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

Glad the Wife bought me my B-DAY/X-MAS present
A Lipseys Limited run S.S. Hawkeye RSI 30-06
with open sights!
Did not care for the new stainless finish.

My vote for lack of sales would be the faux M70 wing safety needed to be bigger, like a M70. And the rise in sales of the newer and smoother operating RAR.

I think that safety is a pretty proven and accepted feature, with a relatively minor disproval. (But who uses the safety on anything anyway?) I think the best winning formulas these days include at least two out of these three: cheap, cheap, accurate. Just about everyone builds something that fits that model.

99% of hunters aren't going to avoid rugers because of the safety.

If the safety was a big problem, sales of the blued ones would suffer as well. JB pegged it on page 1.

He makes a habit of that.

In the final analysis, I think that the quality hunting bolt-gun market is simply saturated to the point of overflow, and will remain that way for decades as older hunters die off.

I checked through the Rugers on GB last night--Given $1000, or usually much less, I could get almost any Ruger 77 I ever wanted including most of the obscure chamberings, early models, and unusual models. For only $400, I could get a blue/walnut gun in 270, -06, or 7 mag in great shape that would last a lifetime.

It's hard to sell anything but for the very bottom-feeder cheapest models in that environment.

Good point. Unless really abused, rifles tend to last a long time.

Savage 99 loonies (and I'm not talking about Savage_99) have been after the Savage company for a long time to make a new "quality" 99. Aside from that requiring major investments in new tooling, the new rifle would be competing against a million "old" quality 99's, along with another million or so "post-mil" 99's. The fact is that anybody who really wants a Savage 99 to hunt with these days (and there are fewer every year) can buy a used one for a much cheaper price than a new one would cost.

Same deal with "hunting grade" pre-'64 Model 70 Winchesters, and there weren't nearly as many 70's made as 99's.

Anyone know where you can find a 300 win mag all weather for a decent price before the are all gone? Whittakers is all out.. Any help would be appreciated.

The environment that you live in is significantly more challenging than where most people in the U.S. live, so you are likely to put more demands on a firearm than most folks.

A tale of 2 243s:

#1 is a Remington 700 SA CDL-SF bedded in a McM McM Hunter stock. It shoots MOA and cost around $1,600 as it sits.

#2 is a Marlin XS7. It shoots MOA and cost around $500 as it sits.

Which rifle is a better value for a novice or casual whitetail hunter?

is he gonna stay a novice?

I agree. Savage_99 is a bit loony.

I know plenty that do.

Quote from 260RemGuy:

"A tale of 2 243s:
#1 is a Remington 700 SA CDL-SF bedded in a McM McM Hunter stock. It shoots MOA and cost around $1,600 as it sits.
#2 is a Marlin XS7. It shoots MOA and cost around $500 as it sits.
Which rifle is a better value for a novice or casual whitetail hunter?"

It's even worse than that, RemGuy. The Marlin XS7 is available in .243 (blued, synthetic) right now for $250.

It depends. Some folks never go very far from their hunting roots, while others do. I don't think that you can look at a novice and tell if he/she is going to go far.

I show those 2 rifles to the parents of my Hunter Education classes, the point being that you don't have to spend a lot of $$ to buy an accurate rifle for hunting coyotes and deer in Nebraska.

Kick the Marlin package price back to $450; $250 for the rifle, $170 for the Leupold VX-1 3-9x40, and $30 for a set of Weaver, or Weaver-style, rings.

I am a fan of calibers that were once popular, and now somewhat difficult to find, and I enjoy handloading. Many years ago I came across a like new 77 RS with tang safety in 35 Whelen. It was just too nice and original to carry as a hunting rifle (getting a little pricey too, if you can find one) I put it away in my safe, and several years later came across a Hawkeye SS in, you guessed it .35 Whelen. Put a VX 2 3x9 on it, but the LC6 trigger had to go. Put a Timney in it(file a little at a time and check) follow directions. It now breaks like glass at about 3 lbs. Took a while to slick up the action, but now as slick as any of my other bolt guns (except a Tikka T3 Lite in .270 Win). With a variety of 180gr to 250gr bullets available, not real picky about powder, mauser type action, can't beat it. I know most of you would probably pick another caliber, but the 35 Whelen is a reliable no frills killer. Only bad thing is the POS stock. Can't see sinking more money in a stock that costs more than the gun. I do plan to put a Limbsaver pad on, as you will (especially with 250gr bullets) become a believer of Newton's Third Law.

Nothing wrong with the 35 Whelen. They make a great inclement weather rifle because they usually give one heck of a bloodtrail and on a rainy day that can be a big deal.

CDNN has them.

There is one for sale in the classifieds right now. If the bolt were on the correct side, I might not have posted this. Fortunately, I have a LH M77 MK II stainless laminate in .30-06 already.

Ruger M77 Hawkeye All-Weather 30-06 (like new) for sale