Ruger Hawkeye At The Range

[ditto1958]

I’ve had my new Hawkeye Standard in 30-06 for about 3 weeks now, and have worked up some loads for it. So far, it seems to like the ammo I have fed it. The biggest “issue” so far is the guy behind the trigger. I have been struggling to shoot the rifle well. It’s clearly capable of good accuracy, but I need to shoot better. I can do 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inch three shot groups at 100 yards with no problem. Getting to that elusive “MOA,” is the challenge. I was able to get a 3/4 mic group the other day which is a breakthrough. It was done with 168 grain Hornady HPBT match bullets and 47 grains of IMR4064.

So far I really like my new rifle. To be honest, I’m not sure why I am insisting on trying to make a hunting rifle into a benchrest rifle. In fact, every last shot I’ve taken with it, even including my first shots to zero my scope, would have killed a deer.

Still, it’s a challenge to try to shoot small groups.

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[RetiredSeabee]

I have no doubt that you will dial that beauty in and find the load that works best for it.
I have the same affliction with taking a gun that I can shoulder and hit exactly where I aim. Then want the next ten rounds to hit the same small hole.

[North Country Gal]

Have you played with the torque on that forward action screw, the one that goes in at an angle? Why Ruger went with that is a mystery to me, but the 77s and the No 1s I've had all responded to getting just the right torque in that bolt and the other action bolts, as well. Also, have you done any trigger tuning? The 77 is a very easy trigger to tune. You're right, though. Back in Jack O'Connors day, inch and a half at 100 yards was considered the benchmark for accuracy with a bolt hunting rifle, even with Jack and his beloved Model 70s. Somewhere along the line, probably because of the all the self-appointed internet "experts" we have, today, a hunting rifle rifle is now considered mediocre if it doesn't magically do an inch or less.

By the way, I really enjoyed the 77 I had. It was in 257 Roberts. It was nothing fancy, but just a good, basic bolt gun, the kind you could shoot and enjoy for a lifetime.

[BigAl52]

Doesnt look bad ditto. Just an FYI I had some good luck with 4350 in one I developed a load for that a friend of mine couldnt get to shoot with factory ammo. Just in case you have some of it. Al

[RanchRoper]

Looking good. Keep on shootin'.

[Henry88]

Ditto, that is some good shooting right there.

Because this thread sparked my interest, I tried to find the definition of a MOA rifle and really couldn't find a minimum amount of shots beyond "An ‘MOA’, or Minute of Angle, in relation to firearm accuracy refers to the capability that a firearm has to consistently deliver a grouping of shots at a particular distance.

Just to be the "devil's advocate" here for a second, is a three shot group enough to qualify as a sub moa rifle? What say you all?

To me it's that 4th and 5th shot that is a, well you know

Again this is about education, not diminishing some great shooting and accuracy.

[North Country Gal]

Ditto, that is some good shooting right there.

Because this thread sparked my interest, I tried to find the definition of a MOA rifle and really couldn't find a minimum amount of shots beyond "An ‘MOA’, or Minute of Angle, in relation to firearm accuracy refers to the capability that a firearm has to consistently deliver a grouping of shots at a particular distance.

Just to be the "devil's advocate" here for a second, is a three shot group enough to qualify as a sub moa rifle? What say you all?

To me it's that 4th and 5th shot that is a, well you know

Again this is about education, not diminishing some great shooting and accuracy.

In my opinion and my experience, if you shoot enough ammo and types of ammo, most guns will, sooner or later, get three shots to group in an inch by accident. Have done it with a number of poor shooting rifles. That sure doesn't make them MOA guns. It's why I do't put much stock into manufacturer's MOA guarantees based on three shots.

Five shots are a more reliable indicator, but a gun that can do five shots in an inch every third range trip is still not an MOA gun in my book. For me, personally, a true MOA gun is a gun that will do five shots in an inch with its favorite ammo on a regular basis when conditions are at least reasonable. Such guns are a lot rarer than people think.

Beyond that, though, so what if your rifle isn't an MOA shooter? This current obsession with a rifle having to be an MOA shooter to be any good is a recent thing, part marketing hype and part internet lore. In Jack O'Connor's day, no one expected an out of the box sporter to be an MOA shooter. In fact, a gun that would do an inch and half was regarded as a very accurate hunting gun, one to be prized and valued. I'd have no hesitation taking such a gun or even a 2" shooter big game hunting.

[Henry88]

Ditto, that is some good shooting right there.

Because this thread sparked my interest, I tried to find the definition of a MOA rifle and really couldn't find a minimum amount of shots beyond "An ‘MOA’, or Minute of Angle, in relation to firearm accuracy refers to the capability that a firearm has to consistently deliver a grouping of shots at a particular distance.

Just to be the "devil's advocate" here for a second, is a three shot group enough to qualify as a sub moa rifle? What say you all?

To me it's that 4th and 5th shot that is a, well you know

Again this is about education, not diminishing some great shooting and accuracy.

In my opinion and my experience, if you shoot enough ammo and types of ammo, most guns will, sooner or later, get three shots to group in an inch by accident. Have done it with a number of poor shooting rifles. That sure doesn't make them MOA guns. It's why I do't put much stock into manufacturer's MOA guarantees based on three shots.

Five shots are a more reliable indicator, but a gun that can do five shots in an inch every third range trip is still not an MOA gun in my book. For me, personally, a true MOA gun is a gun that will do five shots in an inch with its favorite ammo on a regular basis when conditions are at least reasonable. Such guns are a lot rarer than people think.

Beyond that, though, so what if your rifle isn't an MOA shooter? This current obsession with a rifle having to be an MOA shooter to be any good is a recent thing, part marketing hype and part internet lore. In Jack O'Connor's day, no one expected an out of the box sporter to be an MOA shooter. In fact, a gun that would do an inch and half was regarded as a very accurate hunting gun, one to be prized and valued. I'd have no hesitation taking such a gun or even a 2" shooter big game hunting.

Thanks for the reply NCG, and probably the best explanation of the subject on the internet.

Again, this is not about the OP, our friend ditto who's thread I've highjacked

He is following his own passions and setting his personal goals, but there is a wide disparity on the internet about what is a "group", etc. which I find interesting. I thought I would find a sanctioning body defining a group, but my quick search yielded non.

For RR a group is about 100 shots

[North Country Gal]

And all in the black, too, probably from the back of his horse. Our favorite cowboy, around here.

[wvhills]

nice shooting, nothing wrong with that..

[ditto1958]

Update: I’ve been working with my rifle pretty regularly, shooting it about 20 rounds a day, about four times a week. One inch three-shot groups are still tough for me to do, but most days I can get one, sometimes two. The other groups usually aren’t atrocious- 1 1/4, 1 1/2, maybe 2 inches. The rifle is clearly very accurate. It’s the shooter that needs work.

For now, I’ve been sticking with my load with 47 grains of IMR-4064, and a 168 grain hollow point boat tail bullet. They seem to work well.

[North Country Gal]

Good for you. I think that is more than acceptable accuracy for a standard production sporter.

[ditto1958]

10/22/2018: Another update

Friday morning at the range, the “old pharts” decided to engage in our favorite pasttime, which is putting small reactive objects out at 25 and 100 yards, and shooting at them with handguns and rifles. Some our past choices have included pennies, shotgun hulls, Blowpop suckers, and chips from clay pigeons. This time it was little pink birthday candles. We taped one to cardboard and put it up at 100. One shooter tried three shots with his Ruger No. 1 in 45-70. He got close with two shots, and missed by a millimeter with the third.

The best shooter at our range used my Hawkeye. He got three close ones also, including one that missed by a hair.

I got out my Marlin 336 in 35 Remington, and popped in some rounds with 200 grain bullets. I hit the candle with my second shot. We put up a new candle, and this time I used the Hawkeye. I hit the candle on the first try.

The load I used that day was a different one, and it worked really well. Hornady 150 grainers and 44 grains of IMR-3031. That powder is what I use for 30-30 and 35 Remington. It’s not exactly high up on the list of powders for 30-06, bit it works surprisingly well.