Ruger Hawkeyes

[Gatehouse]

I thought you were planning to go to a McMillan!!?? My pal's Alaskan was shooting 3 shot half inch groups (300 gr TSX and 79.5 grs of 760) off the bench, with the factory Hogue stock. Hard to improve on that, but he needs to wean himself off the bench and shoot it the way it was meant to be shot. I hope you have good luck with yours.

I probably still will order a Macmillan, but I'd liek to use it this spring to hunt bears..And a Mac will get here about the time spring bear season ends, if I am lucky

The Hogue stock sure is nice at the bench, comfortable to shoot, nice recoil pad, and sure, it's accurate. BUt it didn't take much shooting off the bench and carry in the field for me to determine that it's not my cup of tea for a hunting rifle.

 

[blargon]

I have a Hawkeye in .243 other than it being a bit heavy its been a great gun.

I keep reading these are a bit heavy, but what are people comparing them to? The Ruger website says the Hawkeye Stainless .270 is 7lbs and the wood/blued is 7.25 lbs. That seems pretty average to me, as 98% of sporter rifles weigh 7.5lbs, not including ultralites or Tikka's.

 

[BC Bigbore]

Glad to see Ruger has a matte finish on their stainless rifles now. And you say they're putting checkering on their laminated stocks too? Long overdue. I took my MkII .338Mag to the gunsmith and had him beadblast all the metalwork including the rings, install a decelerator pad and tune the trigger. The only thing it needs is checkering on the laminated stock and it'll almost be a Hawkeye

 

[Noel]

I probably still will order a Macmillan, but I'd liek to use it this spring to hunt bears..And a Mac will get here about the time spring bear season ends, if I am lucky

The Hogue stock sure is nice at the bench, comfortable to shoot, nice recoil pad, and sure, it's accurate. BUt it didn't take much shooting off the bench and carry in the field for me to determine that it's not my cup of tea for a hunting rifle.

Is it just the way the stock fits that you don't like it for a hunting rig?

 

[Dogleg]

hey, not everyone has their umbilical cord tethering them to the bench.

after sight-in i shoot most of my rifles either offhand or off the side of a post. getting sub-MOA groups off the bench with your hunting rifle is worthless if you shoot 12" groups in the field.

Not everyone is tied to the bench, but most are. Saskatchewan has the highest gun-ownership per capita of any province in Canada. I live in the biggest city (or town depending on your point of view). This city has the largest membership of any wildlife federation in Sask and the only rifle range. Its not much of a stretch to assume that such a concentration of hunters and gun-owners woud shoot off-hand once in awhile. That assumption would be wrong. If you happen to see someone shooting on his hindlegs you may as come over and say hi, because its me.

 

[Gatehouse]

Is it just the way the stock fits that you don't like it for a hunting rig?

The Hogue stock is a pretty good idea for these rifles. For startes, it puts a "semi premium" stock onto a production rifle. It'sa good stock at soaking up recoil, and the recoil pad is nice and squishy, absorbs recoil well. The stock feels good in the hand when shooting.

Hogue stock:

But for me, it's a bit too clunky, and heavy. Heavy is a GOOD thing wiht heavier recoiling rifles, so that's not too bad most of the time....

I dont' like the way the pistol grip curves forward, so that it has a little projection out of the front of the bottom. Harder to grab quickly, feels strange.

I don't like the wide forend.

I dont' like the way the recoil pad catches on my clothing unless I shove the rifle OUT forward, and then BACK into the shoulder.

And, it's just a wee bit too heavy for my purposes. Yes, with the B&C stock, recoil is a bit more snappy, but it's not too punishing to me, and for range work there is always other options, like a shoulder pad etc.

The stock, in this rifle is just not as fast handling as I want a rifle like this to be.


Regular stock:

 

[ipscgraz]

I have one of the old M77 V rifles and now a MkII Hawkeye.

Yes, the rifles have evolved. I pretty happy with my new stainless synthetic hawkeye, and especially at the price I got it for. The LC 6 trigger I have has just a bit of creep that needs to be addressed. Other than that, a very pleasant rifle to shoot.

 

[todbartell]

I had a Ruger hawkeye in 06 last year. Even after free floating, barrel lapping and bedding, the third shot would be a 2" flyer. No matter what bullet or powder it would do this routinely. It ended up on the P&D rack as a trade in. I wasn't impressed.

in fairness to that rifle it probably had less than 150 rounds through the barrel when it was given up on

 

[Salty]

in fairness to that rifle it probably had less than 150 rounds through the barrel when it was given up on

Not even long enough to get bed linered

 

[Noel]

The Hogue stock is a pretty good idea for these rifles. For startes, it puts a "semi premium" stock onto a production rifle. It'sa good stock at soaking up recoil, and the recoil pad is nice and squishy, absorbs recoil well. The stock feels good in the hand when shooting.

Hogue stock:

But for me, it's a bit too clunky, and heavy. Heavy is a GOOD thing wiht heavier recoiling rifles, so that's not too bad most of the time....

I dont' like the way the pistol grip curves forward, so that it has a little projection out of the front of the bottom. Harder to grab quickly, feels strange.

I don't like the wide forend.

I dont' like the way the recoil pad catches on my clothing unless I shove the rifle OUT forward, and then BACK into the shoulder.

And, it's just a wee bit too heavy for my purposes. Yes, with the B&C stock, recoil is a bit more snappy, but it's not too punishing to me, and for range work there is always other options, like a shoulder pad etc.

The stock, in this rifle is just not as fast handling as I want a rifle like this to be.


Regular stock:

Thanks! Hopefully the BIL gets to hold one before he drops his money. Hate for him to find the same thing after the fact...if we ever find him a gun.

 

[Gatehouse]

I think only the 375's are coming wiht the Hogue stocks. And I bet most peopel will LIKE the Hogue stocks. It's a good stock, just not what I wanted, for that rifle. On another rifle, it woudl be great. It would be super awesome ona HB varmiter.

 

[manbearpig]

now you can get the regular hawkeyes with the Hogue stocks now.
its ~$40 extra:

the Hogue upgrade over the regular cheap Ruger synthetic stock for $40 is a pretty good deal, assuming Canadian dealers dont jack the price up even more.

 

[Republic of Alberta]

I don't care for Houge stocks either and do not consider it to be an "upgrade" on a hunting rifle, more like an option for those that do like it. Best to pick one up and see how it feels. They are definitely different than the regular Ruger stock.

 

[Noel]

I agree, the more I look the less I like with that funky Zepher(?) style grip.
But is isn't for me. Ol Nugget's tastes and mine tend to stray right after the CRF receiver.......