ruger compac or hawkeye
- Thread starter GHOSTDoG45
- Start date
I see nobody replied to your post Ghostdog...so I'll bite.
First off welcome to CGN
In order to help you with your question we'll need to know a bit about the rifles intended use. I own a ruger compact laminate stainless in 7mm-08 that I hunt with whenever I am walking tough terrain or heavy bush. It shoots slightly over an inch with factory ammo and handloading has tightened my groups to about 3/4". It is a joy to carry all day, and is quite well balanced despite what others may say.
The only downside to the compact is the thin sporter barrel will get P.O.I. shift after 3 shots due to heat, but in a hunting situation 3 shots consecutively would be rare. I would not shoot deer sized game past 250 yards with my compact. I have never chronographed to check velocity, or experienced poor accuracy out to this range, but for some reason I just wouldn't "feel" right shooting this little rifle long range.
I prefer Laminate stocks to walnut or polymer on my hunting rifles, very tough and weather resistant.
I think a Hawkeye would be a great all around choice for a hunting rifle and the features the ruger rifles offer make them one of the best rifles in any price range AFAIK.
Good luck,
Mad Mikey
First off welcome to CGN
In order to help you with your question we'll need to know a bit about the rifles intended use. I own a ruger compact laminate stainless in 7mm-08 that I hunt with whenever I am walking tough terrain or heavy bush. It shoots slightly over an inch with factory ammo and handloading has tightened my groups to about 3/4". It is a joy to carry all day, and is quite well balanced despite what others may say.
The only downside to the compact is the thin sporter barrel will get P.O.I. shift after 3 shots due to heat, but in a hunting situation 3 shots consecutively would be rare. I would not shoot deer sized game past 250 yards with my compact. I have never chronographed to check velocity, or experienced poor accuracy out to this range, but for some reason I just wouldn't "feel" right shooting this little rifle long range.
I prefer Laminate stocks to walnut or polymer on my hunting rifles, very tough and weather resistant.
I think a Hawkeye would be a great all around choice for a hunting rifle and the features the ruger rifles offer make them one of the best rifles in any price range AFAIK.
Good luck,
Mad Mikey
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Two entirely different guns. The compact is a good unit for those who can contend with a sub-13" LOP. I have a Hawkeye in 358w. Good damn out-of-box trigger and is full size. Depends on how old and big your boy is.
Dont forget, the short stinky barrel can give a good concussion-flinch to the beginner, let alone an old hand.
Dont forget, the short stinky barrel can give a good concussion-flinch to the beginner, let alone an old hand.
I was looking at a Hawkeye in 358.. How is that thing anyway? accuacy? Shots on game, etc? I like the ruger rifles and the 35 rifle calibers.
Thanks
Seabass
Chuck Hawks is that you??
Have you ever shot a Ruger compact in laminate stainless flat head?
There is nothing to be scared of here folks. There is no "nose-bleed" recoil or 3-foot flame from the muzzle no matter what you heard on the intranets about short barrels.
The L.O.P. is short and that is a fact. It shoulders perfect for me when wearing my Eberlestock pack, but the micro sized stock is a legitimate fitment concern to some.
Another fact is you lose some velocity with the compacts' barrel. Just how much I can not say exactly until I get my chrono.
If I recall Chuck Hawks stated a loss of velocity somewhere in the 1200 FPS range
P.S. Ghost dog I think the compact or frontier in 7-08 would be an outstanding choice in a youth rifle. I owned a 18" barreled Remmy model 7 .308 in laminate stainless that I sold to get the ruger compact. Recoil wise there was no difference between the two.
Mad Mikey.
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I checked and it DOES come in .260-and given the .260 is a virtual twin of the 6.5x55,that would have to be one of the finest deer rifles you could pack,short,light, all weather,low recoil and one of the most efficient cartridges you could get-plus a high sectional density making it extremly lethal
Dont forget, the short stinky barrel can give a good concussion-flinch to the beginner, let alone an old hand.[/QUOTE]
Sorry, but that statement doesn't make sense, my Frontier in 358 has the short , stinky barrel and it hasn't given anyone concussion/flinch yet even with 300 gr loads, and I'm 63 so that makes me an old hand.
As for accuracy...first test load with a 225 gr bullet and 4320 powder went 0.90" for 3 rds., and put a nice mulie in the freezer first time out.
Its a keeper...
Sorry, but that statement doesn't make sense, my Frontier in 358 has the short , stinky barrel and it hasn't given anyone concussion/flinch yet even with 300 gr loads, and I'm 63 so that makes me an old hand.
As for accuracy...first test load with a 225 gr bullet and 4320 powder went 0.90" for 3 rds., and put a nice mulie in the freezer first time out.
Its a keeper...
Hmmm - ? - my son who is 24 touched off my 358Frontier (250s@ 2230MV using 3031) when hunting. He reported ringing ears and dulled hearing for a few days. So mileage may vary I think. I love those real short carbines but be warned that hearing protection may be needed.
I'd be interested in the details on this load.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
I like short barreled rifles, but to my thinking 20" is as short as possible if one is to expect good ballistic performance from the cartridge as well as good handling characteristics from the rifle. I'd be reluctant to choose a rifle barrel shorter than 18" barrel unless it was chambered for a handgun cartridge.
I bought my 358 Frontier more out of curiosity than anything...and to tell the truth I was skeptical of performance.
After the first test load went under the magic inch I zeroed the scope about 2" high and took it hunting.....the one and only shot fired took a nice mulie. As for muzzle blast....doesn't bother me and recoil isn't a factor because it weighs enough...being short its handy to use quickly.
Maybe others wouldn't like it...but it works for me.....
After the first test load went under the magic inch I zeroed the scope about 2" high and took it hunting.....the one and only shot fired took a nice mulie. As for muzzle blast....doesn't bother me and recoil isn't a factor because it weighs enough...being short its handy to use quickly.
Maybe others wouldn't like it...but it works for me.....
Seabass, I like the hell out of it. Stainless and fiber stock, I beat the hell out it and dont give a sh*%. My other two 358w levers make me much more distractingly concious when hunting. Accurate, yep. It isnt a stock 308 but regular -2" at 100 is achcievable with 250gr Speer HC and GS with some work. 250gr Horn. RN's seem to always shoot good. The speer FN's can shoot well at 100 but past that (@200m) scatter like hell. Cant figure why. I can only attribute the ROT at 1 in12" in all my raffles just does not make them happy out far.
Only shot two mulies and a blacktail with 358w"s. Aside from the details, one shot for each, no stupid blood shot from chest to a#%.
Sun and Steel, nope, shot a few 18" "rifle rounds" and they slapped my big ears. Maybe Im sensitive. Recoil as we know is in the 30-06 class, no issue there.
Who is Chuck Hawk's? Sounds familiar.
Kevan, which 300gr bullet? Id like to try some heavies.
Only shot two mulies and a blacktail with 358w"s. Aside from the details, one shot for each, no stupid blood shot from chest to a#%.
Sun and Steel, nope, shot a few 18" "rifle rounds" and they slapped my big ears. Maybe Im sensitive. Recoil as we know is in the 30-06 class, no issue there.
Who is Chuck Hawk's? Sounds familiar.
Kevan, which 300gr bullet? Id like to try some heavies.
Flathead....the 300 gr. bullets were Woodleigh that I managed to scrounge from a friend. They didn't group as well as lighter bullets, but would cetainly hit hard. One bullet that really surprised me was a 290 cast Lyman gas check.
Cast hard and loaded over Win 748 powder it makes consistent groups between 2" and 2 1/2" @100 yds. I intend to use it for hunting this fall, being a big round-nose bullet, it should work good in the bush.
Cast hard and loaded over Win 748 powder it makes consistent groups between 2" and 2 1/2" @100 yds. I intend to use it for hunting this fall, being a big round-nose bullet, it should work good in the bush.
JohnC
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Chuck Hawks is that you??
Have you ever shot a Ruger compact in laminate stainless flat head?
There is nothing to be scared of here folks. There is no "nose-bleed" recoil or 3-foot flame from the muzzle no matter what you heard on the intranets about short barrels.
The L.O.P. is short and that is a fact. It shoulders perfect for me when wearing my Eberlestock pack, but the micro sized stock is a legitimate fitment concern to some.
Another fact is you lose some velocity with the compacts' barrel. Just how much I can not say exactly until I get my chrono.
If I recall Chuck Hawks stated a loss of velocity somewhere in the 1200 FPS range
P.S. Ghost dog I think the compact or frontier in 7-08 would be an outstanding choice in a youth rifle. I owned a 18" barreled Remmy model 7 .308 in laminate stainless that I sold to get the ruger compact. Recoil wise there was no difference between the two.
Mad Mikey.
I have a Frontier in 300WSM. Velocity loss is around 25-30 fps per inch of barrel length difference. did yopu mean 120 fps?
My experience with the frontier is that the noise seems to affect bystanders to the side anbd rear more than the shooter...
I was thinking of a 7mm-08 or .308 in a Ruger compact for deer hunting in open areas down in Eastern Ontario- so I find this thread quite useful
...Sorry John it wasn't a typo, just a bad attempt at sarcasm
...If you already have a frontier then you are good to go for a compact as I believe they share a similar sized stock. The only difference you may notice is the compact barrels are light weights and P.O.I. will change with heat.
In a three shot group mine will shoot well under an inch with handloads.
Five shot groups the fourth and fifth will open the group up to about an inch and three quarters.
You are a lucky man to have yourself a Frontier in .300WSM, for me the search continues...
Cheers,
Mad Mikey
I try to mix 10 parts lead to 1 part tin, give or take a bit and when casting the bullet is dropped into water thats freezing cold...ice cubes floating in summer. I always keep a thick cloth in the bottom of the water bucket so the fresh bullet doesn't drop on a hard surface and damage.
There was one on Ebay a couple weeks ago went for about $ 50 US.
I've had two and they throw a nice bullet, not sure what it was originally meant for....perhaps the 35 WCF.
Those bullets shoot really well in my 35 Whelen, my brother dropped a young bull Moose with one a few years ago and being round-nose also feed really smooth.
I should mention here that I'm the world's worst bullet caster so bear in mind that my mix figures are approximate.
Please don't hesitate to PM me if you have any more questions....
