I was in Boise, Id. this week for the PBR, and took a gander at the new Ruger Hawkeye African in .338 Win at Gary Hoppers Boise Guns in Nampa..yep the one with the damn brake on it..Got home and ran it thru the mill today.

1. Didn't like the brake at first but I can take it off and it comes with a thread cap and looks like its crowned and some dumb thingie that supposed to give it weitht on the end to not change the zero, so I tossed that cookie in the junk box.

2. I sighted in the irons without the brake and shot about and inch 3 shot group and inch high at 75 yards, this is good! Then screwed the brake on it and shot a inch group that was an inch higher, so I'm good with that...

2. Hooked up a 2x7x33 Leupold and shot about and inch group at 100 yards and sighted it in 1.2 measured inches high at 100, all without the brake... Then put the brake on and it performed the same but 3 inches high at 100. Like with irons it shot higher. I'm happy with this..I then dug out the screw on thingie and it shot to same zero with both irons and scope, thats what the thingie is designed for, but it shot close enough without it on my gun, so tossed back in the junk draw, its ugly..

3. The wood had a little stright grain and the grain ran properly, good wood but nothing to write home about. It has two cross bolts, and I'm sure that was an improvement as some Rugers were splitting out. The stock was trim, slim, and had an Ebony fE tip and a extra front swivel base if one wanted to use a shooting sling, a flush screw is set in the forend for that one if you decide to use it, it may be also a tension screw I don't know as I have not taken it apart yet, but tossed the swivel in the junk box with the thingie. ..It has a neat typical Ruger barrel band iron front sight and a barrel band swivel, and a island rear with a shallow V to a 3/32 Ivory bead...

4.The scope mounts were too high for my scope but I had several sets of Ruger rings and used a low set and looks great.

5. The trigger was fine from the factory so I left that alone..

6. It fed and functioned with flat nose bullets, RN bullets and everything in between, and try as I might I could not speed jam it..It really liked the 210 Noslers and 300 gr. Sierra BTSPs and seems to like about everything but we'll see as time goes by what if likes and doesn't like.

I was plesently rewarded by the muzzle brake during the testing as recoil was nil, about like perhaps a 243 at most, and with ear protection it was a dream to shoot, not to mention my simi crippled hand that can't take a big recoil hit these days. I will hunt with the thread protector false muzzle of course, but this ole curmudgeon liked the brake for testing, I mean who wouldn't.

I like the trimness and feel of the gun and felt no need for a softer recoil pad with or without the brake..And the gloss blue is outstanding and of custom quality.

I really like this gun better than the two originals I had and I was turned off when I saw the brake on it back when it came out..So much for snap judgements. I believe this gun competes with the pre 64 Win. mod. 70 as the Riflemans Rifle of the century..its as good anyway, and thats high praise from and old mod. 70 fan.

I will no doubt get around to glass bedding it at some point, but first I think its time for some spring coyote hunting with the iron sights, that makes for a fun day as coyotes abound behind my house, will see up to 15 or maybe 30 on a best day just driving around the Bruno desert, and at all ranges..I won't kill many but I will shoot at a lot of them..If I get serious I drag out my 6x45, but thats no likely..

I held the Ruger African and Guide gun at the Ruger SCI booth.I liked both rifles and if I were to buy another bolt rifle this would be it especially with the muzzle break.I would get mine in 375 Ruger,however.Since I have no plans to hunt lion in the future I am not seriously considering a purchase.This would make a good scoped rifle for lion.

Wrong forum ray

Wrong forum???????

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
Wrong forum ray

I really must be getting old. roger

Let's see. "Medium Bore Forum", Ray testing a .338 Win. Meets the "bore" size range, very good report, no swearing or name calling, beats me?

Larry Sellers
SCI(International)Life Member
Sabatti 'trash' Double Shooter
R8 Blaser
DRSS

I have a Hawkeye,
In .338. Mine is not so pretty as is stainless. with plastic stock.
But it shoots great , so good I bought a Wood stocked on in 7mm rem mag.
It was not as accurate, but I have free floated it and will try it again soon.
Fyi, I bought replacement trigger spring,
and for next to nothing I got a much better trigger.
I like the hawkeye...tj

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
Wrong forum ray

I guess I shouldn't agree with Ray then, especially since the one I have is one of the new 416's.

Congratulations, Ray, on what sounds like a great new rifle.


For North America it's hard to beat a 338.

quote:

I guess I shouldn't agree with Ray then, especially since the one I have is one of the new 416's.

And my wife just got a 375 Ruger but I still congratulate Ray and a 338.

Ray mentioned that the new Ruger Hawkeye is the modern rendition of the pre-64 M-70. But The new .338 Hawkeye reminds me of the original Rigby 350. Slim, light and lethal.

338 not so much,,,350 Rigby,now that's interesting!

I spent the day at the bench wringing this one out..bottom line is right out of the box its the most accurate rifle I have ever owned or ever seen!! It simply shoots under a half inch with the 2x7 Leupold with ever load tried. Yesterday I shot at the house, today at the range and was shocked to say the least, the first group shot one shot and missed the target with the two follow up shots with the scope and I was really ticked, not other holes so I walked up to the target and 3 shots just a tad larger than the caliber itself, I had to look very close to determine that...and it went uphill the rest of the day..I could shoot bench rest with the big boys with this one..I will never touch a screw on it, may never clean the barrel, scared to change anything...All 5 shot groups were under a half inch an mostly clover leaf in shape and all to the same POI...I WILL keep this one, so that's a first for this old gun trader..Lord I hope so!

Iron sights shot and inch low and 2 inchs left at 100 and I had to tap it to dead on center on the vertical..I will have to get another front sight, a .300 should do the trick, or maybe I can change the iron sight load, it was a 300 gr. Woodligh and maybe a 210 Nolser or a change in the load will bring it up without a sight change. but I sure like the 300 gr. Woodleigh RN with the irons, so we will see.
The 300 woodleigh shot 3 shots touching at the house at 75 yards this morning but again low. shouldn't be a problem with a new front sight from Brownells.

Its fun to find a super accurate gun, it does wonders for your disposition..Maybe I'll lend it to 458 to shoot a big bear with the 300 Woodlighs, but then he would want to keep it and he can be hard to find in the North country, especially by a desert rat like myself, Idaho is almost more than I can handle in the winter

One thing for sure, I'll be eating elk or wolf this winter. wolf meat sucks but Idaho may be out of elk by fall...

A friend of mine has that rifle, but without the muzzle brake. It's a very good looking rifle, and I imagine that if one does no want to use the muzzle brake while hunting, a gunsmith can make a thread protector to use after removing the brake.

Anyway, I always done muffs or ear plugs just before I pull the trigger when hunting, regardless of muzzle brake or not.

As Ray says, the new Hawkeye's from Ruger are nice handling, accurate rifles.
I have one of their new 416 African versions and it is virtually identical in weight, balance and handling as my 1905 model Jeffery 404. Only more powerful than the original Jeffery.

Ray Alaska,
No need, it comes with a removalbe brake and a thread protector false muzzle. Also has a threaded but solid brake looking gizmo that is supposed to make it shoot to the same POI as the brake does. All that's fine and good, except my gun shoots to the same POI with every load I tested and shoots the 300 gr. Woodleigh dead on at 100 and the 210 Nosler 3 inches high, the 250 Nosler about 2 inches high and all the other stuff was in between, and nothing was off center horizontally,,,just doesn't get any better than that..I hope they all do that.

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Ray Alaska,
No need, it comes with a removalbe brake and a thread protector false muzzle. Also has a threaded but solid brake looking gizmo that is supposed to make it shoot to the same POI as the brake does. All that's fine and good, except my gun shoots to the same POI with every load I tested and shoots the 300 gr. Woodleigh dead on at 100 and the 210 Nosler 3 inches high, the 250 Nosler about 2 inches high and all the other stuff was in between, and nothing was off center horizontally,,,just doesn't get any better than that..I hope they all do that.

That's good news.

Now I am thinking about another .338 to replace the older .338 Ruger I have been using since the early '90s

I am a "late bloomer hunter." Got the hunting fever by the time I retire from the military in Alaska. Been using a .338WM since, and have gotten quite comfortable with it.

The Ruger I have been using is a stainless/synthetic, and a friend of mine (a gunsmith) made a thread protector for it since it has a KDF muzzle brake. But I don't use the brake all the time. Also, I asked him to "Ceracoat" the rifle, not that it needed it, but I do like the way it looks now with a sort of dark-gray coating ("sniper gray," whatever that means). I noticed that the Hawkeye has a sort of dark satin color, too.

the Rugers come in two finishes, one a bead blasted blue thats quite popular and a higher gloss blue...The high gloss is not overdone and its beautiful by anybodys standards..

I don't care for bead blasted finishes as those little pits hold water real well and thus bead blasted blue finishes rust like hell in inclimate weather, I have had trouble with bead blasted finishes in Alaska, Canada, Idaho and in Africa, They are very pretty to look at, but require a lot more care.....
I normally don't cared for some high gloss finishes, but on the Ruger I really like it, its much like the finish on the old mod. 70 barrels, and easy to care for even in Alaska, just wax the hell out of it.

I also shot a early Ruger tang safety .338 some years ago, the Hawkeye African is head and shoulders a better designed rifle. mostly because the cut off all that extra unneeded wood and added a mod. 70 type safety. I think you will like it.

Hi Ray, Hello Phil,

thanks for the feedback and test. I was not able to find one in AK. I have a sako 85 in 338 WMG but.... I think it could be my next buy... to ad one more 338. This HAwkeye African look like so perfect in term of balance, classic line, barrel length (23), express sight...

I was thinking to use it like a custom base for a 338WMG "long throat" (just a rearmer drilling) if the magazine box is long enough.
Ty

Looking at mine, I think a gunsmith could open it up in the rear for a magnum length box..I did that with a Mauser recently and it really cooks with those bullets seated out and about 6 ot 8 percent more powder space..It fully equals the 340 Wby, but the std. 338 is just about a 100 to 150 FPS behind the 340 Wby, and that ain't much punkin IMO..so I'll stay with the 338 Win. For me its been about the best killer I have ever used on medium game up to and including Eland, and I believe its because the bullets at 2700 to 2800 FPS perform best at that velocity????. Again for me its performed as well as the .375 H&H. but I wont sell my old H&H for sure.

Ruger has really done a great job lately. I have a Hawkeye in 223 and 280rem. Both are scary accurate, especially when you consider I did zero load development. Just slapped some loads together and shot. I did reduce the creep in the trigger a little bit though. Very nice rifles and the bluing is the probably the finest I've seen on factory guns.

quote:

Originally posted by +Templar+:
Ruger has really done a great job lately.

Bill Ruger did many good things but the company became stale under his management the last years he was in charge.

The new management has brought out many new products and improved quality.

Glad to here about the accuracy of Ruger (rifles). I have always thought them good value, but lacking in the accuracy department. Having said that, modern rifles seem to be re-writing the accuracy standards books, with 1 MOA seeming to be relatively common without much owner "hand work". CZ's seem to be a good case in point. Prices also seem to be coming down. Good times for rifle shooters!
Peter.

Ruger(s) are accurate now for a long time. In fact most of their barrels are hammer forged... Machine come from Steyr in Austria... company if I remember well is GFM Gmbh. Ruger was I think the first American company to try and use it.

Austrian are the "nest" of the hammer forging tech... the most accurate "out of the box" rifles are Steyr rifle (hammer forged barrel too)most of the time they even outshoot some custom make barrel.

Hammer forged barrel have two advantage: 1st they outlast all other rifling tech. 2nd, they seem less finicky and shoot different type/wieght of bullets better than any other type (from my experience).

lots of people here don't know this tech and look at it with huge eyes...

Anyway,if you manage the hammer forging tech (made them properly) you can produce better barrel than any other rifling methode. Unfortunately the extra-cost of the machine by himself (over $1 M for a small one) and the extra-cost of the tech (more machining operations to finish a barrel) is most the time too expensive for small custom shop barrel maker. That's why only few big firearms maker use it. All the ruger I had was just damn accurate. the only trouble I had to make it shoot from well to "three shot touching" were bending and trigger.

Ray...you never could shoot that well. Don't BS a BSer.

I have to agree with Ray that the new Hawkeye Rugers are about as good a standard production rifle as ever made. I remember "Ruger-Roulette" years back and some dubious pedigree barrels.

MAN, have things changed at Ruger! I've owned and played with 3 versions of the African in 375 R and an Alaskan 416. If I didn't flinch (I did the first shot from the Alaskan ), all were MOA or better with factory fodder.

I'm trying out my latest Hawkeye, and African in 9.3X62. I lobbied for this gun for years, was lucky enough to snag one of the limited production, and am as happy with this metric Ruger as I've been with any gun, save for my combo guns.

Although all the 9.3X62s I've owned have been inordinately accurate, all seven before this, the Hawkeye equals the one I had with a Bauska barrel, and it exceeds the others in accuracy with the full spectrum of bullets and loads I have fed them.

Congratulations on your fine rifle, Ray!

The last Ruger I owned was a ruger 77/44 SS.
My gunsmith just touch the trigger. at 60yds on bench with a weaver 1x3 with of course witnesses....
3 shots group of .44 was touching... I keep the target just in case to show... when some expert doubt.....Ammo was 240 grain XTP +P+ handloaded...

Ruger 10/22 target... same but 10 shot... target too
Ruger No1 B 243W..... same with 3 shot... target too
Ruger 77/22 same...
Ruger Mk III hunter.... same
Ruger old 77 243 VRT same....

by the way my dad keep a target (22 years old) of a 3 shots group at 200 meters with a Steyr Manlicher HB 22-250 in "one cent" looks like 0.380 group federal premium 55 grain HPBT + leupold
Of 5 shots group................300 meters with a Steyr SSG II in 243 Win in sub-moa.... premium ammo leupold.....
Hammer forged barrel.... out of the box.... I have no pictures of this target but I'll do soon.

but you should look at this link what kind of accuracy "out of the box" a well made hammer forged barrel can "provide"....look all the pictures...
http://www.steyr-mannlicher.com/en/customer-reports/

so I don't know if today we can speak of "standard production" Sako TRG and 85 do the same job.... But most of the time... experts I know.....buy 6000$ custom rifle without optic.... and are not able to keep the black of the target at 300/350 yds.... live story...

Luv2safari,
I have always been able to shoot that good on the internet and on a type writer too, so there!

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Luv2safari,
I have always been able to shoot that good on the internet and on a type writer too, so there!

Ray dude...
I love old amateur, forum "king" cause it's the only field where you can be good... I'll post a picture asap... but it's like to pee in a Stradivarius.... by the way I was not especially speaking about my abilities....

I was speaking about hammer forged barrel qualities.... Pictures of Steyr' customers target "speak".... Of course I have no doubt if the brand was an American brand, you would be in love... dear Ray....

I love USA and live here but It's plenty of "redneck" with narrowed mind.... You forgot.... BUT all guys in US have European origin! German, Dutch, Norway, french etc.... Original American are Native and Indian... Except Google and craps like tweeter developed by asian american engineer.... I don't remember US are top stellar gun maker or engineer !!! (Sako, Glock, HK, Sig, blaser, beretta, Mauser, Rigby, Benelli etc.... are not made in America) you're a good old dog Ray... I'll post a picture tomorrow.... If not, one american shooter won a famous 50 BMG comp with an "Out of the box" Steyr 50 BMG

By the way, as kind of "SENSEI"....with all my respect.....You should know "No, need to be old to be talentuous, wise and with some knowledge...."
I feel "accuratereloading" is like your "private backyard".... I have no time to waste by talking with "old" barking dogs... using crap sentences.... so I don't anymore....

The only US innovative gunmaker was Bill Ruger... When a real American born expert like for example Larry Vickers says "hammer forged" are the best on Ar15 forum... 10 short-brain bark too.... funny funny....

..... I already hear you...it's BS it's not possible..... a semi-automatic rifle can't do that at 105 meters (not yds)... especially a 22 WMG....

You had to wait for target with "centerfire"... at 200 meters.... they're in Europe.... next trip I swear... but if you see them I'm worry you could have a stroke.... It's fun I was keeping and recording my targets when I was a young dog to brag a little bite.... Now not anymore..... but I think it's quite useful with some people....

ALl these rifles have "hammer forged" barrel and are out of the box ! Except Ruger(s) which had stock bed and a trigger jobs....

Great review, Ray

P.S. I am still trying to understand the "wrong forum, Ray" comment though......

Thanks Alan,

Maybe he was sipp'en on the Who shot John bottle. That's known to dull ones senses!

quote:

Originally posted by Thomas Jones:
I have a Hawkeye,
In .338. Mine is not so pretty as is stainless. with plastic stock.
But it shoots great , so good I bought a Wood stocked on in 7mm rem mag.
It was not as accurate, but I have free floated it and will try it again soon.
Fyi, I bought replacement trigger spring,
and for next to nothing I got a much better trigger.
I like the hawkeye...tj

Check to make sure the mag box has a little wiggle room. If not you can file a little on the bottom mortices of it where the trigger guard and they've bottom hanger holds it in place.
If its tight it can put weird vibrations and stress in the reciever. I did it to my 6.5 Creedmoor and the groups shrank And got real consistent. . Apparently that is one of the big culprits to Ruger's that don't group well.

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
Wrong forum ray

TFF

quote:

The only US innovative gunmaker was Bill Ruger..

HUH? how about Samuel Colt? or John Moses Browning?

quote:

Originally posted by 416Tanzan:
Congratulations, Ray, on what sounds like a great new rifle.


For North America it's hard to beat a 338.

quote:

I guess I shouldn't agree with Ray then, especially since the one I have is one of the new 416's.

And my wife just got a 375 Ruger but I still congratulate Ray and a 338.

She got to test fire the 375Ruger in June and likes it better than her 270Win Tikka. I would tend to agree that shooting a compact little 20" barrel is pretty nice.

In fact, that little lefty 375Ruger, pepper-stock, 20" barrel is so nice, that I would imagine that Ruger will need to bring them back into production and maybe expand into 338WM and 416Ruger.

Certainly for Africa the 375 is a better choice of a number of reasons, particularly because its legal in most countries, if there is such a thing as legality in Africa!

If I didn't have and old wore out .375 H&H I'd be tearing down doors to get me a 375 Ruger African, blue and walnut.

Luv2safari:
Glad to hear you are getting such great results with your African in 9,3X62. I had one of those Ruger Roulette rifles back in the early 1980s -- a 77 in 7X57 -- that could scarcely keep three shots on a playing card at 100 yards. Put me off Ruger centerfires for years.