Oh, on a side note...I liked that little gun so much I was determined to find another. Didn't find a Hawkeye, but found a Ruger M77 Mk II Compact in 7mm-08. Now, both my grandson and I have great shooting rifles.
I had a Ruger Hawkeye Compact in .243. I loved it and it was as accurate as all get out! Even with factory ammo, that little thing was dead-on accurate.
When my grandson, who was living in Arizona at the time, became old enough to put in for the coues deer hunt, I loaned him the little Hawkeye because his dad's Ruger Model 77 in .30-06 practically dwarfed the little guy.
Anyway, long story short, he bagged this little coues buck in its bed with one shot at 190 yards. When he called me to give me the particulars, he paused, then said, "Grandpa, you're not getting that gun back."
A couple of years later, after they moved to Utah, he used that same little gun and nailed this mule deer buck in its bed at a little over 200 yards.
So, to answer your question...is the Hawkeye a good rifle? You bet your bobsled it is!
While you did not describe the types of varmint hunting available within a reasonable drive, a heavier barrel better meets your list of uses. Heavier barrels are a lot more likely to hold the same group size and/or point of impact as they heat up. For most people "recreational target shooting" usually means firing off a bench at a gun range. That focuses on group size so heavier barrels tend to work better. In my experience prairie dog hunting requires a rifle with low enough recoil that firing prone I can observe my hits and the dust puff from misses. Again, a heavier barrel works better. Light weight carbines like Mule Packer's are great for what he showed them being used for, big game hunting, but that is not on your list.
I’m looking for a top-loading .223 bolt action rifle with WOODEN stock. The Ruger’s Hawkeye looks really nice:
But are these a good rifle? My uses would be recreational target shooting, plinking, and maybe some day down the line, varminting.
Thoughts?
-Jay
I had a Ruger Hawkeye Compact in .243. Let me emphasize the word had. I loved it and it was as accurate as all get out! Even with factory ammo, that little thing was dead-on accurate. It was a compact, so it was a perfect saddle gun for me.
When my grandson, who was living in Arizona at the time, became old enough to put in for the coues deer hunt, I loaned him the little Hawkeye because his dad's Ruger Model 77 in .30-06 practically dwarfed the little guy.
Anyway, long story short, he bagged this little coues buck in its bed with one shot at 190 yards. When he called me to give me the particulars, he paused, then said, "Grandpa, you're not getting that gun back."
A couple of years later, after they moved to Utah, he used that same little gun and nailed this mule deer buck in its bed at a little over 200 yards.
So, to answer your question...is the Hawkeye a good rifle? You bet your bobsled it is!
The Weatherby Vanguard or Tikka T3 would both be my choices over the Ruger. Although the Tikka uses a detachable magazine.
