Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Why did the Ruger Hawkeye All-Weather rifle fail?

Yes it had headspace issues from the get go with factory rounds which I fired first in this rifle as I could not find any reloading components becuz of the "93" Kilton gun scare..

I got around the headspace issue by expanding up the case necks with a home made expander then resizing down with a false shoulder..

I actually like the 7.62X39 round and own a mini-mauser, and a CZ 527 also..

The HE didn't fail. I think they are just clearing out the leftovers to bring out an overhauled synthetic stock next year, just like on their new scout rifles.

A few years from now, all those RARs will be so much cannon fodder, but the HE will be coveted.

Americans buy cheap junk when it looks like a good deal; they then buy something more worthwhile when they desire to move up in the world. Most RARs are being bought by new/young shooters.

Regarding your perspective on the RARs, I had hundreds of more expensive rifles when I bought my first RAR-Predator on 02/05/15 and have since bought 8 more. I have been shooting for over 50 years and am currently near the end of my 6th decade on Earth, neither new to the sport, nor particularly young. Perhaps I'm not representative of the "typical" RAR buyer, having liked them enough to buy 9 of them.

What rifle can you buy for under $400, often under $350, that offers such good out of the box accuracy as the RAR-Predator? If somebody makes one in 6.5 Creedmoor, point me in the right direction.

I see this all the time at the rifle range savage axis, rar. I'm the odd guy out with my winchesters..

Now you are just grasping for [bleep] Lawrence qc didn't start getting bad until they got well into the 7 digits of the model 70's made at the new haven plant.. I have tikka made in Finland, Howas made in Japan so buying foreign don't bother me.. basically the American companies that were tasked with making stocks couldn't pull their head out of their asses and get qc under control.. That's why the model 70 is being assembled in Portugal.. Cry all you want but it was your fellow American worker who ph ucked up... Being in the Army I have no issues buying a model 70 made in Portugal everything I read they a very well put together rifles... Oh and I do own a Ruger Hawkeye.. But it gets a little old seeing you get on your soap box about the Portuguese model 70's..

The best version of it ever made is still available. The Gunsite Scout Rifle.

I truly hope that the Hawkeye has not failed. I hope that it is a clearance for other reasons as someone suggested above. The Mark II stainless rifles are without a doubt my favorite using rifles.

I have various 375 & 416 Rugers in the Alaskan versions and have built off this action. The Mark II's I have in a few various cartridges, but have always bead blasted them to eliminate the polished shiny finish and replaced the tough-ass Zytel stock with one that fit my shortened l.o.p.

I just purchased a couple of the newer previously owned Hawkeyes in SS, not for "close-out" prices, but fair prices none-the-less.
I put one in a McMillan that I already had on hand. But, after looking over the factory plastic, my opinion is; this is one tough-ass stock also and I prefer the looks over the boat-paddle Zytel and the ability to shorten the l.o.p. easier. As a matter of, I plan to leave the factory stock on a 338 that was purchased. I was actually impressed, it is not a typical flexible wet-noddle tupperware for certain. This stock is head and shoulders stiffer than the Hogue stock the Alaskans came in and the tupperware on my M70 Classics. It appears to have a Decelerator pad, though not the 1" versions. The only negative is the stock has a bit more shine than I care for, but I am sure one hunt will remedy that.

I several Win Classic M70's but, have always used the Rugers more. And the Ruger is by far my most favored rifle considering the new enclosed triggers on the M70's. I have never had a problem with enclosed triggers, but my preference is not have that potential in the equation. My son has a couple of the new SS M70's, a South Carolina & a Portugal. These both seem to be fine rifles. But, I will stick with my Rugers.

Though, I am not overly fond of Ruger's factory rings, the mounting system is in my experience tough, reliable, and trouble free. A set of Alaska Arms rings fixes any issues with looks and quality of factory rings and are my favorites. But, I have rifles with the factory rings without issue of function. And used Warne rings without issue before becoming aquainted with Alaska Arms.

I actually think the Mark II / Hawkeye Rugers are the most rough service / rugged factory rifles that I am familiar with. I suppose by default The Mark II's / Hawkeyes are my rifle of choice. No suppose to it. Hell did not realize how much I do Really like the Rugers prior to typing this.

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Given time, some of those folks will drop out of the game altogether, some will continue at that level, and some will become enthusiasts and want something better and nicer as their taste and experience matures. Then they'll start bidding against me for nice Mausers on Gunbroker.

For those who've already arrived there, RARs and the like serve as cheap test beds for cartridges they want to try and as knockabout rifles for rough use. Guys who used to keep old surplus rifles around as beaters can now get an accurate, scope-able, and even stainless piece for the same money. I'm not playing in that particular sandbox as yet, but I get the concept.

79S,

Have heard that about Model 70 stockmaking as well, through a source in the industry that says one of the major reasons for moving final assembly/production of Model 70's to Portugal is the workers at the South Carolina plant were screwing up too many walnut stocks, especially on Super-Grades. This is somewhat understandable because the SC plant mostly makes military stuff, so they had no previous experience with walnut stock-making. Apparently the problem was bad enough FN decided to move final assembly/production to Portugal.

I just purchased a "Portuguese" Model 70 from a local store just to get more of an idea of what's happening. The box says "Made in Portugal, by Browning Viana," but the left side of the receiver says "Made in USA," because the receiver was.

Apparently the box says "Made in Portugal" because of the stocks being made there (though have also been told the walnut's from America), but many of the major metal parts come from the USA or Belgium. In other words, like many products made today, it's a mix of stuff produced around the world.

So far I haven't had a chance to shoot the rifle, but the head of the gun department at the store where it was purchased says the customers who've bought them report excellent function and accuracy. (I know him quite well, not just from being a long-time customer but from time spent at the SHOT Show together, comparing notes on various products, and trust what he says.) But I have function-tested, bore-scoped and taken apart my hybrid "Portuguese" rifle and it looks to be as well-made as the South Carolina Model 70's, and far better than the last New Haven rifles.

I have to agree that these Portuguese made/assembled Model 70 are superb rifles. I have Port made 70 SG in 30-06 with Maple stock. This rifle is absolutely flawless. Feeds and functions perfectly.

Never figured I would like white wood on a hunting rifle, but this rifle is gorgeous. Almost to pretty to take into the hunting fields.

This maple wood probably came from the US or Canada as well I don't know if maple is indigenous to that part of Europe.

Yep, maple makes an attractive and (usually) lightweight stock. I've had a few maple-stocked rifles over the years, including one stock I made myself. It's a little more of a pain to work with than walnut, though not much more than Claro walnut.

Apparently there are maples in Portugal, though I suspect the M70 wood is coming from the U.S. I've seen quite a few maples in other parts of Europe, in fact my first European hunt took place in the Czech Republic when the fall foliage was peaking in color, and maple trees were a big part of the pretty scenery.

Not to get way off topic, but those Maple Stocked 70's are some kinda nice. Maple looks pretty nice tinted a little darker as well, as it really seems to show the figure off some more.

Mule Deer

Thanks for the update on maples in Europe. I have been there many times but was touring WWII battle sites and not looking at trees.

Dusty

maple is a tremendous wood-for stocks, furniture, cabinets,etc. I work with it a bit in my cabinet shop and it has a lot going for it. Its a diffuse porous wood like walnut meaning that the pores are sprinkled thru-out vs.the ring porous woods like oak, ash, etc. On the hardness/strength scales hard maple is a bit heavier that black walnut and a bit stronger. We have 2 maple stocked rifles: my .257 Ackley and my wife's little .257 which is curly maple. We've had both for many years and the stocks are very, very stable. If the stain selected matches your taste, it is a beautiful wood. We have (northern michigan) some of the very best hard maple in the world, and in the upper pennisula probably "The best" birds eye maple in the world.

An interesting story about maple: we had a very capable stock builder in our area who stocked my .257 AI and a side by side double for me. He greatly preferred maple, especially curly. I remember being in his shop once and he telling me that maple was stronger than walnut. He took a thin piece of both and bent them until they snapped. The walnut let go far quicker than the maple. I did that just recently as I'm currently finishing up a couple maple benches. I'm amazed at the strength of that hard maple. Good stuff this maple.

I've lived that in a prior life, where I had some role in a US-based manufacturing enterprise. On the one hand, you curse the Chinese suppliers that send poor quality, but when you have a pallet of parts screwed up by a US supplier, you think, "At least if this krap had come from China, I'd have paid a lot less for it." It's nice there are some places in the world where manufacturing of consumer goods doesn't scrape the bottom of the barrel.

At one point in my life I was an inspector in a machine shop.
I went to a tool show in Chicago with the plant manager and got to listen while sales people tried to say that these new Cnc Swiss turning centers were so accurate that you could just load them up with bar stock on Friday and let them run all weekend with the lights off and Monday morning you would have barrels of good parts

In the real world tools get dull and then break
and then you have to pay somebody to sort and put scrap parts in a separate container from the good parts. Then somebody else has to make a judgement call on parts that are only a little bit out of spec. Etc, etc.

FWIW:

Stainless is not a big seller compared to blue steel.

Once a rifle gets ugly, people buy based on price.

I'm glad I got my '06 from you when I did. I'm extremely happy with that purchase. So much so that I'm contemplating calling to see what you have left and I'm not even in the market. Great rifle.

Do you think that stainless doesn't sell in the same volume as blued CM because it is ugly or because stainless is more expensive?

Price, but also availability. Lots more models are available blued. Can't buy it if they don't make it. Stainless rifles with walnut stocks are few and far between, which is a shame because they're very handsome. Stainless guns run about $100 more on average, a premium I'm willing to pay every time.

The matte finish on the Hawkeyes apparently doesn't appeal to many, but I like it and it's a lot less flashy in the woods than the old brushed finish. Combined with the veggie-pizza laminated stock, it makes for a pretty unobtrusive package.