Ruger M77 Hawkeye Compact

[MOHunter1978]

Just picked up a compact in 243. I will use it as a scout rifle, deer rifle for the kids, possibly a varmint rifle. If anybody out there has any experience with the compact (in any cal) please share. Any suggestions on a scope with the correct eye relief for this shorty would be appreciated as well.

 

[Craigman]

with .243 i don think eye relief will be an issue. My buddy has one in .260 Rem with a Leupold vx2 and its a shooter. You'll need to wait to let the barrel cool between every 3 or 4 shots or so or the groups will "string". Its been a great rifle for him though with no regrets.

 

[ar24095]

My Son has one in 7mm-08 and it is a deer killing machine. BTW it's also very nice walking around with a light soft shooting firearm.

 

[MOHunter1978]

I'm sure that 16.5 in barrel heats up quickly. Glad to hear it is a good rifle and a good investment.

 

[Dr T]

I have a Ruger Frontier in 308. It is essentially a compact (actually, the predecessor) with a rail on the barrel for mounting a scout scope. Last year, I hunted with it using the scout scope. With this scope, it would shoot about 1 1/4" 3 shot groups with Hornady Custom 165 gr. at 100 yards. Even though I took a deer with the gun, I decided I did not like the scout scope.

This fall I changed the scope to a Burris 2-7 x 35 Fullfield with the E1 reticule. With the $14/box 150 gr Federals from Wally World, it was shooting (best group) 3/4". I left it sighted 4" high. This put the Hornady 165 gr at 3", which is exactly where I want it since I intend to hunt with the 165 gr. No windage adjustment is necessary between these two loads. If I run out of the 165's, I will just dial the elevation down an inch and use the 150's. I have several boxes of each in the same lots.

 

[greyling22]

my boss has been rocking one in 223 for years. He's got a 3x9 redfield from the bad years that's been holding up well. He's killed lots of small central tx deer with it, and it's been somewhat abused. Not a tack driver, but certainly moa. If it came in left handed I"d have one myself.

 

[Lloyd Smale]

Hard to beat a vx2 2x7 luepold for a gun like that.

 

[critter]

I have the compact Ruger 77 in .308. It wears a 4X and is a deer killer. Light, short and handy and PLENTY accurate.

 

[MOHunter1978]

thanks for the feedback fellas. Sounds like it will be a great gun. Now the hard part is I have two weeks (less) to go through the barrel break-in procedure, mount a scope and get it sighted in. No problem if you don't work 14 hr days

 

[mac66]

That Ruger compact Hawkeye is a sweet little gun. Congrats.

 

[whalerman]

Didn't we decide the barrel break in procedure was unnecessary? Or did we not?

I wish I had purchased one of those Frontier rifles. Now I'm looking for a used one.

 

[MOHunter1978]

Thanks mac. As for the break-in, maybe I'm a little over-zealous, but I want to make sure that there are no metal shavings, so I will thoroughly clean it before I even shoot it. Take a few shots, let it cool, clean it...repeat process until hearts content. That is just my ritual after buying a new gun whatever the make and model.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I've heard both sides of the break-in arguement. I always break-in a new barrel using a certain procedure. It might not help, but it certainly doesn't hurt and is a fun way to blow an afternoon.

 

[MOHunter1978]

agreed.