What should I do with my rifle? Sell it or make it a project?

[wombat13]

I have a Ruger Hawkeye SS in .25-06 that I bought NIB off gunbroker for my daughter. Turns out that it is a bit too heavy so I bought a different .25-06 for her. I took the rifle to Cabela's Gun Library and they offered $300, but I'm not willing to sell it for that little. I'd rather spend a little more and make it into a project rifle. So I have two questions:

1. If I try to sell it, what is a reasonable expectation of what it could bring and where would be the best place to try to sell it?

2. If I decide to turn it into a project rifle, what should I do with it? I'm partial to the '06 case because I have a plentiful supply and I presume that would make the project cost a bit less. I was thinking 6.5-06 because it allows for heavier bullet weights than .25-06 and uses the same range of powders as .25-06 and .300WM (both of which I own). I could do .30-06, but I don't see the benefit of going to the extra expense of a project gun for something that is readily available off the shelf, but a tack-driver .30-06 to go with my Garand could be nice. .338-06 and .35 Whelen are interesting, but I already have a .300WM for anything that needs a lot of killing and they use a different range of powders from what I already stock. Regardless of which project I might pick, I would probably take the rifle to Hart Barrels which is within a reasonable drive.

Thanks for your suggestions.

 

[redneck2]

I have two friends that killed Prairie Dogs at 1k+ with 6.5-06’s. I haven’t checked, but I’d guess it would be pretty close to a Swede in performance, which would be a good thing.

When I sell something I list it here and have had pretty good results. It is easier to sell something a little more rare.

 

[wombat13]

I have two friends that killed Prairie Dogs at 1k+ with 6.5-06’s. I haven’t checked, but I’d guess it would be pretty close to a Swede in performance, which would be a good thing.

When I sell something I list it here and have hard pretty good results. It is easier to sell something a little more rare.

According to Hodgdon and Nosler reloading data, 6.5-06 runs about 100 fps faster than the swede.

When you say it is easier to sell something a little more rare do you mean rarer than my .25-06 or that the .25-06 would be somewhat easier to sell than others?

 

[bannockburn]

wombat13

If you're thinking about selling it maybe see if there are any gun shops in your area that will take your gun on consignment.

If I were going to have it rebarreled I would probably go the .30-06 route.

 

[Bfh_auto]

If you are decide to make a project, A 6mm-06 would be sweet. I have a 240 Wby and it is like a 220 swift swift on steroids. 6.5-06 would be cool too.
Have you thought about trading it? You lose less money that way.

 

[milemaker13]

Project

 

[JD Pinardi]

Is the 25-06 having problems? If not, why change it, there are plenty of people out there that would love to have it as is.
JMO happy shootin'
JD

 

[Bushpilot]

According to Hodgdon and Nosler reloading data, 6.5-06 runs about 100 fps faster than the swede.

Not really enough difference to get excited about...

What is it that you want to do?

Unless you're thinking of doing a lot of 1000 yard shooting (and even then only because of bullet selection and the usual factory twist rate) I wouldn't bother re-barreling to go from .257 to .264. I like the 25/06, if it were me I'd sell it, trade it or leave it alone...

If you're determined to re-barrel it to another 06 relative I'd go for the 338-06 or 35 Whelen...

 

[redneck2]

When you say it is easier to sell something a little more rare do you mean rarer than my .25-06 or that the .25-06 would be somewhat easier to sell than others?

Easier to sell rare rifles, maybe like a Savage 99 or pre 64 Winchester.

 

[Varminterror]

Short Version: If I "accidentally" found myself with a Ruger M77 Hawkeye, without any special sentimental attachment, I'd consider myself RIDICULOUSLY FOOLISH for building as a project.

Long version: I recently shared the following experiences and resulting opinions with another member here, so I'll pass it along here as well...

Personally, my recommendation is to do as I say, but not as I do. I have built over a dozen custom Ruger M77 Mk II and Hawkeyes. Most have been on "standard bolt face long actions," such as your 25-06, and one did include a 25-06. I built a 6.5-06, 338 A-Square, 35 Whelen, then built a 300 WM into a 300WM + 458WM switch barrel, and a 7mmRM to a 7RM, 416Rug, and 338WM switch. I used manual blueprinting tools on a few, paid to have a few lathe blueprinted, and did simple rebarrels on a few.

Disadvantages:

• Ruger investment cast actions are exceedingly hard, easily damaging tooling, lots of smiths won't take blueprinting work on them. Some won't even take on D&T work for fear of breaking the tap and ending up with a stranded customer.
• Many smiths are CONVINCED rebarreling the surface hardened investment cast actions comes with a HIGH risk of cracking the action - so they don't take on Ruger work.
• Ruger doesn't support parts sales on action parts, so again, not many smiths take on work, since their only option in many cases is to send it to Ruger.
• Ruger square actions, integral lugs, and angled action screws intimidate a lot of tube-action gunsmiths, and make bedding jobs for DIY owners a bit more complicated - best not tackled by a first-timer.
• Since so many gunsmiths don't regularly work on them, they won't take on jobs because they don't want to build or buy expensive fixtures for one or a few random, irregular jobs.
• The aftermarket parts market for Ruger M77 MkII's and Hawkeyes is extremely limited compared to other brands and models. The American action is even better supported than the MKII/Hawkeye.
• The Ruger M77 MkII/Hawkeye action is about a half pound heavier than an equivalent length Remington 700 - that's why you found that 25-06 to be so heavy in hand.
• Firing pin bores in the bolts - like most factory actions - are overly generous, but especially so in Rugers, and nobody really wants to bush Ruger bolts.
• None of the aftermarket Ruger triggers are "great." They're ALL reasonably good hunting triggers, but none are great. Timney, SpecTech, Jard, and Rifle Basix, or gunsmithing work on the LC6 Factory trigger... it all ends up with a reasonably good hunting grade trigger, NOT a great trigger.
• The bolts are always going to feel sloppy and have long travel - just like many other FACTORY models - but Rugers tend to be looser on travel than others
• At the end of the day, it's still going to be a Ruger MkII or Hawkeye, so absolutely ALL of the "investment" will be sunk (read: largely wasted).

So all of that really means this: It's harder to find parts, and harder to find guys willing to do the build, and even harder to justify, financially, any such project.

Here's a sub-optimal option (and why it's sub-optimal) for determining whether you should build a project on this rifle, or run away screaming: Free-float the barrel, then shoot it with the factory barrel. If it walks AT ALL from cold bore to hot, run. If it doesn't walk, then you MIGHT have a chance of it being true enough to be "OK" for a custom build. Walking on warm-up means either the threads, shoulder, or action face are quite likely not true. If it doesn't work, then a guy MIGHT get lucky that the action is relatively true. Skip the blueprinting of the action, save yourself $500+ on that. The downside - if SOMEHOW, the "off chance" occurrence happens where an action face anomaly and a barrel shoulder anomaly sync up and yield a net zero imbalance and it doesn't walk from factory, when you replace the barrel, it'll reveal itself.

If a "project rifle" means to you a simple stock and trigger swap, sure, knock yourself out. If you want to rebarrel to a new cartridge, find a different action. If you want to blueprint, find a different action. If you want a target rifle, find a different action.

So again, considering the information you've shared - I would sell it in a hot minute and never look back.

 

[Bushpilot]

Disregard...... I think I answered my own question....

 

[benzy2]

It doesn’t sound like there is a great purpose for this rifle. Without having a destination I would either trade it, sell it, or keep it as is. If you had a need that this could fill, then change it to meet that need.

 

[someguy2800]

I agree with varmiterror that although I do have affection for the m77 it’s not the best starting point for a custom rifle. I would enjoy as is or sell it. I’ve bought and sold a number of guns on Armslist with good results. Everything has sold quickly and I’ve gotten fair value for everything. Best deal going since you don’t have to pay to use it.

 

[wombat13]

Thanks for all of your advice. Most of you are advising me to sell/trade it. I've never sold a gun (I just buy them). Two questions:

1. What do you think would be a fair listing price? I bought in NIB and put about 20 rounds through it. It is SS with plastic stock. Of course it has the Ruger rings with it.

2. What is the process when selling a gun online? How do you make sure you don't get ripped off? I won't have to ship to an FFL, will I?

Thanks.

 

[redneck2]

2. What is the process when selling a gun online? How do you make sure you don't get ripped off? I won't have to ship to an FFL, will I?

In Indiana we can legally do face to face. If it’s across state lines it must legally go thru a FFL

Any way you go, it’s gonna be a loss. If you sell, you gonna eat the “new car smell” tax. Cost of being 1st owner. That’s the reason I try to buy used if possible. Let the first guy take the beating.

If you re-barrel, you’ve paid quite a bit additional to end up with a gun that’s worth less when it’s done than when you started. That’s the “it’s custom made just for me” tax. Which translated means “since it’s custom, and we have no idea how well it was done, there is little chance someone else wants it”.

And there’s no guarantee that it will perform any better than something off the shelf that’s cheaper.

I bought a custom rifle. Whoever chambered it must have used a hammer and chisel. It had a hard time even hitting any place on a target at 100 yards. Had to move to 50 yards just to see where the rounds were landing. I sold the action to someone that wanted a custom build, and ended up with a high end scope off the rifle for virtually nothing. Which means the guy that did the build took a real beating. He probably had $1,200-$1,500 in it. I bought it for $375 IIRC.

 

[jmorris]

Don’t try and sell it to Cabela’s or any store, might as well go into a pawn shop. They are buying it to resale and make money, so you are not going to get a fair price.

If they offered you $300, double that to $600 and list it in the “buy, sell, trade, rifles” forum here. Key is, you are looking for someone who wants it, not wanting to make money off of it.

Don’t “jump the gun” and get into a project before you total up everything.

It’s pretty easy for a “project” to drastically increase the cost and make it even harder to sell later. Especially if you are paying for the custom work. More than likely you could even sell the thing for $300 and go buy a NIB whatever caliber you want and be out less money that haveing a good smith convert the one you have to something else.

 

[theotherwaldo]

If the gun is in near-new condition and you have no particular use for it, sell it or put it on consignment. Don't pour good money after bad.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Short Version: If I "accidentally" found myself with a Ruger M77 Hawkeye, without any special sentimental attachment, I'd consider myself RIDICULOUSLY FOOLISH for building as a project...........................

If a "project rifle" means to you a simple stock and trigger swap, sure, knock yourself out. If you want to rebarrel to a new cartridge, find a different action. If you want to blueprint, find a different action. If you want a target rifle, find a different action.

So again, considering the information you've shared - I would sell it in a hot minute and never look back.

Pretty well agree. I don't have the aversion to working on them as a smith who is far better equipped in the machine and tooling department than most; they're not that difficult to deal with on rigid machines with carbide tooling and using high quality OSG taps where threads can't be single pointed. There are far more difficult materials to deal with than case hardened cast, which actually cuts quite clean as long as your tools are hard enough. I also have the capability to make any necessary fixtures and specialty tools I need, don't have to spend big bucks on them. But at the end of the day it's still a far less than ideal platform primarily due to that lack of aftermarket and factory support.

If it were mine, I wouldn't take it any further than floating the barrel and maybe reaming to .25-06 AI for something a little different. If I'm going to invest the time and money in a rebarrel, it's not gonna be on a run of the mill Ruger. The Rem 700 and high end variants thereof are still the best choice for any custom build. I've put together quite a few 700s for folks without doing anything to the action, just setting up a quality barrel with a tight chamber, tight headspace and a really clean crown, and they're shooters.

 

[jmorris]

I don't have the aversion to working on them as a smith who is far better equipped in the machine and tooling department than most;

I agree, I have done lots of stuff that I wouldn’t have if I had to pay someone to do it for me.

As for the OP he stated in his post that he would take it to Hart barrels. So I took a peek at their website and looks like it’s $700 to rebarrel a standard bolt action.

http://www.hartbarrels.com/rebarreling.php

Seems like a great way to turn a $600 rifle into a $1,300 one.

 

[redneck2]

Seems like a great way to turn a $600 rifle into a $1,300 one.

Actually, You’d be paying $1,300 to turn it into a $400 rifle