Anybody heard of these my bud said he picked one up nib in.223 ? Someone's limited run? Mb

Oh yeah. Never actually saw one, but they tickled me some, partly because they have nice irons, a rarity these days.

IMO, the Hawkeyes are the best of the 77s, and those Africans the nicest of the Hawkeyes, with the possible exception of the Magnums they made years ago, which were really something….

I have a 9.3x62mm Hawkeye African with the Lipseys twist to it.

Nice rifle

I played with the new 35 Whelen last weekend. A club...

Dang Puddle-

The cheapest I've seen a used one in 9.3x62 is $2800. They are, from what I've heard, the finest Rugers ever built. You are a lucky fella.

That African in a .223 was a limited run some years ago. Its not like the current Africans...it was made ostensibly to have the feel and weight of a comparable .375 for those who wanted to practice on the cheap, without the recoil. I had one, kept it NIB and sold it. Heavy barrel and not suited for what I need a .223 for. The owner is a fire member and he says its a stone cold shooter.

Dang, somebody must be real proud of that rifle. Was it a Lipseys?

I bought mine 2nd hand, NIB for less than half that.

I'd have to agree with your assessment. It's the first action I've used for DG that didn't need tweaking of some sort. GTG out of the box.

And no, I'm not selling it. Ever.

At one time, I had both the .223 and the 9.3x62 Hawkeye African. Both had express sights and were very well fitted and finished, with smooth, solid actions. The 9.3x62 had Circassian walnut, not highly figured, but very nice in grain and color. I put a few rounds through the .223 and it shot well with the open sights, but I eventually decided that there was nothing I would ever hunt with it in my area and sold it off on consignment through my LGS for a small gain. I never touched the 9.3 except to admire it once or twice and likewise decided it was something I would be unlikely to hunt with since I favor single shots. Having acquired a No. 1S in that chambering by that time, I sold the Hawkeye on GB for a very acceptable price. Both would go for considerably more now than I let them go for. Both were fine rifles and I sometimes regret letting them go, but there's no going back now. The 1S hasn't had more than a few rounds through it in the 10+ years I've have it, but I hope to spend more time with it and I have gathered a supply of brass and bullets over the years for it. The only bolt action hunting rifle I own now is a K77 RSI in 275 Rigby and although I have only hunted with single shots or levers, I cannot seem to part with that one, perhaps to avoid the same regret in letting the Africans go.

I picked up a 35 Whelen African recently. Haven't seen it yet but I'll be picking it up from the toy store when I go to town later this week.

It should pair well with my SS Hawkeye 35 Whelen.

I’ve a NIB 275 Rigby. Quite nice with a slim-ish barrel.

I bought one of the 1st series 9.3x62's with the heavier barrel and Circassian walnut. When the second series came out with the lighter barrel, I bought a 275 Rigby and another 9.3x62. I ended up selling the 1st series 9.3x62 to friend and still have both of the 2nd series rifles.

I have the 6.5x55 African (Lipsey's) and love the fit and finish on the rifle, nice walnut, shoots pretty well and can't wait for the 35 Whelen African to show up.

If the African shoots as well as my Ruger M77RS 35 Whelen I bought in 1989 I'll be very happy.

StarchedCover

Can’t speak to a 223 but my nephew picked one up in 6.5x55 last year at Cabelas. Very nice rifle with one of the nicer stocks I have seen and accurate. According to him, it shoots everything well

He paid $800 for it.

I had one in 280AI. Very accurate with the only factory load I fired out of it. It was a beautiful rifle and I wish I would have kept it.

A new one in 35 Whelen should land at the FFL today. I'm very excited to see it.

I picked up my African 35 Whelen earlier this week and I am very pleased with the fit and finish, it balances & handles well, a little nose heavy. Yesterday I mounted and bore sighted a Zeiss Conquest 2.5-8x32; hopefully I can shoot it this weekend.

Mine was $1,283 out the door.

StarchedCover

Ok, I’ll edit again. #2

I'm going to edit this post.

I looked at a nice Ruger similar to the one pictured below, not the African and not the express. Chambered in 375 H&H with a Leupold 1.5-5 the other day. Beautiful rifle $2200

It is stilling in the shop in downtown Madawaska Maine

The express rifle's are nice too.

Probably doesn't matter, but I thought I should clear up a couple inaccuracies in the thread.

The Express rifles were built on Rugers's standard length (30-06 length) action, and chambered in 30-06, 270, and probably other 06 length rounds. The are similar in weight to the Hawkeye African rifles.

The RSM Magnum rifles (Rings/Sights/Magnum in Ruger terminology) were built on a true magnum length action (375H&H length), and were much heavier in weight.

I never owned an Express, but owned an RSM in 375H&H once. The RSM was a beautiful rifle, but VERY heavy.

The express shown is a 7mm Rem Mag.

Thanks.

Wasn't sure of all the chamberings, but it's a 30-06 length magnum.

The RSM looks very similar, but is a true magnum (375H&H) length.

Have Hawkeye African rifles in both 9.3x62 mm and 6.5x55 mm.



Nice rifles that shoot very well.




GR

And, a very nice 2-rifle battery to cover any African safari GR.

I have both as well, plus the 275 Rigby. Great rifles from Ruger!

A few posters on this thread have mentioned the 35 Whelen being a little nose heavy. For those who own one already, is the 35 Whelen muzzle heavy like the 280AI had, compared to the thin barrels of the 275 Rigby, 9.3x62 & 6.5x55?

I have one coming but it is going to be a while before I can pick it up.

PM me in a while if you don't get an answer.

Let us know what it weighs scoped. Guessing at least 9# plus ammo and sling.

Ah, a fellow connoisseur.

Use the 6.5x55 mm mainly for field marksmanship shooting, in lieu of a Mauser, but hunt w/ it on occasion.

The 9.3x62 mm just because, and for the thickets.

Since it is mostly meat hunting - Africa would be expensive take-out.

They are fine field rifles none the less.




GR

I know where there's a 6.5x55 for sale cheap. PM for dealer info.