Indian Creek Design made a name for itself in the paintball world, then branched out into firearms last summer with their handy Blast Forwarding Device. In keeping with their theme of creating affordable products that satisfy a perceived market void, they’ve just released a modern aluminum chassis system for the under-served Ruger American Rifle. ICD’s press release and more photos follow . . .
A truly modular chassis for the Ruger American line
Nampa, Idaho, December 5, 2017 – Sturm, Ruger and Co. has unwittingly expanded the vocabulary of tens of thousands of rifle shooters since 2012 with their Ruger American line of centerfire rifles. They brought terms such as “sub-moa”,”milliradian”, and “ballistic coefficient” out of the realm of precision shooters and to the masses as Ruger American (RA) owners realized the phenomenal intrinsic accuracy available in their budget rifle. This has spawned a booming wave of RA groups on social media and the internet where like-minded owners of the Ruger bolt guns get together and compare shot groups and match scores while collectively wishing for more aftermarket support for their chosen brand and model.
While easy access via a modest price point seals the initial purchase deal for many who may be new to the bolt gun arena, those coming from the AR world are used to having a mountain of accessories readily available to choose from which they can personalize their rifles. Couple this with the increase in the popularity of long range shooting and the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) and now there are tens of thousands of folks looking to hot rod their budget rifle, converting them into personalized precision rifles. The Ruger American, American Ranch, and the American Predator all punch well above their weight class in the accuracy department so the desire for customization is a natural progression for many owners. An increase in various vendors offering stocks, tactical bolt handles, and other accessories to satisfy the growing appetite of the ever expanding group of RA owners has emerged but the choices for a chassis system remained very slim.
There are literally dozens of chassis designs available for a Remington 700 action but the Ruger American market has been quite underserved, until now that is. The challenge at Indian Creek Design was to make a chassis that spoke to the value-oriented owners of the RA, enhancing its capabilities without any overly extravagant bells and whistles that would add unnecessary expense. Offering features that are meaningful and that add to the performance and enjoyment of the rifle were imperatives while specifically addressing the two most glaring negatives associated with the RA, the OEM stock’s carnival contortionist level of flexibility and the OEM rotary magazine’s seemingly willful disregard for reliable feeding.
Drawing from our 3 decades of experience in action sports and firearm component design and manufacturing, along with feedback from both RA owners and a pool of long range/tactical sport shooters, we identified certain features and attributes that were desired. From this data and our experience we developed a fully modular RA Short Action “action housing” and modular fore-ends that combine into our RA “MoFo” (Modular Fore-end) Chassis. Weighing in at a svelte 1.6 pounds before adding other components, the chassis/fore-end user who wants more weight in their rifle can simply add it where they desire to manipulate the balance as they see fit. The “MoFo” chassis fits both the Ruger American as well as the American Predator short actions and is available for lefty’s as well as those who shoot from the right side, with a long action model in development as well.
The ICD chassis accepts both commercial and Mil-Spec AR style buffer tubes, collapsible buttstocks, and AR grips while featuring the buyer’s choice of 1 of our 2 standard fore-ends for a more personalized feel. One fore-end, aptly called Slimmy, offers a minimalist approach while still having multiple flats for barrier shooting. A more rectangular version, reminiscent of the Thompson submachine gun fore-end of WWII fame, affectionately known as the Tommy, features a full length flat from the action housing’s mag well/ barrier stop all the way to the tip of the fore-end, perfect for barrier or improvised shooting positions. Both standard fore-ends feature threaded holes spaced for mounting pic rail for any accessories a shooter may desire, and both come standard with a sling swivel so mounting the ubiquitous “Harris” style bipod is a snap.
In addition to the modularity, fore-end length was a design factor as users wanted to not have to make a choice between bipod use or being able to use the fore-end as a handhold or for resting on a barricade. Both choices of fore-ends are the same length as the OEM stock, offering ample room for the shooter while maintaining absolute rigidity. The chassis and fore-ends will accept a zero taper barrel all the way up to a massive 1.4″ in diameter. There are more optional fore-ends being developed to fi the action housing, including one that accepts AR style hand guards as well as a “tactical match” specific design featuring a built in swiss rail cut and Magpul’s M-lok cutouts for other accessory additions.
The CNC milled 6061 aluminum chassis and fore-ends are finished in Matte Black or Gunner Gray in a Type III hardcoat anodize, with options to purchase them in the raw if a custom finish is desired. The Indian Creek Design “MoFo” Chassis is 100% American made with a MSRP of $399.95. The chassis is competitively priced, properly outfitted, and ready to satisfy the long distance shooter, precision rifle competitor, hunter, or just the firearm hot-rodder in all of us.
If I was into long range shooting I’d look into this. I have a stock RA in .243 with a Redfield 3-9 scope on top. It will do all I need to do to 300 yards. Maybe farther but 300 is all my old eyes and skill level will allow.
But at 300 yards that deer or yote is mine. That’s all I need.
My RA 30-06 shoots 5/8″ groups with handloads at 100 yards, with a $200 Nikon scope. This stock is cool, but I wonder what the gains really would be. My forend does not touch the barrel, and it feeds reliably.
“New From Indian Creek Design: Modular Chassis For The Ruger American Rifle”
Lipstick on a pig…the ruger American is a complete piece of crap…
Untrue. They are budget rifles but they can do the job just the same of most (within reason) of most moderately priced rifles. My $500 after fees and taxes american ranch 5.56 does 1moa with white box. I cleaned up the bolt a little but that’s it.
The pictured rifle was shooting 1/2 MOA out of the box from Ruger if the shooter did their part. Granted the bolt was just a tad gritty out of the box, but dry fire practice worked that out in one session. The stock flexibility was poor too, but that is easily dealt with in a number of fashions to suit any budget.
For a $375 landed rifle it is an amazing piece, shooting “lasers” and very agreeably priced as a base for a fun project that needs very little help for accuracy, just some refinements for ergonomics, hence the chassis. Certainly it’s not for everyone, but kudos to Ruger for bringing so much to the table as a base to start with for the blue collar hunters and budding precision shooters of the world.
yeah!!, I build custom rifles, have done a few really nice 6.5s, a friend sent me one to build a stock for and I laughed. I told him that a hand made stock would cost more then the gun. He practically begged me to test it, so being a hand loader and long range shooter I took it to the range to test it against my 6.5-284 Norma. (a true half minute rifle) and took along some hornady 140 gr. creedmoor ammo. WOW! I was so impressed! 3/4 groups! and the rifle weighed nothing. I now have a custom stocked american predator and an RPR. some of the parts are really cheap, but, for the money?!. yeah.
Gomer, all I can say is shazam! You know nothing about guns. The Ruger is a rugged built, accurate and low cost weapon. My .308 is currently outshooting 2 higher end Remington sniper rifles.
Thats a pretty good deal, Magpul just released their American Hunter stock for the Rugers for not much over $50 less, and the Magpul stock isn’t a modular chassis design.
Last word from Magpul (the RA crowd checks nearly every day on this) is the Hunter stock won’t be out until 1st quarter ’18 at least. Whiule it was announced at SHOT ’17 the testing isn’t finished yet. That will be a popular piece for sure, once it actually releases!
and the pipe rifle from Fallout 4. (as built by Cabot)
Full-auto 38spl? I want one!
Fallout 4 is such a great game, the weapon crafting is fun to play around with.
… is it me, or are these modern ‘weapons’ beginning to look more like droids out of a Star Wars movie (probably me)???
Have you seen the Star Wars blaster themed AR yet? It’s pretty cool.
Actually a lot of the older Star Wars weapons are actual real weapons, or at least non-firing versions thereof, obtained from the various prop companies that specialize in that sort of gear. For example, Han Solo’s blaster is a Mauser C96 that the prop guys glued some extra crap onto. The smaller Storm Trooper blaster carbines are Sterling sub machines guns. The larger Storm Trooper blaster rifles were Lewis Guns and MG-34’s. Boba Fett’s blaster was a 37mm flare launcher.
https://www.range365.com/guns-star-wars#page-33
It looks like a decent setup. I bought the MDT LSS chassis for my RAR Predator in 6mm Creedmoor. It shoots decent so far, but the trigger is too heavy even after adjustment. I got the MDT on sale for $350. They are regularly $400. I have a Savage stealth in 6.5 Creedmoor which also uses an MDT chassis.
That grip doesn’t seem like something I would want. it’s at 90 degrees to gun. Seems like a really dumb idea on an otherwise decent product.
Yeah, that grip needs some work. Though overall I’d say that they deserve a lot of credit since this seems to be there first foray into making a legit firearms chassis.
Any AR grip can be used. The one in the pics looks like MDT’s. It’s supposed to be good for precision shooting stuff.
Cool that they’re interchangeable. That’s a serious perk.
For this kinda thing I like the MacMillan A5. Slight curve and set back a smidge farther from the trigger.
Of course that’s double the price plus some.
Gary form ICD here:
the grip is a MPA Vert, quickly becoming a favorite among PRS style shooters just for the vertical nature. The grip and buttstock on the ICD Chassis are user defined parts either way, but if you have the opportunity to try one of these grips once you get into the prone, or into the improvised positions that PRS shooting brings with it the grip really rocks. It adds a level of consistency in addressing the firearm that helps immensely. If you look at just about every stock and chassis used in precision shooting you’ll note a decided leaning towards near vertical in the grip area due to the arm position it allows. Try one, you’ll be a convert!
Gary from ICD here:
The grip pictured is the MPA Vertical Grip, a very popular one among precision shooters just for that vertical position. The vertical really helps while shooting from the prone, as evidenced by nearly all chassis and stocks made for precision shooting featuring a near vertical grip angle. The grip also features a thumb rest on the right (it is available for both “handed” shooters)
The MPA grip totally rocks, and it is very reasonably priced as well. Either way, the ICD chassis accepts any AR grip anyone wants to use as long as the grip doesn’t have a hard beavertail. That is a user supplied part, as is the buttstock.
Boy, that’s a beauty!
I’m liking it. The price point is pretty darned nice too!
IMO.
Some fancy-shmancy stock is not going to make you a better shooter.
It all depends on the barrel, the ammo and your ability.
IMO.
You must be new to how guns work.
Looks like a knock off the MDT LSS chassis almost to a T. They even offer one for the Ruger American short action. MDT can use AR collapsible and fixed stocks. So I mean come on.
Gary from ICD here:
Actually the MDT LSS is quite a bit shorter in the fore-end, , doesn’t feature any modularity beyond buttstock and grip, and the ICD chassis is lighter, less expensive, and of course 100% USA made.
Funny thing is, almost every chassis looks the same, unless of course you’d prefer that the grip be in front of the mag, or the buttstock in front on the barrel, which could prove to be quite adventurous to shoot.
To say this is a knock off is like saying a Chevy is a knock off of a Ford, which is technically then a knock off of a Mercedes. Its a rifle chassis, they all look similar to the untrained eye.
Beautifully said!
Well I don’t personally own an RA my son has one in .308 that out of the box shooting 148gr mil slurp federal Ammo will put one ragged hole at under an inch. 150 Winchester Southpoint is about the same. Living in Boise Idaho I would love to support our neighbors to the west and buy one of these for my son for Christmas to see what he thinks of it. Thank you for such a lovely product for a rifle that’s quickly defining the budget market
Thanks Willard! If you ever want to drop in for the “nickel tour” I’ll spot you the nickel and show you around anyway. Not a lot to see, but fun nevertheless- Just call ahead if you have the urge!
Looks nice. Any plans to expand into different systems? Like Howa 1500?
No immediate timetable for additional inlets though we do have plans for more variety. Based on the response so far it is looking good for doing so too-
I have the RA Predator in 6.5 Creed. This would be nice for several reasons. The cheek rise, and the magazines. Plus a bit of weight will help with flex of the stock.
Does this work with ruger american 270
The .270 is a long action cartridge. As that is the case you’d need a Long Action compatible chassis. Check out the BRN1 at Brownells. It is made offshore, not in the USA, but it is the only long action chassis made for the RA.
who makes a stock improvement for the RA 223 preditor and allows the use of AR mags
We have an AR magazine fed MoFo (MOdular FOre-end) chassis for the AR mag fed RA’s too- visit icdproducts.com
And CD, if you are looking at making a NON AR Mag version rifle with a center feed bolt work with AR mags it is a sketchy proposition due to the tolerances needed to feed with a center feed bolt from a staggered feed AR mag (center feed vs left right left etc. is the potential downfall/issue) It can be done, we’ve done it with our chassis with some mag catch tuning, but it isn’t for the person who has a deficiency in mechanical aptitude. Not accusing you of being that, just saying that trying it it isn’t for everyone- 🙂
Is this stock available for my ruger American in 300winmag
Wayne, The Indian Creek Design MoFo (MOdular FOre-end) Chassis is NOT available for long action cartridges at this time. Thanks for asking!