1/250: Custom Ruger 6mm ARC (WOOX Merica 250th Upgrade)

2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the United States. In commemoration, WOOX has created a special-edition Merica America 250 stock—with only 250 made! We have number 6 to upgrade a 6mm ARC Ruger American Gen II and test with multiple factory loads, muzzle devices, suppressors, and 108-grain Hornady ELD-M handloads.

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About WOOX Merica

The compact Merica has M-LOK slots on the bottom and sides of the forend, making it easy to add accessories like an ARCA rail.

An aluminum mini chassis rests at the center of Merica, accompanied by a traditional buttstock.

WOOX left a small access point in the trigger guard to allow for simple trigger adjustments without having to remove the stock. I especially liked the special limited-edition engraving along the side!

In addition to a Limited-Edition certificate, I also received length-of-pull spacers.

From WOOX:

Playful and versatile stock that merges modern features with a touch of traditional flair, the true embodiment of the American Dream.

THE HARDEST WORKING CHASSIS IN THE ROOM.

The new Merica bolt-action chassis and stock from WOOX encompasses the classic look and feel of wood with the advanced utility of America’s most popular rifle. Handcrafted in Italy from genuine American Walnut, the rear stock has aggressive checkering on the grip, four quarter-inch spacers and a microcell butt pad, and a QD sling swivel. The vented fore end of American walnut sports M-LOK® rails located at the 3, 6 and 9 o’clock positions for mounting accessories geared to any application, from predator and big game hunting to competition shooting.

PROUDLY MADE IN ITALY AND IN USA.

About the Project

6mm ARC was designed for the AR-15 but works exceptionally well in bolt-action rifles as well.

I’ve been eager to try Ruger’s new American Gen II 6mm ARC bolt-action and to put it in a stock that better fits my preferences.

The Ruger American Gen II accepts AR magazines and comes with a gun lock and printed materials.

The entire idea behind this project is best value. I combined the Ruger American with an Athlon Ares ETR 4.5-30×56 in Athlon Armor rings to stay in line with this theme.

Athlon puts the torque settings right on their Armor rings, making it easy to torque to the correct specifications.

I decided to try to sight-in the rifle in its factory configuration to get a baseline of what to expect before upgrading the entire ergonomics.

Installation and Shooting

The Ruger American bottom metal boasted the same green and yellow pattern as the factory stock. I decided to paint this piece black in order to pair more elegantly with the Walnut stock as well as the bronze Cerakote action and fluted barrel.

My Ruger American barreled action fit perfectly into the WOOX inlet. I added the newly-colored bottom metal and secured the action screws.

An ODIN Works ARCA rail, suppressor, and all included length-of-pull spacers followed.

These accessories not only provided a more comfortable shooting experience for me, but also allowed me to use a bipod and ARCA bag rider.

I tried a variety of Hornady 6mm ARC factory ammunition and three different muzzle configurations to find the most accurate combination.

The included radial brake didn’t perform well with any of the ammo SKUs I tried. The SilencerCo Hybrid 46 showed similar results.

The Area 419 Maverick Gen I suppressor proved the winner. The Maverick had the most promising results with Hornady 108-Grain ELD-M match ammunition. At this point, I decided to test some handloads with the same bullet. Three shots clover-leafed at 100 yards.

Ruger American 6mm ARC with the 108-Gr. ELD-M Handloads

Once I had completed my bench testing, Kyle Shields and I went up to the Ridgeline for some steel target fun.

The Caldwell steel gongs at 200 yards provide a good simulation of vitals at that distance.

Conclusion

6mm ARC is one of my favorite cartridges, particularly in a bolt gun. Changing out the factory stock for the WOOX Merica greatly improved my shooting experience.