Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Ruger does their homework (again)............

Old news to most folks,I'm sure,but humor me I live in the sticks! For those that have seen/handled the new Ruger Compact,scroll on.<P>Yesterday I caught my first glimpse and handled the new Ruger S/S Laminate "Compact". Damn nice rifle! This particular one was chambered in 260 and sold IMMEDIATELY. <P>Many of the guys I routinely chat with via Email and such,abhor Ruger in general. I dote on them. This particular new model is to die for. It has "Deer Hammer" written all over it. For the Anti-Ruger faction,that I associate with,please don't bombard me with snide remarks(grin).<P>'Tis a shame it took this long,for an ALL S/S rifle in a svelte package,to be made available. Uncharacteristic of the MK II's(excepting the Target/Varmint two-stage),it had a VERY good trigger pull. It has a short length of pull and a bobbed barrel,it simply handles like lightning. All my kids will have one,myself included. I think it is a very large step forward and a LONG time overdue. <P>Hats off to Ruger(again)!.........

Hey Stick,<BR> those little buggers also caught my eye. The only concern I have is the 16.5" barrel,although I'm sure the thing would handle and swing like a fine shotgun I am surprised the barrel is that short. I would think this rifle would be perfect for someone walking a trap line, or for carrying in a boat. It would also be easy to carry on a backpacking adventure. And the black laminate ids pretty darn tuff looking also,,BEARHUNTER

Stick, <P>I haven't seen the particular rifle you're talking about, but sounds good. I'm glad to see Ruger finally woke up and did away with that ugly "skeleton" synthetic stock and replaced it this year with a regular "all-weather" or synthetic. It personally makes it a much better looking rifle to me anyways.....GH

Compact? I am a dye in the wool Ruger fan and to my knowledge the .44 deer field was the last rifle put out by Ruger. What am I missing! 06<P>------------------<BR>Beware the one-gun man.

Ought Six,<P>Picture in your mind's eye,the 77 S/S Laminate,with a 16.5" barrel and a stock with a 12.5" LOP.<P>It is a scaled down offering. The thing is,it really FEELS great and is beautiful. The version I handled was of the grey/black laminate,and was better than "cute".<P>To my limited knowledge,it is only a short action offering. I saw 223,243 and 260,but would assume a 308 as being available. My 4yr old and the 3month old,will have the 223 versions first. The 8yr old is toting a S/S Model Seven,in a McMillan stock.<P> The Ruger Compact is a little gem,I'm sure they will sell like hotcakes,in my locale.........

A 161/2" barrel is 21/2" longer than a 14" Contender and they are setting the woods on fire. For the lower states most of the game is in the forest or brush, seldom in the open, except early and late to feed. All my hunting rifles wear short barrels except a 25-06 and the magnums. -- no

Yee Haw! They're on the right track, and already have some of the best looking rifles out there. Now I'll only have to wait a couple decades until they bring one out in LH (sob). <P>Another whining lefty, Talus

I ordered a lefty SS M77 MKII on Monday of this week. It should be here by the end of this week. It will be in 30-06. (I know a 30-06 is not as exciting as some others, but this one will probably end up as a 338-06 sometime in the next year or so. At least that is the current plan). It has the green & black laminate stock. I really like the looks of that stock. I am hoping the trigger is a good one. <P>Big Stick, your comments about the trigger you tried are giving me hope for the trigger on this rifle.<P>Good shooting!<P>Mark.

What is the asking price for one of these? I would probably look at one in .308, figuring that I could load light 125 gr bullets at .30-30 speeds for starting loads for my son. Or even go with cast bullets at even lower velocities. The .223 version would also get my attention for him...

Davidson's is about the best Ruger Wholesaler. I'd have my FFL holder contact them for a good price. They got $569.99 for it here. I'd assume that is typical of Alaska's inflated prices. I'm guessing you could save $100,if you sniffed around........

$429.00 to $449.00 + Tax -- no

Thanks for the info. Now I'll start looking around for one, or have Cliff's Gun check on ordering one for me. I looked at Ruger's website, but while they are listed in their charts, they don't have a picture yet. It does sound like just the ticket for a kid's first centerfire, or for a small adult or female hunter.<p>[This message has been edited by Calif. Hunter (edited May 23, 2001).]

I rate as a kid and a small adult. Does that mean I can have two?(grin)..........

My friend has one of these rifles in 223 and it is an excellent rifle.It has a good trigger,handles well,shoots good and looks awesome.I plan on getting one for the wife in 260 before hunting season.

Well, I am drooling like a baby. Can't wait to see a factory model. I have a buddy that built one some time back in .450. Cutest thing I ever saw.<P>------------------<BR>Beware the one-gun man.

I'm of course in the dark here. Is Big Stick saying that Ruger has come out with a new model rifle? In a listing of sane calibers and not the newest, bestest whiz-bangers?<P>Cool. <P>Mark, when that new -06 is ready to be baptized, bring it on down. I think I still have some part boxes of factory stuff around here if you want to test some Federal HE with TBBC and Xs.<P>Could Stick share more about this particular rifle as to how it compares to the lightwt MKIIs. Is it the same thing, only in stainless? My daughter is 12 and using a blue MKII ltwt in 257R and it is a peach of a gun. Very nice! Best, Bill

Bill,<P>To my eye,the barrel contour is the same. The Compact's is shorter though(16.5")as is the stock. However,the Compact's stock isn't as slender,nor is it checkered. I like that. With a kid,you can slim the grip and forend. For "grown ups",it is dimensioned nicely,as is.<P>So,though similar in principle to the Ultralight,it is a distinctly different offering.........

Bigstick. Saw two of the short Rugers at a show on Saturday. One was in .308. I doubt that they weighed 5.5 lbs. Definitely needs a compact sccope for proportion's sake. The price in this area was a lot less than the one you quoted -- if I remember right it was around $475.00. I personanly don't hump rifles very far and so have no "need" for a super lightweight. So I din't buy it...plus if I really liked it I might not use my field cannons anymore. 1B

I wonder what recoil is like in 308?For some reson the two 308 rifles I shot the most had a vicious,sneaky kick.One was a rem722,the other a 788.I really like Rugers.<P>------------------<BR>Boone and Crockett was rednecks

Bill,<P>I am picking it up tonight. I'll give you a shout in a week or two.<P>I feel like a kid at Christmas time. <P>Mark.