Ruger Hawkeye in 25-06

[stevecrea]

I would like your opinions as to this subject:

I have been tempted by the Ruger Hawkeye in 25-06 (lefthand), and I see a number of them on websites and in Cabelas for sale at around $600 or so. Ruger has chosen to put a heavier contour, and 24 inches in length, on the 25-06s.

I like many things about the Hawkeye M77, including: Good action, good safety, good walnut, nice lines, metal grip cap, good metal. However, I am of the impression that accuracy is spotty on these, and that you have to go to some trouble to get them to shoot well oftentimes. This includes bedding, floating the barrel, and trigger work, if not completely replacing the trigger. So, the way I look at it, you are into a $600 gun $850 or perhaps a bit more, plus running around to the gunsmith, etc.

So, my questions are:

1. Is the new LC6 trigger a major improvement over the notorious Ruger lawyer triggers of the past?
2. If I do put several hundred $ into accurizing, and work up a good handload, can I reasonably expect .5 MOA or so? Or will I have replace the barrel with a custom to expect that?
3. Is the M77 action controlled round feed, or push feed?

Thank you for the input.

[Rick in Oregon]

Steve: First off, I'll admit to have never have handled a Ruger Hawkeye. That said, I'll offer what I know about the rifle from what I've read and heard from others. You may want to research all this for yourself to be sure.

1. From what I've heard, the LC6 is worlds above the "lawyer" triggers of the past.
2. I'd guess that with 'normal' accuracy work such as bedding, floating, trigger tweak, the rifle should be a .5 MOA shooter or close to it with hunting ammo handloads.
3 The M77 is sort of a combination of push/controlled round feed. It's not a true controlled-round feed, as the extractor does not trap the cartridge as it comes up from the magazine as does a Mauser or pre-'64 or Classic Win M70. It however does extract much more positively than the factory Remington-type arrangement.

In the limited time the Hawkeye has been available, I've only heard positive comments about the rifle.

[stevecrea]

Thanks Rick. This is somewhat tempting, even though I have two nice Sako 25-06s.