Ruger Precision Rifle Safety Recall – Uncommon but Crucial

Ruger is issuing a “product safety bulletin” about their new and very popular Ruger Precision Rifle, or RPR. A small range of rifles are affected by this recall but due to the nature of this problem all RPR owners should check their guns for safety.

“Ruger Precision Rifles (regardless of caliber) that have an aluminum bolt shroud and fall within the following serial number ranges are potentially affected: 1800-26274 to 1800-78345 or 1801-00506 to 1801-30461,” details the bulletin.

Some of these guns have out-of-spec components and one symptom is light primer strikes. However, in some cases Ruger says affected guns may fire when the bolt is lifted but still in battery. This is a serious problem with the potential for causing injury or worse.

“Although all rifles with aluminum bolt shrouds within the above serial number range are potentially affected, most rifles will never experience this issue,” said Ruger. “However, if you have ever experienced light primer indents or failure to fire while shooting or dry firing your rifle, you should obtain a replacement bolt shroud, which Ruger will provide free of charge.”

Upgraded aluminum shrouds have a dimple at the firing pin back. (Photo: Ruger)

It’s possible to have a rifle with an aluminum bolt shroud inside the affected serial number range that’s problem-free. Ruger says that if your rifle has gone 100 or more rounds without any light primer strikes then it’s safe to use normally.

In some instances other rifles outside of the range may also be affected. Ruger also sells their aluminum bolt shrouds through their company store. If you have installed an upgraded bolt shroud Ruger is instructing you to remove it and install the original polymer shroud. They will send you a replacement aluminum shroud for free.

In any case, if you are unsure or concerned about your RPR for any reason, please contact Ruger for support. Newly-manufactured bolt shrouds have a mark behind the cocking piece or firing pin back opening. RPRs starting with the serial number prefix 1802 or higher are unaffected by this recall.

See Also: Ruger’s New Big- and Small-Bore Bolt Guns

The RPR is Ruger’s flagship long-range rifle for hunting and target shooting. It’s a factory-accurized bolt-action rifle with a bedded receiver and free-floating barrel. The RPR uses AR-pattern components where possible, including the stock, pistol grip and safety selector.

This makes the RPR competitive with many entry-level custom rifles at a fraction of the cost. These guns have a list price of $1,599 and often sell for around $1,200. They are available in .223 Remington, .308 Winchester and 6mm and 6.5mm Creedmoor.

Ruger has a great track record of handling recalls. This is Ruger’s second notable product recall this year. Ruger issued a recall on their new Mark IV pistols last June. It’s possible for pistols with this problem to discharge when the safety is taken off, which is an equally serious issue.

Of course the big news in product recalls is about the SIG P320. After a few weeks of rumors SIG confirmed that the P320 is not entirely drop safe. Under specific circumstances these guns can fire when dropped. With something around 500,000 pistols in circulation, SIG is preparing to launch the biggest “voluntary upgrade” since the Springfield XD-S safety upgrade.