Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Ruger Hawkeye SS Vs. Winchester M70 EW.....your thoughts please!

I'm going to pickup a .30-06 bolt this year for Eastern Whitetail hunting. I've narrowed it down to a Ruger Hawkeye SS or a Model 70 EW. I'd love to have some feedback from the knowledgeable gun guys on here. Thanks!

Both are great hunting rifles, but I prefer the Winchester safety and the one round greater magazine capacity. Plus, SS Winchester actions are generally smoother out of the box than their Ruger counterparts.

I have a Hawkeye, though in .308, and Gasman touched upon my complaints.

The action was not very smooth out of the box. I don't think I've ever had a SS action that was as smooth as a CM, but it has gotten better. Still not as nice as the SS Winchester I had. I've not lost an opportunity because of it, though.

The safety is too small. I did lose an opportunity because of that. First time in the field with it and I bumped a deer up that wasn't too alarmed. He probably knew I was fumbling with the safety. He wouldn't get away now that I've had the rifle 5 or 6 years and gotten familiar with it, but that was then. The damn lever could be a little bit bigger, though.

What gasman said is true. However, if you don't mind putting a little elbow grease into the Ruger, they can be smoothed up. Accuracy is generally quite good with both win and Ruger. The Ruger will be less expensive and come with rings. The Extreme weather will come bedded from the factory, which is an added bonus. The Ruger will undoubtedly need to be glass bedded.

I'd take the Ruger. You get the ring mounts with the gun. The Winchester is nice but the stock is to bulky

I agree Vic. The lever is too sharp too. I wish they were more like the model 70 and rounded!!

Amen. I'd take the Hawkeye stock over the pos B&C on the EW too. Any day of the week!!. With that being said, I'd take the duratouch (Win model 70 from the super shadow), winlite, and even the factory tupperware (old classic sporter design) over the B&C EW stock...

Ruger doesn't even stack up to an EW. Easy choice.

I'd probably take the Ruger. The rougher out of the box action doesn't bother me. Lapping compound and a few nights while watching TV can work wonders on a stock Ruger action. As others have said, free rings and I think the factory stock is better.

I agree that the safety is the clear advantage on the M70.

Yep, easy choice, Ruger all the way.

I have a Hawkeye in 338wm and an EW in 325 WSM. The ruger was a shooter right out of the box, plus its got the karma of having taken about all big game AK has. It ain't pretty but gets the job done. The EW is lighter, carries better, and is just plain sexier, but it so far doesn't match the ruger for groups, and hasn't earned its place in the rotation yet. It is much pickier about ammo. I find the safeties between the two to be mox nix. Trigger on the winchester is much better and adjustable without honing.

Out of the box, the EW had feeding issues also. Partly due to the short fatties in 325, but a pita nonetheless.

Fit & finish on some of the Winchesters leaves a lot to be desired!

+1. They were having more QC issues than just that too. My friend bought a 300 wsm EW last year that didn't shoot for chit: 3" groups at 100. Another one had feeding and extraction issues ..Now they are being made in Portugal: Go figure...As I've said many times before, the best FN's were made in 2008 when they made their debut. They really wanted to impress with a perfect model 70. They nailed it with their 2008 limited editions and early extreme weathers. In recent years I've seen their quality plummit and that's one of the reasons they insisted on moving production to Portugal. Honestly, It shouldn't even wear the model 70 name if it is going to be made in Portugal. In America, the rifleman's rifle has always been the Winchester model 70.

I could be happy with the Ruger, especially if you want to leave it as is. But the Winchester gives a lot more options for you to work with. Scoped around 8 lbs ready to hunt is about as light as you can go with a Ruger, and there aren't any real options for lighter aftermarket stocks. But to be honest the factory Ruger stock is as good as any aftermarkt if weight isn't a concern.

I don't care for the B&C stock that comes on the EW, and would prefer the SS Ultimate Shadow. The stock is not only lighter, but a better stock. Gun is a lot cheaper too. The SS Ultimate Shadow is pretty close to the Ruger in price.

I found a great deal on a used EW 308 4 years ago. Then a year later bought a used Edge stock from someone here. It is 7 1/4 lbs as it sets and will keep 3 shots under 1" every time. Closer to 1/2" most of the time.

Sold the AW 308 Hawkeye, which wasn't a bad gun. It was just 3/4 lb heavier and not as quite as good. I saw no reason to keep both.

After selling the take off stock and using $250 in Cabelas Bucks on the scope I'm under $800 for everything in this photo, rifle, stock, and scope.

Ruger costs less to begin with,leaving money to upgrade if desired or needed

Thats a nice rifle JM.

Please tell me your not crying? I have a 325 ew I bought last year holy [bleep] that thing shoots I use 4007 and 200gr Speer hot cor. I like the b&c stock.

My Winchesters are the older classic stainless. I like them. I think the EW is a little over priced. If I could get an older classic I'd go with that. Otherwise it's Ruger all the way, and even then I prefer the Mk II over the Hawkeye.

If you bought it last year, chances are it's a pos. Unless you like Portuguise made model 70's . Give me a classic or pre 64 and hold the fluff and pos moa..

Nope it's a South Carolina gun bought it 4 days before moose season last year. It was on sale at Sportsman's. It looks the Portugal assembled guns are just now hitting the streets.