HMS Ranger, along with sister ships Sunfish and Opossum, was one of three destroyers ordered for the Royal Navy from Hawthorn Leslie on 7 February 1894 as part of the 1893–1894 Naval Estimates.

A total of 36 destroyers were ordered from 14 shipbuilders as part of the 1893–1894 Naval Estimates, all of which were required to reach a contract speed of 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph).

[7][9] On 17 September 1895,[10] Ranger was laid down as Yard Number 327 at Hawthorn Leslie's Hebburn, Tyneside shipyard,[1] and was launched on 4 October 1895.

[17] On 2 July 1908, during the annual Naval Manoeuvres, Ranger was steaming in company with the cruiser Topaze in thick fog near the Outer Dowsing lightvessel, when the destroyer Haughty collided with her.

[18] In August 1910, Ranger, now part of the Nore Destroyer Flotilla, was repaired at Sheerness dockyard after being damaged by colliding with a pier head at Yarmouth.

[19] On 5 November that year, Ranger, now part of the 6th Destroyer Flotilla, ran aground off Selsey Bill, damaging her propellers, so she had to be towed into Portsmouth harbour.

[21] On 30 August 1912 the Admiralty directed all destroyers were to be grouped into classes designated by letters based on contract speed and appearance.