Ruger Hawkeye vs M77

[mshootnit]

I should add to that in this case I would be expecting a sub moa 10 shot gun after bedding and handloading. I know it's not what I need, but it's what I want. Otherwise it will always be a disappointment to me.

Sounds like you want a Cooper

 

[Don McDowell]

I was just curious if anyone here has a newer ruger Hawkeye and what you think of it. I have been really soured on the old Mk77 ruger rifles because to be perfectly honest all of them I've ever been around were terrible shooters. I've had three family members that have or had them. My brother in law has one in 270 that shoots somewhere around 2-3 moa, my dad had one in 22 hornet that was about the same and my brother had one in 223 that was utterly hopeless with any ammo. Honestly nobody I've ever talked to with one had much any better to say about the M77 for accuracy.

I was just wondering with the new American rifles being so accurate which I have seen for myself, I wonder if ruger redid there whole barrel program and are using the same barrels for the Hawkeye's now. I've been planning for a new Winchester model 70 but was just thinking if ruger has managed to figure out how to make the hawkeye a decent shooter I might go that route instead.

Back in 1976 I bought a M77 in 7 mag, the thing was a tac driver with it's favored hand loads. Traded it off in the early 80's. Picked up a new Hawkeye in 223 a couple of years ago. It's a prairie dog shooting machine. The only thing done to it was mount a Burris scope.

 

[smithnut357]

I have one of the 5.56 Ruger Gunsite Scouts, topped with a leuopold mark at 1-4x24. I believe the model is a M77 GSR. Off a bench, at 100 yards, it shot groups that my friend who was spotting told me I missed the whole entire target. On further inspection, we found that it was shooting into one ragged hole.
This I consider to be a testimate to the accuracy of the rifle, not my shooting prowess.

 

[Newtosavage]

Ruger got two chances with me in their Hawkeye lineup. In my case, it was two strikes and they are out. I took a loss on both guns just to be rid of them.

I might consider an American someday if they improve the stock, but probably not. Too many other good choices out there these days.

 

[wombat13]

I have a Hawkeye stainless/laminate in .300WM purchased new in 2008. I've done minimal work on it. First thing to do, is make sure the action screws are properly torqued. Ruger has a video (either on their site or on youtube) showing how to do it). The trigger pull was quite high on mine. I replaced the trigger spring with a 77MKII trigger spring and now it is much better. After dealing with the action screws and changing the trigger springs, mine shoots well. My best load is a 165gr. Barnes TSX and IMR 4831 which will shoot 3/4" four shot groups at 100 yards. I only shoot four shots because that's what the gun will hold and the barrel gets hot fast when you're burning 70+ grains of powder per shot. I'm working on new loads and have a couple that look like they'll shot 1 moa or better.

I just bought a Hawkeye stainless/synthetic in .25-06 but haven't had time to work on any loads. I considered other rifles, but I like the CRF, three-position safety, and scope mounts. AFAIK, only a couple other manufacturers offer CRF and three-position safety (Winchester, Kimber) and both are more expensive than a Hawkeye.

 

[TexasPatriot.308]

I love my Ruger M77s, .280, 7 mm mag, .270, .308, .22-250 and my favorite a tack driving .257 Roberts.

 

[JD Pinardi]

I bought a M77 in 7mm Rem mag in 1976 bedded and floated it the before I ever shot it. It's never got a lot of work on paper, just a few rounds every year before hunting season to make sure it's still on. It's been extreamly accurate, it only let one get away that was within reason, and that was my bad, sandwich in one hand, coke in the other, a 4x4 buck comes out of the brush 40 yds in front of me, dropped my lunch grabbed my gun....3x9 scope was on 6.....it looked like fur, fired....lost my lunch and a nice Buck. Lesson learned.
I heard that Ruger started making a change to Wilson barrels around 1973 until they started making their own, from what I gather some of the Wilson barrels were excellent, some not so much.
JD

 

[jmr40]

There have been 3 generations of the 77's. The original had a tang safety. It was a pushfeed action with the large claw extractor and a button ejector, not true Controlled Round Feed. At the time Ruger didn't make their own barrels but purchased them from outside vendors. Accuracy varied greatly depending on the barrel.

The 77 MK-II came in 1992 with a completely different stock design. It had a blade ejector and winged Winchester style safety. But the 1st production run did not have a cut out on the bottom of the bolt face for the cartridge to slip under the ejector. Ruger quickly corrected this, finding one without the bolt face cut is quite rare and somewhat collectable. Ruger started making their own barrels in 1992 and they were much more consistent. And very average. I've never seen one of these rifles with accuracy that shooters would brag about,never seen one that was terrible either. It was good enough for virtually all hunting. And the rifles developed a well deserved reputation for rugged reliability and durability.

The Hawkeye's biggest plus was a MUCH better trigger. The stock was slightly redesigned and in my eye better looking. I've found the Hawkeye to be a bit more accurate than the MK-II. Most all of them are capable of 1 MOA accuracy whereas around 1.5 MOA was typical for the MK-II.

They are all hunting rifles meant for rugged hard use. If I were looking for a rifle that simply had to work any of the Rugers would be near the top of my list. If I needed tack driving accuracy, I'd look at something else. In fact Ruger seems to be covering that quite well with the American series.

 

[CoalTrain49]

Ruger re-barrels a lot of their new rifles. It's a well known fact.

They just accept the fact that their barrels aren't up to the highest industry standards and try to compensate. They're pretty nonchalant about it and try to make it right. I have experience with that as others have.

I suspect anyone with a good amount of trigger time knows the difference.

I'm always amazed that some people don't want the truth.

The truth is Ruger sells a lot of rifles and they have a pretty good business model. If they didn't they wouldn't be as big as they are. People who want a rifle to shoot 1 MOA consistently probably should spend a little more money on a rifle. If all you want to do is shoot deer at 100 yds and your range time is limited, there isn't any reason to spend the extra money on something like a Tikka or Browning.

The deer hunters come out of the wood work at my range in the fall. We get flooded with hunters who only shoot a few rounds a year. I think there are more people in that category than many realize. Ruger and Savage have zeroed in on that segment of the shooting public quite well.

 

[someguy2800]

I never saw the ruger M77 or Hawkeye as being part of the cheap gun market aimed at the once a year hunter. Around here at least that role is filled by the savage axis and remington 783. I always saw them as higher price, higher quality gun competing with the Winchester model 70. Sounds like from the people that have had hawkeye's that it may or may not be capable of what I want with some work. Not sure its a better option than a model 70 though. But I like some things about both of them.

 

[Flatbush Harry]

I have two Ruger rifles: a Hawkeye M77RSI stainless in .308 Win and a No. 1A in 6.5x55 SE. I obtained a 0.75" 3-shot group with the No. 1A using Rem 140gr CoreLokts while sighting in with a Leupy VX3 2.5-8x36. My handholds using 40.0 gr of VV N550 and 142gr SMKs don't do any better, but this is one terrific hunting rifle. The M77RSI produces 0.75"-1.0" 100 yard 3-shot groups with both 165gr AccuBonds and 168gr SMKs. It, too, is a terrific hunting rifle.

While several of my rifles shoot better, the Rugers are as strong or stronger than any. I particularly like the CRF of the M77RSI and use it as often as my Win M70 EWs in .30-06 and 7mm RM for hunting. Older Rugers had accuracy issues but their newer ones are great shooters and, importantly, great carrying rifles for stalking given their compactness and weight.

Harry

 

[someguy2800]

I have two Ruger rifles: a Hawkeye M77RSI stainless in .308 Win and a No. 1A in 6.5x55 SE. I obtained a 0.75" 3-shot group with the No. 1A using Rem 140gr CoreLokts while sighting in with a Leupy VX3 2.5-8x36. My handholds using 40.0 gr of VV N550 and 142gr SMKs don't do any better, but this is one terrific hunting rifle. The M77RSI produces 0.75"-1.0" 100 yard 3-shot groups with both 165gr AccuBonds and 168gr SMKs. It, too, is a terrific hunting rifle.

While several of my rifles shoot better, the Rugers are as strong or stronger than any. I particularly like the CRF of the M77RSI and use it as often as my Win M70 EWs in .30-06 and 7mm RM for hunting. Older Rugers had accuracy issues but their newer ones are great shooters and, importantly, great carrying rifles for stalking given their compactness and weight.

Harry

Is that a go out and do it any day of the week group or a thats the best its done group?

 

[Flatbush Harry]

Is that a go out and do it any day of the week group or a thats the best its done group?

Both rifles are "go out and do it any day" 1 MOA shooters with the loads noted. While I can usually better 1 MOA, I'll call them 1 MOA rifles. For hunting that's plenty good enough at 350 yards or less...and that's the limits of the shots I'll take. Now that I'm almost 71, I don't hunt much any more.

Harry

 

[Cocked & Locked]

I bought this 77R .257 Roberts in November last year. It was at a local gun store that had several rifles on consignment sale from an estate...widow was selling off deceased husband's long guns.

It appeared to be unfired and was in the original box with all paperwork. The factory rings were still wrapped and in their individual small boxes. Previous owner probably bought it on 12-16-85 for $319.99. At least he had that written on the box. Also a price tag for same amount is still on the box.

I've never reloaded .257 Roberts so have only shot 117 grain factory ammo in it. I've shot Winchester Power Point +P (old pony rider style box), Remington Core-Lokt, and Hornady Superformance +P. It prefers the Hornady ammo with the Remington coming in second place and the Winchester 3rd.

I have a Leupold M8 6X fixed power scope on the rifle. In February this year the rifle was grouping the Hornady 1.25" c-c five shot groups at 100 yards...rifle resting on sandbags on back of golf cart. Today at 90 degrees I shot one five shot group that measured about 1.5".

Not the most accurate rifle I own but plenty good for me. This one is the only Ruger rifle I currently own and only .257 Roberts I've ever owned.

I once had a Ruger 77/44 that grouped about 10" at 50 yards. Friend of mine had a 77 .270 he wanted to trade me...it grouped about 10" at 100 yards.

I'm guessing this .257 Roberts rifle was probably made in 1985 or 1986. It has a 770 serial number prefix.

I did kill one deer with it last season...DRT

 

[Corn-Picker]

I once had a Ruger 77/44 that grouped about 10" at 50 yards. Friend of mine had a 77 .270 he wanted to trade me...it grouped about 10" at 100 yards.

Watch out the Ruger fans will attack you I had a 90's Ruger in 7mm mag that produced grapefruit sized groups at 100 yards. On the other hand, my dad has a very accurate Number 1 in 30-06 and, of all things, a mini-14 that I can reliably shoot sub-MOA groups with (believe it or not). I'm willing to give Ruger another chance at some point in the future, though I'm not sure when that will be.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I have an old Model 77 in .30-06 that shoots around 1 -11/2" with ammo it likes, and an M7722M that shoots a bit better than that.

The .22 Hornet is a special case -- you have to know how to handload the Hornet to get good accuracy.

 

[mshootnit]

I bought this 77R .257 Roberts in November last year. It was at a local gun store that had several rifles on consignment sale from an estate...widow was selling off deceased husband's long guns.

It appeared to be unfired and was in the original box with all paperwork. The factory rings were still wrapped and in their individual small boxes. Previous owner probably bought it on 12-16-85 for $319.99. At least he had that written on the box. Also a price tag for same amount is still on the box.

I've never reloaded .257 Roberts so have only shot 117 grain factory ammo in it. I've shot Winchester Power Point +P (old pony rider style box), Remington Core-Lokt, and Hornady Superformance +P. It prefers the Hornady ammo with the Remington coming in second place and the Winchester 3rd.

I have a Leupold M8 6X fixed power scope on the rifle. In February this year the rifle was grouping the Hornady 1.25" c-c five shot groups at 100 yards...rifle resting on sandbags on back of golf cart. Today at 90 degrees I shot one five shot group that measured about 1.5".

Not the most accurate rifle I own but plenty good for me. This one is the only Ruger rifle I currently own and only .257 Roberts I've ever owned.

I once had a Ruger 77/44 that grouped about 10" at 50 yards. Friend of mine had a 77 .270 he wanted to trade me...it grouped about 10" at 100 yards.

I'm guessing this .257 Roberts rifle was probably made in 1985 or 1986. It has a 770 serial number prefix.

I did kill one deer with it last season...DRT

If you really wanted to, you could get that rifle under one MOA, or at least I know folks that could.

 

[Captcurt]

Bought a Used 77 Bi-Centennial chambered for 270 in 1977 for $150. It would cloverleaf 5 shots with 130gr. Speer HotCor's over a stiff load of IMR-4350. I took three deer from 350 to a little over 400 yards. Shot one mulie as it lay in it's bed across a canyon. Made three trips over there before I found it. I could see it from where I had taken a rest off of a log, but couldn't locate it when I crossed to his side. Alas, fatherhood kicked in and I had to sell it to feed the youngins. They tended to get sick when they didn't eat.

I really like the stocks on the Hawkeyes and would buy one if I could ever tire of my Bergara, Rem 700 and the 77 tanger that I just picked up. To be honest, I just sold an American Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor that was one of the most accurate guns that I have owned lately. Maybe Ruger is getting their head on straight.

 

[Newtosavage]

Is that a go out and do it any day of the week group or a thats the best its done group?

Good question.

I shot several 1/2" groups with my Ruger Hawkeyes (an RSI and a standard 22") but I also shot a bunch of 2" groups with those same rifles using the same rounds.

 

[Tentwing]

I picked up my Ruger Hawkeye in about 2011 ? ..... Anyway it is chambered in a 25-06, and is reliably MOA with two types of factory ammo. It likes Federal with 117gr Sierra Gamekings , and really likes ( sub MOA ) Federal with Barnes TSX 100gr. It will get consistently close to MOA with Hornady custom 115 gr boat tails.

On the other hand it is about 2 1/2 to 3 MOA with Winchesters , and minute of 3 story barn with Remington Cor-lokts. It is well made and has been without issue since I bought it new.

Tentwing