I went to a local shop last week and saw something new. I could tell from across the counter it war a Ruger because the Ruger logo was engraved into the floorplate, but my familiarity ended there. On closer examination, the stock was definitely Hawkeye, but gone was that hellish, gritty, matte gray finish. In it's place was a pleasant blued finish executed on a metal surface that is polished somewhat less than my other beloved M77 rifles. The floorplate was made of steel with the same blued finish. The rifle was a sweety chambered in 243 Win and was hard to put down. Maybe, just maybe, we now have a Ruger Hawkeye that I can live with. I don't own one yet, but it won't be long. The only downside I found was printed on the pricetag - $800!

On looking at the Ruger website, I found the following statement in the product announcments for 2011:

"New M77 Hawkeye Finish
The Ruger M77� Hawkeye� bolt-action rifle now features a satin blued finish on the receiver and barrel when paired with the classic checkered American walnut stock. Introduced in 2006, the M77 Hawkeye rifles are refinements of the popular Ruger M77 Mark II rifles, with improved features including the smooth and crisp Ruger LC6� trigger. Key features of the Ruger M77 Mark II have been retained in the M77 Hawkeye rifles, including Mauser-type controlled feeding and a powerful claw extractor, 3-position safety, hammer forged steel barrels and free Ruger patented scope rings. The steel floorplate, now bearing the distinctive Ruger logo, provides easy unloading and eliminates accidental "dumping" of ammunition."

Way to go, Ruger!

I wanna see one!

After all these years the M77 may finally get sorted out. At least Ruger keeps trying to make their customers happy.

Unfortunately I couldn't afford a new one if I wanted it. Same goes for a new CDL.

Cool - I really want to like one. Like seeing companies paying attention to their customers desires.

Now if we could just talk them into one-piece bottom metal...

Yeah, no kiddin'. I used to make enough money to buy a rifle once in a while. Now I can barely afford to drive to work.

The thing is you can buy a really nice used rifle for 1/2 what they are asking for a new one and frequently the workmanship is better.

Ain't that the truth...

Local shop here has two rifles in with the new finish. .257 Roberts for $609 and 9.3X62 African for $787.99. I bought a NRA special edition 7-08 a couple weeks ago with the new finish and an upgraded walnut stock. I'll post some pictures of it tonight after I get home from work. I do have a picture of the price tag (and it shows the floorplate in the backgrouond) of the 9.3x62. I'll try to get that on here in a few minutes.

They look a lot nicer.

That's good to hear. Are they leaving the stainless rifles as a matte finish or are they offering those with the satin finish too???

$787 for a blued Ruger thats about $150 high for around here. I wonder if the price went up or one dealer is trying to make some hay.

Should be a little more durable than the matte as well.

I welcome the change although I won't be purchasing a new blue barrel Hawkeye anytime soon. More than content with the pre-2006 rifles - 77s and MKIIs.

A blind mag lightweight would be a good seller if I had to guess.

I'm tempted to go buy one just because they listened to the customers.

I won 2 Hawkeyes back in the fall of 2008. I like the rifles but will say that the matte finish on those was delicate!

Nothing wrong with ruger as a company or their M77 rifles. I'm not too bias, I like them all

Something more companies should do!

There could be a windfall here. Matte Hawkeye owners maybe tempted to dump their rifles in favor of the new blue therefore creating some good buys if you do not mind the matte finish. (speculation on my part)

As promised, the pictures of my NRA Hawkeye with the new finish. To clarify something from a previous post- the $787 was for the Hawkeye African. The dealer has $609 on the standard Hawkeyes. IMO, 787 and 609 are pretty decent prices around here.
Not the best pictures, but still a decent look..

You had me drooling until I saw the floorplate . It looks a tad tacky, but that is probably just me. That sure does look like the MKII. Very nice rifle.

You might be right, but I don't mind my matte finish hawkeye. I sure would like to buy a new one though.

The floorplate is coming off. I'll order a new one from Ruger and put this one in the safe. A little too much for me too, but I don't want to mess it up either. Ruger says it's a 24K gold inlay. If that's true, probably worth more than the gun! I'll use the gun as a hunter/shooter. Looks good, feels good and hope it shoots good. I'll find out soon.

That's a beauty. I'm sure it is a shooter too. Whatever you do, don't get rid of the forend tip pressure that ruger designs into the stock (most of them shoot better with it). You may want to glass bed it and lighten up the trigger spring, but that is about it with that rifle. Good luck with it.

I sure liked the old blue on the MK II. Perhaps Ruger has discovered that the easy matte finish does not ward off weather near as well as a deep polished blue can. I left a rifle on the mountain one cool fall evening when I was not able to get back for a second load with my young son before dark enclosed us. I was a bit woried that the cold spitting sky would smudge that new rifle. But the blue was untouched 16 hours later.

I'd like to see some short runs of matte stainless Hawkeyes in the old Zytel "boat paddle" stock. A trio of 308s for the boys would be perfect.

Klik,

How 'bout a 20-inch-barreled 308 with sights? Check-out this baby: http://ruger.com/products/m77RugerCompactMagnum/specSheets/37101.html

I want one of those with the new finish.

The "old" Hawkeye matte finish might not "ward off weather near as well as a deep polished blue can" but I would bet the real reason for switching back to a blued finish is simple economics. I don't know anybody who likes that gritty nasty finish, but I know a lot of guys that like a polished blued finish. I don't think the matte Hawkeyes sold very well. I didn't buy one, and I like Rugers.

I've also 'welded' the bolt shut on the older blued rifles during a week long goat hunt.

The most rusted rifle I've ever owned was a blued M77

bsa1917hunter - "NRA"...it would work IF your name was say "Nathan R. Adams". Letters do seem a tad large... Nice blue job however.
Regards, Homesteader.

same here on a week long hunt.Never seen a rifle rust that easily.

That looks suspiciously like Whittaker's , down by O-boro. I hate that place, I can't get out of there without buying something I don't need..................................It always seems to be some kind of CZ, for some reason. Now I'll have to look at the danged old Rugers, too.