200 rounds, that two is probably going to be the most common setting, and then one for suppress, and then if you want to use it like a bolt action then you turn it to zero. The hand guard is very slim, it’s very comfortable, we’ve got multiple quick detach points, and then we’ve got the brake.
Other Features
I’m going to start off with the brake, see how that feels, and then later on I’m going to take that off and I’ll put on my suppressor. Something else that this has that’s pretty unique to this is the venting ports, really, when they put this together they were intending or assuming a lot of folks were going to use suppressors or cans, so we have venting ports here in the receiver, but also in the BCG, and this goes over here, and we have one on the other side, and what that’s going to do we’ll find out because I do have a can, that’s going to get rid of a lot of the gases that are coming back and basically gassing us out in the face. I’m going to be really anxious to try this with my can and see if that works.
I don’t know about you but that peaked my interest. I want to see how all that plays out in reality. Time to start shooting, as they say in MMA: “Let’s get it on!”
Mounting the Optics and Starting with Tests
I’m also working on a review for this PA SLX 3x micro prism for the 5.56 and 308. I wanted to start with this and see how it does, especially while we break it in, and see what we can do with the ultra-lightweight platform. No big optic to add any weight, essentially we’re going bar none here, but we do have a nice little optic to increase accuracy. Let’s see how far up that hill we can reach and what kind of accuracy we can get with this, and then we’re going to throw on an appropriate optic hunting scope to see what we can do with this. I’m also going to throw my can on and we’re going to test some of those vents and ports, and just basically put this through the test and see what it’s all about.
Shooting with Ruger SFAR 308 at 100 yards
Just using some Military Surplus here and getting the zero! Just show you real quick here what the sight picture looks like! Let’s just go check out the groups that I’m getting here at 100 yards!
We started up here zeroing in from the 50-yard zero, brought it down, then I moved over to here, and I think with this one I went two clicks up and didn’t do anything else, and then I just shot this last group, and that’s using that Military Surplus ammo, and that’s pretty good.
What I want to do now is I want to switch over to a little higher quality ammo, I’m going to switch over to the PPU, the M80, and see what happens for groups, and then we’re at that point 10 rounds where I need to go back and season the barrel again, and we’ll do the M80, and then we’ll try some Match ammo.
Great Groups with PPU 7.62mm Ammo
I want to try a little bit higher quality ammo, and actually, I’ve had fantastic luck with this, guys, this is the PPU M80 and you want to talk about some shiny brass. Anyway, in a lot of other guns, I’ve had some outstanding grouping. Let’s see what we get with this.
Alright, so we were doing the Military Surplus and I grabbed that PPU M80. That’s not bad, it’s not bad at all considering what we’re using, I did two clicks up and two clicks right, let’s see how that works.
Even better groups after some fine-tuning
That’s after making those two clicks, that’s pretty good, I think for what we’ve got I’m gonna call that good and we’re gonna move out to the steel.
Moving out to the steel
Real quick here, because we have such a nice rotary adjustable gas block and we’ve got the four different settings, I want to do a slo-mo here and I’m just gonna run through. We’ll start with three, two, one, and then I’ll go to the zero so we can see, and what I’ll try to do, it’s not gonna be super scientific, but I’ll do my best to hold the same pressure against my shoulder and hold it exactly the same way, and see if you can actually see a difference in the gas that’s coming back.
What I want to do now is I want to see how far up the hill we can go banging on some steel with just this 3x micro prism, and then I’m going to put a scope on, and my can on, and then we’re gonna do kind of some hunting scenarios and see what we can get for some accuracy with some Match Grade ammo.
That’s too easy! I’ll jump up here to three!
I miss that, pulled that one!
Nice! Alright, let’s go five!
Yep, we’re shooting just a little bit low. I just wanna see how fast I can put these on target at 400 yards! That rocks! That is awesome!
Swampfox Kentucky Long optic
I’ve got my Swampfox Kentucky Long optic on here, I’m doing a review on that it’s a 2-12, it actually seems like the perfect hunting scope for this particular build, I did get my SilencerCo can on there. What I want to do is we’re going to get this zeroed at 50, I want to see how the can does. I’ve got it set on setting two here, and then we’re going to do a slow-mo and see if we can see some of the gases coming out here and see how it’s doing for gas in the face.
Let’s just see what we can get for a sight picture here at 100 yards!
What I want to do now is, yeah, I got a rough zero at 50, I want to zero it at a hundred. I’m going to use my PPU, basically range ammo, this stuff is great, I love it. I’m going to take my shooting glasses off for a specific reason, I want to see how much gas is coming out with my I-Pro on that’s going to shield me from telling and feeling how much gas is coming back in my face, so I’m going to fire a couple of rounds here without some I-Pro and I want to see how much gas is coming back, if I’m getting gassed out or if this system really is working the way it’s intended to.
Brand:
Swampfox
Model:
Kentucky Long Riflescope
Magnification:
2-12 X
Objective Lens Diameter:
44 mm
Checking the Gas System
Nice! That third shot was a little too high, then a little too low, third shot was right smack and a quarter. Guys, as far as the gas, Ruger, hats off to you, I feel absolutely nothing, absolutely nothing coming back in my face, that’s a first, especially with a direct impingement, with my can. The recoil with the can is exceptional, I’m really liking this. What I want to do now is I’m going to put my I-Pro back on and we’re going to work through some different cartridges and weights and see what we can get with some Match ammo, and then we will have a little fun as always up there at some distance.
Different Ammo Tryout
I just fired off the last of the groups, the Hornady, the Match, let’s go take a look at what we got.
We came in from the 50-yard, first shot, made some adjustments, second shot, and then that. That was nice, that would have been great if we just stuck with that, and this is using the PPU, the M80. Usually I have a lot tighter groups honestly, the first couple shots were here and then it kind of opened up a little bit. Down here then this is that Military Surplus ammo, okay.
Zeroing at 50 Yards
There’s that Federal hunting ammo and that’s five shots, so actually really happy with that because that is what the vast majority of you are going to be using something like that, that’s a respectable group, it obviously it wasn’t zeroed for that.
And then that was the Tula, guys, I’m actually quite impressed, with that 10 shots you got rid of those flyers, and that’s not too bad grouping. And then here this is the Hornady Match, and we’ve got five shots, two of these are doubled. I want to fire a couple more, and it’s getting hot out, and that barrel was hot, I want to see fire another five and see what we get.
I fired another five rounds so we’ve got 10 shots there. I was hoping for a little smaller, but the can, you know, it could be some with the can, anyway, I think it’s time to start banging on some steel.
Back to the steel
According to my ballistic calculator, we’re 11.6 MOA holdover at the 500 yards using the Hornady, let’s give that a go and see if that worked.
Nice! Wonderful! Let’s try that again! Alright, we’re gonna move to smaller targets here. I’m gonna try the 12-inch gong! Nice!
We doped our scope, now I’m just using the crosshairs just like I was at a hundred yards!
Nice! Let’s try the smaller target! The wind changed on me! Nice! That was the 12-inch gong!
Hitting a 12-inch Gong at 500 Yards
On a day with some wind I can hit the 12-inch gong up there at 500 yards, I think, at least in my opinion that answers the question of this being an awesome platform for hunting.
The wind keeps shifting, okay, it was from the right and now just shift to the left! Nice! I love it because I can see it hit before you can even hear it!
There you go, guys, I absolutely love this. We’re gonna dial this back down, okay, we pop this up, we turn it all the way back to zero, and we cinch it back down.
Magpul MBUS Pro Offset Sights
I just happen to have some of Magpuls, the MBUS Pro Offset, the front, and the rear, and I’m kind of reviewing this as a really good hunting platform, and I think that’s what Ruger kind of intended for. One of the things, if you’ve hunted with optics sometimes you’re expecting something a couple hundred yards off, you got your scope dialed in, you’re ready to go, and it walks out right in front of you, at like 20 yards, and you can miss the opportunity.
I will say, with this Swampfox, and I’ll show you, we’ve got a two power, which is one reason I really like this for hunting application, but irregardless I like to have offset sights or an offset red dot, but then you start getting into more money and stuff. Anyway, let’s check these out, let’s see what we can do here, get these zeroed at 50 yards. I’m gonna do the battlefield zero with these for 50 yards, and then we’ll see what we can do out at some distance with these, they’re looking really impressive, all metal.
Shooting Targets at 200 and 300 Yards
It’s got that national match front sight post, which is really thin, and that’s awesome because it makes aiming at distance 200 and 300 really easy to do. Let’s uh see what we can do here.
That’s easy at 200! So, if something went wrong with the scope we can still reach out at some distance. Let’s try three here, and thank goodness that post is really small.
Nice! Okay, six for six!
There you go, guys, we could eat up ammo easy three shots at 200 and an easy three shots at 300, battlefield zero pop-up, iron sights. We will take them back to the CQB range and see how fast we can transition at close quarters.
Back to the CQB range
Real quick here, first, before I forget I had my I-Pro off for quite a bit of the shooting with the iron sights at a distance just because I couldn’t see the iron sights with the glasses on.
I really have trouble seeing up close anyway, and the point of sharing this is I got absolutely no gas in the face.
Ruger, and what they did… it all works exceptionally well. I have shot a lot of 308s and 5.56 and everything else with my can, and I get gassed out, and I have not had any gas with this, I absolutely love it.
What I want to do here is I want to shoot on the two power with both eyes open because having a two power and being able to dial down like that is great for a hunting rifle.
Some place back in the woods like this and to be able to quick transition, so let’s just see what we can do with both eyes open.
I mean it’s not ideally how I like to shoot both eyes open, but in a pinch, it works!
What I want to show now is the offset iron sights.
It worked really well, that did exactly what it was supposed to do. Anyway, there you go, guys, there’s the offset sights, it is what it is.
There you have it, guys, it is what it is, you decide what you think. I hope you enjoyed the review, found it helpful. If so, help support my channel, be sure and hit that subscribe button, that’s right, hit that sub button, this really helps the most. Like and comment.
Until next time, happy shooting, educate our young people to shooting and gun safety, and be a safe and responsible gun owner.
