Pairing the Best: Ruger Precision Rifle and Burris Eliminator 6

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In its nearly 80-year history, Ruger has introduced many rifles and handguns that have become revered by hunters and gun aficionados. The Ruger Precision Rifle (RPR), a factory chassis rifle introduced in 2015 and offering 1-MOA-or-better accuracy, is often overlooked.

Now in its tenth year of production, the RPR received a facelift in early 2025 based on feedback from competitive shooters and other end users. The most notable enhancement is the redesigned foldable buttstock, which allows for intuitive and secure adjustment to conform to any shooter or style. The length of pull, cheek rest height, horizontal position and butt pad height can all be adjusted, and the new buttstock is available for current RPR owners to purchase separately ($350).

Other new features include a heavier contour barrel (.850 inch), a hybrid muzzle brake and a Magpul MOE-K2 vertical pistol grip. The aluminum handguard is equipped with M-LOK slots for compatible accessories and features an ARCA rail. The magazine well, handguard and stock body have a Smoked Bronze Cerakote finish. Additional chamberings are now availble, too, inclduing 6.5 PRC, which was the chambering of our test rifle.

KEY FEATURES

The RPR is a no-nonsense precision rifle built around a modified Ruger American bolt action mated to a chassis, the purpose of which is to eliminate tolerance variations that can reduce accuracy. All parts are square and true to one another, which equates to increased accuracy.

The Precision Rifle’s lower is machined from aerospace-grade aluminum, and the magazine well is contoured for a better grip. The upper receiver and bolt are CNC-machined from pre-hardened 4140 chrome-moly steel. The upper receiver has an integral 30 MOA Picatinny rail secured with 8-40 screws for increased long-range elevation capabilities. The three-lug bolt has a 70-degree throw and has been DLC-coated for smoother functioning and durability. An oversized threaded bolt handle offers positive manipulation, and a disassembly tool is stored in the bolt’s shroud for easy takedown.

The wide, flat forend handles a bipod, tripod or sandbag with aplomb. The RPR has a vertical, almost straight grip as it nears the receiver, making it comfortable whether shooting prone, from a bench or tripod or offhand. A hook-style buttstock rides rear bags well and provides a purchase point when shooting prone or off a bench. The ergonomics of the stock allow for a comfortable, repeatable cheek weld, as well as hand placement conducive to pulling the adjustable Ruger Marksman trigger precisely. An ambidextrous safety is standard.

The Precision Rifle’s 26-inch cold-hammer-forged barrel features 5R rifling. This differs from conventional rifling in the shape and configuration of the lands and grooves, which reduce projectile deformation and thereby improve accuracy.

NOT JUST ANY GLASS

I needed a scope capable of taking advantage of such an accurate, powerful rifle in 6.5 PRC and opted for a Burris Eliminator 6 in 4–20x52 ($3,000). Over the past 20 years, Burris has been working diligently to bring forth an optic that offers range-finding capability in a rifle-mounted optic that has the aesthetics of traditional scopes. The Eliminator 6 is notable not only because of its baked-in tech, though that is readily present via an impressive heads-up display (HUD) inside the 34 mm tube. Extra-low dispersion glass and 1/8-inch adjustments make the Eliminator 6 comparable to other high-end scopes on the market that don’t offer range-finding capability.

At the touch of a button, the Eliminator 6 displays the target distance and other info in the HUD at the top the reticle, then calculates the exact aiming point within the scope. The X177 reticle uses 177 micro-LEDs to provide an aiming solution with 1/5 MOA accuracy.

The Eliminator 6 can range out to 2,000-plus yards on reflective targets and 1,400 yards on animals. The BurrisConnect app allows the user to create an internal DOPE card in the scope, combining ranging, environmental and ballistic data. We all know that climate and terrain play a significant role in ballistics. The Eliminator 6 features a built-in thermometer, barometer and inclinometer to automatically measure density altitude. From this, the scope selects the ballistics solution via the previously calculated database drawn from the BurrisConnect app.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

My work with the 6.5 PRC Ruger RPR and Burris Eliminator 6 began on the bench at on Range No. 1 at Echo Valley Training Center (EVTC) in West Virginia. A rifle that shoots well off the bench instills confidence in the field, and the RPR’s accuracy was top-notch (see results at right).

EVTC’s Range No. 5 offers unique “dug-in” firing positions made of 36-inch culverts. A Warne bipod was attached to the RPR to engage clay pigeons and compact steel targets strewn on the stepped berm between 210 to 335 yards away. I worked the RPR’s bolt vigorously and acquired the next target as quickly as possible. The 8-round magazine was a nice change from the typical 3- to 5-round mags found with most bolt-action rifles. The ergonomic stock, Burris optic, premium ammunition and slick bolt proved potent.

The RPR’s buttstock design allows for a good cheek weld and helps prevent a “slap” of the face during recoil. I had no problem riding the rifle’s recoil, working the action and engaging the next target. The effects of a good, crisp trigger cannot be overstated in terms of wringing the most accuracy possible out of a rifle, and the RPR benefits from an excellent adjustable Ruger Marksman trigger.

The final evaluation took place at EVTC’s Known Distance Range, with numerous targets of different shapes, sizes and colors placed from 310 to 715 yards. Testing commenced from a bench before proceeding to prone, a PRS barricade and other more unusual firing positions. The RPR chassis’ in-line recoil path manages kick from the rear of the receiver to the buttstock, and the weight (13 pounds empty) and balance of the rifle enabled me to spot my own hits or misses on the steel targets. The fact that most were hits can be largely attributed to the Eliminator 6 providing the range and an accurate aiming point. The RPR/Eliminator combo proved easy to handle, with no target searching required when the rifle was brought to the shoulder.

The key takeaway with the RPR is its out-of-the-box accuracy. Yes, the overall weight precludes it from being viable for still-hunting or stalking. However, the RPR takes a back seat to no rifle in terms of precision, repeatable accuracy, ergonomics, reliability, trigger and safety, and there are plenty of hunting scenarios in which those traits are paramount.

SPECIFICATIONS: Ruger Precision Rifle Bolt-Action Chassis

TYPE: Bolt-action chassis

CALIBER: 6.5 PRC (tested)

MAGAZINE: Detachable 8+1

BARREL: 26 in.; .850 contour; 5R rifling with 1:8 twist; threaded muzzle with Ruger Hybrid Muzzle Brake installed

SIGHTS: Receiver-mounted 30-MOA Picatinny rail

TRIGGER: Adjustable Ruger Marksman (2.5 to 5 lb.; tested at 3 lb.)

SAFETY: Two-position ambidextrous

METAL FINISH: Smoked Bronze Cerakote

STOCK: Folding, fully adjustable

LENGTH: 49.25 in.

WEIGHT: 13 lb.

PRICE: $2,149

ACCURACY RESULTS: Ruger Precision Rifle Bolt-Action Chassis

Berger Elite Hunter

Bullet Weight: 140 gr.

Muzzle Velocity: 2,979 fps

Average Group: .625 in.

Hornady Match

Bullet Weight: 147 gr. ELD Match

Muzzle Velocity: 2,890 fps

Average Group: .66 in.

Hornady Precision Hunter

Bullet Weight: 143 gr. ELD-X

Muzzle Velocity: 2,915 fps

Average Group: .75 in.

Muzzle velocity is the average of 10 consecutive shots as measured by a Garmin Xero C1 Pro chronograph. Accuracy is the average of five three-shot groups fired from a rest at 100 yards.

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• This article was featured in the November 2025 issue of Game & Fish magazine. Click to subscribe.

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