I was at the Dallas Safari Club show yesterday, picked up the new Ruger 2009 catalog and was drifting through it this morning and came across this news.
Ruger lists the following short action calibers in Left Hand actions for this year:
.204 Ruger
.223 Rem
.22-250 Rem
.243 Win.
7-MM-08 Rem
.308 Win.
I am thrilled. Now, when they begin shipping, who knows...

Cliff,

I'm thrilled too!.... at first.... but then I reread it and can't help notice that "short action calibers in Left Hand actions" sounds like very carefull diction, leaving open the possability that they are in fact lefthand actions and short action calibers, but these rifles will use lefthand standard length actions. Dunno, mabey I'm just jaded. Nah, they wouldn't really put the .204 and .223 in a standard length action, would they?

That is certainly possible but for some reason I believe this will be a true short action to match the right hand short actions offered in the Hawkeye. This is what I choose to believe, anyway.

In looking at the specs, I note the following overall length numbers.

7MM Mag 44.75" with a 24" bbl
.30-06 42.75" with a 22" bbl
.223 42.00" with a 22" bbl.
.308 42.00" with a 22" bbl.
My hopes are rising.

Fantastic! That last piece of info did it for me... thanks for sharing that!

Okay, hmmmm..... now which chambering to play with before it bcomes a project donor? I think 7-08 for me. How about you?

Dang Why couldn't they did the.260

Or the .338 federal or the .358

Or 257 Roberts!

Perhaps some or all in the future.

And Savage offers lefties in
Weather Warrior Series
22-250 Rem, 243 Win, 7mm-08 Rem, 308 Win, 270 WSM, 300 WSM, 325 WSM, 223 Rem, 204 Ruger

And Browning offers these - 204 Ruger + the 22 Hornet in the Micro Hunter and Hunter.

So why so excited??

quote:

Originally posted by wild willy:
Dang Why couldn't they did the.260

They do offer a 260 in their Hawkeye laminate compact but its wrong handed.

quote:

Originally posted by JPK:
Or 257 Roberts!

Perhaps some or all in the future.

The Hawkeye ultra light is offered in 257 but not in a left hand.

quote:

Originally posted by Greg K:
And Savage offers lefties in
Weather Warrior Series
22-250 Rem, 243 Win, 7mm-08 Rem, 308 Win, 270 WSM, 300 WSM, 325 WSM, 223 Rem, 204 Ruger

And Browning offers these - 204 Ruger + the 22 Hornet in the Micro Hunter and Hunter.


So why so excited??

It's all about choices Greg.

quote:

Originally posted by Ian (VA):
Fantastic! That last piece of info did it for me... thanks for sharing that!

Okay, hmmmm..... now which chambering to play with before it bcomes a project donor? I think 7-08 for me. How about you?

I'll be picking up a 204, 308 and maybe a 7-08. Which ever of the last two I like best will be left as is. The other will become a project donor.

quote:

Originally posted by Cliff Lyle:

quote:

Originally posted by Greg K:
And Savage offers lefties in
Weather Warrior Series
22-250 Rem, 243 Win, 7mm-08 Rem, 308 Win, 270 WSM, 300 WSM, 325 WSM, 223 Rem, 204 Ruger

And Browning offers these - 204 Ruger + the 22 Hornet in the Micro Hunter and Hunter.


So why so excited??

It's all about choices Greg.

I'd like to see someone offer lefties in different chamberings like the 338 Federal or 358 Winchester or 250 Savage, just to name a few.
Now that would be a choice.

quote:

Originally posted by Greg K:
And Savage offers lefties in
Weather Warrior Series
22-250 Rem, 243 Win, 7mm-08 Rem, 308 Win, 270 WSM, 300 WSM, 325 WSM, 223 Rem, 204 Ruger

And Browning offers these - 204 Ruger + the 22 Hornet in the Micro Hunter and Hunter.

So why so excited??

Great news from Ruger! any "Lefty" news from Ruger, Winchester, or Rem is good news to me. ANY offerings from the above hi-lighted makers excite me like a car crash would......but thats JMO

I own a Savage LH .223 and Browning A- bolt Micro Hunter that I had re-barreled to .260 and a stock .223 that I was considering re-barreling to .204 but now I may wait until I get a chance to get my hands on a LH hawkeye.
I like Browning rifles. They shoot well. Savage rifles are butt ugly but they shoot well too. I really like the lines of the Hawkeye and now I may have my chance to get one in my preferred action length.

I too am eager to get my hands on a left handed short action from Ruger... I'd like to have a .308 rebarreled .358!

Any clue as to when these are supposed to become available?

I should learn something during the shot show.

Ruger has updated their website with the new LH offerings. Specs as quoted above are what's on the website, so it looks like they may be true short actions.

Also, of interest to us southpaws, are some pretty unusual offerings in the No. 1 (i.e. 480 ruger and 460 S&W).

Ken

I must be the only southpaw looking for a 338. I had a Browning and couldn't get it to shoot. My only other choice right now is a Savage. I actually herd Ruger will have the 338 RCM out this year in a lefty. But I've played that waiting game before.

I must be the only southpaw looking for a 338. I had a Browning and couldn't get it to shoot. My only other choice right now is a Savage. I actually herd Ruger will have the 338 RCM out this year in a lefty. But I've played that waiting game before.

Double AA,

Look for a used Sako AV. Mine shoots very well, as have all my LH Sakos.

George

Thanks George,

I never see them in 338. I have one in 7STW and have been thinking about rebarreling. Some how over the years I've collected half a dozen 7mm's including a RUM.

double aa,

sent you a pm.

thanks,
max

Don't get so excited. "Fat Teddy" Kennedy is writing legislation to outlaw virtually all hurting ammo (especially stuff of military parentage), it will pass through the House and Senate at hyper-celerity speed, no conference committee downtime will slow it down and Booga-bama will waste no time in signing it. Kiss your .25-06, 270Win, 30-06, .308Win and .223Rem guns god-bye. With no ammo, the libs will pass a law that outlaws possession of these "useless" guns. Why do you need a gun if you have no ammo for it? Turn them in within 30 days so we can crush them-- to "reduce crime," you know...

Double AA: I have a stainless left hand .338 Win Mag Magnum Research Mountain Eagle that I have been thinking about selling for some time (Sako Action, Kreiger Match Grade Barrel, H.S. Precession stock - accurate rifle, very nice shape). I have another LH .338 that is too sentimental for me to sell (three trips to Africa with my dad). The Mountain Eagle just doesn't get used and it's too nice to leave in the safe all of the time. If you are interested in the Mountain Eagle, PM me.

PM sent.

Double AA - you have a PM.

Does anyone have any idea what kind of accuracy they are getting from the Hawkeyes?? Tom.

Here's one of the first groups I shot with my 30/06. remington 165 gr. Core Lokt @ 100 yards.

The larger hole up top was from another rifle.

Hope this helps.

Ken

That's a nice group for a hunting rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by HEAD0001:
Does anyone have any idea what kind of accuracy they are getting from the Hawkeyes?? Tom.

My SS 30-06 will put three quick shots of elcheapo Federal 180s under one inch. The first two usually touching and the last opening up the group to about like Ken in VA 's sample. I do need to work up a hand load for it, but talk about boring reliability....... I LOVE IT.

After breaking in the barrel, this was the first three shot group with the first handload I tried. All the groups looked the same, warm barrel or cold.

The rifle is a 375 Ruger Alaskan. Left hand of course, the righties aren't nearly as accurate.

I'm really thinking about one in 7mm-08. That's just about the perfect all around whitetail cartridge.

Wish they were offering one in 358 Win.

Ken

I'll take one of each. I like all of those calibers

quote:

Originally posted by dirklawyer:
I'll take one of each. I like all of those calibers

Ahh, wouldn't that be nice. I'm thinking at least a 223, 243 and if they come out in SS a 708.

Things keep up I'll have to buy shares in Ruger...

quote:

Originally posted by Ken in VA:
I'm really thinking about one in 7mm-08. That's just about the perfect all around whitetail cartridge.

Wish they were offering one in 358 Win.

Ken

Ken, I'm with you on the 7-08. I think its a perfect whitetail round and I wouldn't hesitate using handloaded ammo on an elk hunt.
I would also like to have one in each caliber but I'm afraid I'll have to get rid of some .223's before I could get another one.

How are the Ruger triggers these days?

I've shot a couple of M77 Mk II's that have bloody awful triggers.

I have been amazed at the triggers on the new Ruger Hawkeyes I've seen. I haven't put a pull gauge on one yet, but I'm guessing a 4 pound pull and no creep. All of the ones I've handled lately are stainless steel guns, but I can't image that the blued guns are any different. It used to be SOP to do a trigger job on a new Ruger, but not any longer. We can thank Savage and the Accu Trigger for that. They found a way to get around their lawyers and the other manufacturers had to follow suit.