Testing the Ruger Hawkeye Long Range Hunter – By Kieran Harris

Testing the Ruger Hawkeye Long Range Hunter 

By Kieran Harris

 

 

After spending just over ten years in the firearms industry and partaking in many of the great shooting disciplines offered around the country, I came to the realization I have never really dabbled in striking targets anywhere beyond 250-300 meters. This realization had piqued my interest and I knew I wanted to give some long-distance shooting a try. 

To do this I needed a rifle and caliber that could easily stretch its legs out to 1000 yards or more.  The Ruger Hawkeye/77 rifle has certainly proven itself a practical and reliable tool over the past 50 + years it has been in production. First introduced in 1968, the Model 77 rifle has gone through several different variations over its lifetime but at its heart has remained a solid, classic Mauser style action which is both accurate and dependable in the field.

I decided to go with one of Ruger’s more recent offerings, the Hawkeye Long Range Hunter, with models chambered in both 6.5 Creedmoor and the 6.5 PRC. With its matte stainless barrel and receiver, donned by a speckled black/brown stock, it is certainly aesthetically pleasing.

 

 

Affixed to the end of the 22’’ barrel is a ported muzzle brake with a factory 5/8’’x24 thread. Not only does this mean recoil is reduced to the already mild 6.5 cartridges but you can thread a suppressor straight on should you choose.  Many of the new Hawkeye models now come with a 20 MOA picatinny rail secured with four, #8-40 screws, and the Hunter is no exception. This increases the capability for long-range elevation on top of the traditional integral scope mounts which use Ruger’s proprietary rings. But with the option to mount any type of rings, a set of Wheeler 30mm Anti-Cant flat top mounts were added, firmly wrapping a Sightron SIIISS 6-24X50 scope. The rings also incorporate a flip out level which is removable. I now had a very smart looking piece of hardware that was ready to hit the range.

I have been fortunate enough to have access to various blocks of land in recent times. And for this outing I decided a trip to the Awhitu Peninsular on Auckland city’s rural Southwestern shores was the perfect place to test out the new rig. With thousand-meter shots available from several vantage points, I picked my spot and set up on a bench. Sighting in the rifle was a breeze using a Caldwell Deadshot shooting rest. Once I had my zero at 100 meters, I put three sets of groups on paper with Hornady, S&B, and Federal 140gr ammunition. The Hornady Match ELD and Federal Powershok both grouped Sub MOA and the S&B just a hair over 1’’. I had a couple of flyers with the Hornady, however this was more my fault due to a slight flinch, as opposed to the rifle or ammunition. The LC6 trigger broke cleanly with minimal take up, and very little creep. On the trigger pull scale, this rifle’s trigger broke consistently at 3.5 lbs.

 

 

Happy with my initial groups I decided to set out three 2 litre milk bottles at 400, 800 and 1000 meters. The first focal plane MOA-2 reticle on the Sightron made spotting my targets reasonably easy. Using the ballistic drop increments, I set the reticle in the dead centre of the bottle at 400 and pressed the trigger. Almost as quick as the rifle’s report, I heard a resounding crack as the bottle blew open leaving a trail of water in the dirt. Feeling confident, I adjusted, set the crosshairs on the bottle at 800 and let rip. It was a miss.

I suspect I had overcompensated as the dirt kicked up approximately one foot high of the target. My second and third shots yielded the same result, and I began to think maybe I should have put out a larger target. Adjusting my point of aim slightly lower I sent a fourth round down range, this time it made contact. I must admit I have been quite taken with the 6.5 cartridge; it seems if the shooter does their part the accuracy of the 6.5 will not disappoint. I set the magnification to 20 power which gave me a fairly clear image of the bottle sitting out at 1000.

Not being an expert on long range shooting by any stretch of the imagination, a lot of what I was doing here was guess work. So far, the Hawkeye Long Range Hunter had done its job very well. Calculating the bullet drop within the reticle I rested the dash over the bottle. Trying not to be distracted by seeing my heartbeat vibrate through the scope I took the first shot. The round fell short by about a meter and a half at a rough guesstimate. The windage was reasonably in line with the bottle so I only had to adjust my elevation. I walked the next five shots up the bank, still hitting low but getting closer to the target.

On the seventh shot I blew out the bottom of the bottle sending it flying up the bank. I was quite pleased with myself as I hiked down to retrieve the targets. It was a joy to be able to reach out to a kilometer and touch something with relative ease. One thousand meters is a long way to shoot especially if you’ve never done it before, but with the right set up it can be done without too much hassle. Initially I thought it might take me a couple of boxes of ammo to achieve what I did with this rifle, but it appears that Ruger has come to the party and hit a home run. 

Needless to say, this rifle has me seriously impressed. With a quality scope, steady rest, and a clear sunny day, I have no doubt that the Ruger Hawkeye Long Range Hunter is perfectly capable of those long-distance shots. Whether you’re a serious hunter who is looking for a sturdy mountain rifle, or someone who just wants to punch paper or steel, then I’d can highly recommend this little gem from Ruger.

 

Action Type	Bolt Action
Barrel Length	22’’ / 1:8’’ Twist
Cartridge	5 Creedmoor / 6.5 PRC
Weight	2lbs
Stock	Wood Laminate with textured finish
Overall Length	25’’ – 43.75’’ (Adjustable with stock spacers)
Length of Pull	75’’ – 14.25’’ (Adjustable with stock spacers)
Mag Capacity	(PRC 3+1 / 9+1) (CREEDMOOR 3+1 / 5+1 / 10+1)
Trigger	Ruger LC6

 

View the Ruger Hawkeye Long Range Hunter Here