Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Ruger Hawkeye FTW

Hi. I recently gave in to the 6.5 Cr craze and purchased a new, Ruger Hawkeye FTW in 6.5 Cr. It's not really my first choice in calibers but I'm a lefty and wanted a higher end, longer range left hand bolt to add to the stable. I topped it with a Leupold Var-X 3i 4.5-14. Out of the box, the factory trigger is nearly 4# but I figured I can work with that later - at least it's rather crisp.

I proceeded to break in the barrel by shooting 20 rounds with a thorough bore cleaning and Kroil treatment between rounds. Same treatment was given after 8 more, 5 shot break-ins. Total round count is 60 rounds.

Then, I fired 4, 5-shot groups using four different factory rounds from 125 to 140 grains. Barrel was cleaned in a similar fashion after each group.

Accuracy from the 100 bench was dismal. Best group was nearly 1.75" center-to-center with Rem 140 PSPCL.

I obviously checked bedding screws, ring screws, etc.

Who owns a similar rig?

What kind of accuracy are you experiencing?

Does this rifle need a longer break-in period?

I am very disappointed. I realize this is not a custom rifle, but it's touted as Ruger's high end factory "instant classic". My wife's $325 Savage Axis compact shoots nearly 1 MOA with factory ammo and I only used a 20 round barrel break-in.

I purchased 200 Lapua cases, Berger 140 bullets and new dies but I am a little hesitant to even start handloading if this is what I can expect for performance.

Thanks. DJB

try another scope?

Terry Wieland worked with a couple of those for an article in Rifle 288, (Sept. 2016), one at the FTW Ranch, then another he bought for himself later. He reported good accuracy and consistency with both, using factory ammo, and perfect function as well. No break-in was involved with either, btw.

I'd replace the scope with one known to be reliable and try some other ammo. I have the very similar Hawkeye Predator in .308, and it shoots well with ammo it likes, though nary a single round of factory has ever gone down its pipe.

I have an LH 6.5 CM FTW, mine had a bad chamber Ruger replaced barrel, & bolt came back great. Although my cheaper LH Ruger Predator will out shoot it. Have heard of similar issues with the FTW in 6.5 CM.

Take a fired case and rotate it and rechamber and check for resistance on closing. See if your chamber is right. A felt pen is also great way to check.

A FTW should shoot most loads well and good loads great, would look at chamber and barrel before you spend a lot of time and chasing loads. Mine in original barrrel was
fussy, and when it came back from Ruger with the new barrel it shot all loads well and the best great.

Stop cleaning it. Putting oil in the bore after every few rounds isn’t helping anything.

I have one in 300 win Mag. Accuracy is now problem with it. Shoots everything I feed it very well. Currently 165 gr TTSX

A friend shoots one in 6.5 Creedmoor and 140gr Fusions. His shoots pretty good.


I bet your mag box is bound up, most Rugers are. Free it up and I bet it shoots better.

Sounds like you scrubbed all the rifling out of it. Just kidding 😳

Most of my Rugers hate Remington ammo.
I have one 30-06 that shoots Rem 180 rd nose very well.
So I don`t buy Remington ammo any longer.
I`ve had great luck with Federal ammo in Rugers.
Federal blue box, Fusion or Premium.

In addition to the mag box, check the action screws. That front angled screw wants to be as tight as you can get it, (Ruger says 95 inch lbs.) the back one just normal tight, and the middle just tight enough to keep it in place.

Nobody thinks scrubbing the bore with penetrating oil every 5 shots has anything to do with it?

Don’t get me wrong Kroil is great stuff, usually in conjunction with bore paste. Throw your cleaning rod away and run 30 rounds through it, then see where you’re at with it.

I own two of the FTW's in 6.5 CM and 7mm Rem Mag.

I can't say enough good about both of them. Both will shoot fives and sixes every day.

The 7 loves Berger 175 Elite Hunters in front of IMR 7977 and the 6.5 loves Hornady 147's in front of RL26.

If you feel comfortable the trigger spring is easily snipped to take make the trigger pull lighter. I take a few coils off
or you can purchase a different, lighter spring. They are easily changed out with needle nose pliers.

Dump the factory ammo, quit cleaning it so much, and handload. No reason why your rifle won't shoot.




I SURE DO!

Maybe. There's a lot of "discussion" on the merits of the various break-in schemes. My Hawkeye AW .223 has started shooting better of late, no break-in involved, except a couple hundred rounds down the tube. Howa seems to think it's important to keep a barrel from overheating until it finds its happy place and the steel somehow aligns itself with the Universe or some such. Who knows for certain? As one piece I read said, it probably won't hurt anything.

Agree about just shooting it for a while to see what happens. Pretty sure both my Hawkeyes like being dirty.

Davelefty,

Of the several 6.5 Creedmoors I've owned, two were Rugers, one a Hawkeye and one a RAR Predator. Both shot around .6 at 100 yards for FIVE-shot groups with Hornady factory ammo, right out of the box. The only thing I ever did to either was adjust the trigger (which is indeed really easy on Hawkeyes.)

Did not "break in" either barrel, because played with it a bunch years ago and found it to be pretty much a farce. It was invented byt benchrest shooters so their rifles would shooting a little better before their first match, but just cleaning after the first few range sessions does the same thing. Dunno where you came up with that routine, but have never heard of anything like it before.

The problem might be the rifle, ammo, scope or even your break-in routine. Hard to tell at this point, but my first suspect (after checking all the easy stuff like screw tightness) is generally the scope--a several people have already mentioned.

Sounds Like you over thunk the barrell brake in to me. Among a bunch of other stuff. The Scope was not the issue.

Remove or only have fingernail tight the center screw. Mag box needs to "float" between the action and floor plate.

Cleaning the rifle every 25-30 rounds is a good idea when doing load development, shoot three shot groups, don't over heat the barrel.

Some years ago, I bought a Hawkeye in 223. Immediately started looking for the right load. The rifle would shoot a great group or two and then a bad one - real bad. I fiddled with the screws and the stock and shot it with a clean bore and a dirty bore, and got random results. It was the scope.

As for when to clean the bore, I clean when groups open up (now that I have a good scope on it). That varies with each rifle. Shoot them enough and you’ll know when it’s time.

This thread takes me back...

Way back in the mid '70's I learned that "to tighten Tanger 77's groups " mantra our public range RO recited/chanted all day every day for every new 77 tanger that the owner whined about...and figured how to offer a $5 Service Fee in the parking lot to "tune that new rifle mo bettah or your $5's back". I even had to get a buddy to weld me up handle on a tire tool and grind me a correctly fitted flat edge screwdriver to break free more than a few of the really bad waaay over tightened 45* front screw out of the NIB factory setting... and sometimes getting a loud "crack" when the screw finally broke free. IMO the factory was assembling the rifles with stock's that were not completely cured , then stacked in a warehouse and left to dry tighten.

As I recall....If your 45* angle front screw is toooo tight you will never get the barrel to seat correctly & you can "tune" your groups with the amount of tension to change your lack of accuracy by putting only just enough tension on the front & middle actions screws, But if your middle screw is too tight you will either or both bow the receiver or bind the magazine box yadda yadda. Since I was repping spt goods for a major Dallas distributor in those days and sold couple 5-6+ hundred 77's a season in the 1st couple years just in the DFW 6 county market, I made sure my dealers checked those 3 screws when they delivered those rifles. ...and for some reason my dealers sold lots more 77's than our reps did in other markets around the state.

FWIW I'd bought my 1st 77 tanger one Christmas at home in Dallas for my own Present to myself of the several dozen 77's I eventually owned since '73, when I was living in Jax Florida and had a range buddy who was on the FHP shooting team go over my rifle and find these kind of issues with my NIB 25-06's over tightened front screw when it would not shoot anywhere close to his custom 25-06 built on a JC Higgins Model 50.. he tuned my trigger too. Couple years later after I moved home from playing a Corporate Gypsy and gone to work at the Dallas based Spt Goods distributor in '77 ...and after I had soaked the DFW & surrounding NTex Counties market with 77's for a couple years and wore off the NEW of the rifle, I got onto S&W 1500's - aka Howa 1500's- as the best new thing since sliced bread , when the factory guys promised us lot's bigger allocations of pistols ...just the usual back door games in allocations of hard to get merchandise...that game never changes either...
Ron

Ruger and accurate don't go hand in hand...There are a few exceptions but not many...

I am guessing sgt217 - previous post - might be correct. I was unable to speak with a "technician" at Ruger but received a reply to my customer service email. They told me they build their FTWs with expected 3.0", 5-shot group accuracy at 100 yrds! That's absolutely horrible and I guess I should have done some research in advance about that issue. Most of my pre-purchase FTW reviews were relatively positive other than "your mileage may vary".

I can achieve 3MOA with a $300 Savage rifle. I hope I didn't waste $900.

Thanks. Dave

I just bought a closeout FTW in 30-06. It's about 1.5 MOA from the box with most factory loads...because the bedding is not great. The barreled action is not really tight in the factory bedding--it is very loose and floppy before I tighten the action screws down. The Ruger angled front screw will compensate for some of that, but not all.

Some rifles shoot great from the box, many don't, and in most cases the culprit is the bedding.

I have never owned a Ruger I couldn't get sub-MOA with factory loads. Ruger barrels are good; your rifle, like mine, probably just needs bedding.

I will probably get to this project in the next few weeks and report back.

Your barrel is broken in. It's the bedding.

Total ignorance

SGT stupid.....your full of it


Lefty

Dave

Did you read any of the previous post.

Lot of experience here if you listen instead of ranting those Rugers will shoot

Good luck

Lefty

I have this same rifle in the same chambering and it is one of my most accurate factory rifles, especially with factory Hornady ammo. I bought it a few years back and took it to FTW to try it out-- it quickly became a favorite. I would try another scope of known performance.

Using a proven scope has been mentioned. Along with that I recommend trying some ammo with better precision potential than the 140 grain Core Lokt stuff. This one shoots so well in my Rem 700 5R Milspec that if my handloads eventually match it I'll be happy.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1019875577?pid=214506

Seems the op wants to cry and whine instead of doing some very easy practical options.

There is some practical info already in the comments above:

Stop cleaning so much.
Float your magbox (my last M77 needed a little dremel attention to get there)
Finger tighten that middle action screw, bear down more on that front screw
Handload some straight ammo, utilizing that long Ruger mag box with your OAL determinations

My last M77 also had a high amount of pressure from the forend contact, so I floated it and bedded it when it started giving me vertical stringing. I'd only do this if the other steps don't work.

I agree with sorting out the mag box and checking the torque on the action screws before you bed it. But the fit of the action to my FTW stock is pretty poor, so maybe yours is, too.

I'm familiar with the angled mounting system. Ruger recommends 95 in lbs on the front screw and 45-60 on the rear screws. I've done that with a torgue wrench - similar accuracy results. I am going to try some pet handloads but I am geginning to think I should have bought another Tikka.

And keep on using the same scope?

Steve Wariner sang a song by this title......

I've already tried another proven L 3x9 - same result

Did you check your chamber? My LH FTW in 6.5 had issues, and know of 3 others that did also.

Fired casings (all brands) are leaving odd scratches on casing exterior following extraction.
Rifle's headed back to Ruger.
I am really trying to give this rifle benefit of the doubt.

Sounds like a chamber issue, not concentric, try and rotate a fired case and see if it chambers the same as you rotate. My FTW was inspected and came back with a new barrel and bolt no issues now. And accurate, took me about 100 rounds to figure it out. This would have helped me. https://www.sinclairintl.com/guntech/bullet-concentricity-related-issues/detail.htm?lid=16572

Rugers accuracy gurantee has gotten better. My brother had a number. 30-06 in the 70 s and they told him 3 inches at 50 yards. That gun went down the road. Ed k

I have a Ruger 77 in 308 bought in the 1990's. I can shoot a dime at 100 yards with Remington Ammo. My reloads shoot an inch higher and the same dime size. Never had a problem with it. It is stainless with a plastic stock. Has kept zero for about 25 years.

Those scratches on your case are likely from the feed rails, which are pretty sharp on most Rugers. They generally need a little dressing.

My only experience with a FTW was with a 375R. It shot right at an inch. Close enough... but I sold it because it wasn't as accurate as my Guide Gun. However, I didn't work very hard on it either. Ruger doesn't do anything special to these FTWs as far as accuracy. All cosmetics really. It's a Guide Gun with a dipped stock and a longer barrel with no iron sights. I'm left-handed also, so I like the Rugers, but I'm not a fan of the Guide Gun stock as far as the pistol grip is concerned. I took a dremel and files to the underside of my pistol grip of my Guide Gun to open it a bit and then to the area below the point of the comb where my thump goes. It was a good improvement. This is easy to do with a Guide Gun, but will remove the dip on the FTW. If they really wanted to make it special, they would have floated the barrel and mag box, and bedded the action. Of course, I really don't think they agree with 2 of those 3 mods.

Just received confirmation of receipt from Ruger service department. I am anxious to see if that can do anything to the FTW to improve accuracy.

I guess I am badmouthing them, but I was shocked when they responded:

"Thank you for contacting Ruger Customer Service. Your Customer Service Issue # is 10175270

The expected accuracy of 6.5 creedmore Hawkeye is 1 1/5 " @50 yards. If you are unable to get this accuracy we recommend sending in the rifle.

Ruger Customer Service"

I can achieve 3-MOA accuracy with my Savage 20-gauge slug gun. Here's me crossing my fingers..................

Check the stock for cracks. My FTW in 260Rem arrived with splits in the laminations under the action between the front action screw and mag well. Sent the stock back to Ruger and they sent me a replacement. I still have it it the shipping wrapper and instead ordered a Hogue with full bedding block (I know, it's not a McMillan, but for a cold/wet weather coyote rifle, it's perfect). It took a little fiddling with loads, but I'm now getting sub moa with Lehigh Defense 126gr Controlled Chaos bullets seated just off the lands over some H4350. Going to try some of the other bullets I tested earlier again by seating them a little closer to the lands instead of SAAMI OAL.This particular rifle seems to prefer it.

Exactly what I was thinking. I have 3 Rugers including a 6.5 CM in a M77 Hawkeye varmint/target. I have never used more than 15 or 20 rounds to break in a barrel and usually clean after 4 or 5 rounds during the break-in process. I have several older rifles that I never broke-in and they shoot just as accurately as those that I did. Personally, not even sure if break-in is necessary especially for a hunting rifle. I typically don't clean my rifle barrels until accuracy starts to drop off, unless I'm working up a new load.

have owned 3 of these ftw's, 7mm mag, 308, and a 260 i still have. The 7mm mag was just over an inch with reloads from another gun, sure i could have gotten better but was good enough for me. The 308 was a .75 shooter with 4 shot groups, shot so well my nephew had to have it, so i sold it to my bil for christmas for him. And the 260 is just over an inch as well, but once again i did not try to work up a load, just used ammo i had loaded for another rifle. Anyone who says ruger and accuracy does not go hand in hand has not owned many rugers. I have only ever found one that didnt shoot for [bleep], and I have owned at least 50 of them.

3" groups for a900 dollar rifle is way unacceptable. If that is their standard of excellence I will never consider a Ruger centerfire. I did sight in a Mini14 for someone one time. I bought 3 different kinds of ammo for it before I could get a 3" group at 50 yards. It was pitiful. Never considered one of those either.

All I have to say is everybody's making big money off these Crudmoors and 6.5s when 90% of us will never realize the benefits of a 6.5 if there are any because we never shoot over 300 yards and most don't shoot over 100.

Yeah, ok HIGH BC bullets. But this has absolutely nothing to do with 6.5 and everything to do with marketing and bullet and barrel making, there's nothing magical about the number 6.5. The powers that be saw that the old military 6.5s had tight twist barrels that would stabilize long Spitzer bullets and made bullets accordingly, then barrel makers followed suit for sporting rifles. But now you can get high BC bullets in about any chambering. Even the old .270 has people making tighter twist barrels and bullet makers that make 165-170 grain bullets. 7mms have been here for awhile. I think the attraction to the 6.5s is more due to lighter recoil and just having something different.

As far as the Ruger's accuracy goes, I've had two Ruger 77s, both the older version tang safety style. They both shot better than I could shoot them. The first one was a .308 Varminter that I had bedded and would shoot .6"-.7" 5 shot groups with one pet load of a 168 grain SMK bullet over I think 44 or 45 grains of IMR 4350. It's been awhile.

The other was a .30-06 sporter barrel that would shoot 1 inch 3 shot groups. That was unbedded. I had that rifle re-barreled to 9.3x62 and it shoots even better, I'm sure because of the Shilen Match barrel. That's what my Gun Smith uses. Rugers can be just as accurate as any other factory rifle.

Yeah, a cartridge sitting at the intersection of plenty of juice for the deer hunting most people do, modest recoil, engineered for precision and widely available, reasonably priced ammunition wouldn't have any benefits or appeal to the 300 yard, and mostly under 100 yard hunter.

My LH Ruger FTW in 6.5 CM had a chamber issue and that is what I asked Ruger to look at. It came back with a new bolt and barrel, it came back very accurate before not. Best to avoid accuracy expectations and have company say it meets there specs.
and you have not corrected the issues.

Nope, you can achieve 1 MOA with any $300 Savage rifle.

3 MOA is ridiculous !

Certainly not!

I have all the hunting rifles an old fat man would ever need, and a couple of spares, but if the earth opened up and swallowed all my stuff, the you-know-what would be pretty high on the list of candidates to replace them, right under its 6mm little brother, which is really all I need here and seems to be catching on, though not enough to panic the .243 crowd.

I'm anxious to see what they find out with your gun. I'm in the camp of "quit cleaning so much" and choose better ammo to shoot.

Was one of your trial loads the factory Horny 143 g ELDX in their Precision Hunter line? It's cheap and it's good. Like you, I would use factory loads for initial testing. That rifle is/was shooting badly.

Yep, while some cheap loads will hint at a rifle's accuracy potential, it's never a good idea to stop with just one cheap load and make a determination. Granted, that's some pretty abysmal accuracy that the OP is reporting. Ruger has a reputation for good customer service, so I'm hoping they do right by wrong-handed Dave.

Did you crank down the middle action screw? Doing so will torque the action and will cause the rifle to throw fliers.

Ruger makes excellent barrels btw. I m thinking something else is going on.

I’m in agreement your cleaning regiment. Put the cleaning rod away and put a proven scope on it. Try some different loads.

Some rifles will take 10 rounds to settle down after a cleaning. I had a 7mm rm that looked like the bore was copper lined. If you cleaned it. It would take 30 rounds to settle down and accuracy to come back.