Hawkeye Guide 30-06

[LuckenbachTexas]

This rifle is hefty but boy has it become a favorite.

 

[Rocdoc]

Those are very nice from what I have seen, pricey, so I have not get one yet, but maybe someday. You sir, have excelent taste in choosing the right cartridge

 

[LuckenbachTexas]

I went back to basics in calibers and I ain't found a better "hell-fer-stout" ready for everything rifle. I even dig the barrel mount for the sling.

 

[SteelBlue]

What are the advantages of the Guide gun over the standard Hawkeye in 30-06?

 

[Hughree]

I also have one in 30-06 and it is my do-it-all rifle. I had the itch for a rifle that could hunt anything in North America, offered a range of factory loaded bullet weights and styles, chambered for a round that could be found in almost any burg in the USA that had a Wal-Mart or a hardware store. Sturdy iron sights, stainless steel and a weatherproof stock were necessities. The ability to adjust the length of pull without a saw or a gunsmith was icing on the cake.

The Guide Gun in 30-06 checked all the boxes. I might have preferred a 22" barrel to the factory 20" with the interchangeable muzzle break. But truth be told, that stiff 20" barrel is handy, holds steady, and shoots great. I used the muzzle brake at the bench but swapped it out for the muzzle weight before my first hunt. I haven't seen the need to put the brake on again. The weight of the rifle makes the 30-06 with 180 gr. loads tolerable, even off the bench.

I topped mine with a Leupold VX-R 2-7x scope with the Firedot ballistic reticle. Warne rings and a Rhodesian sling complete the package. Winchester 180 gr. Power Points from Wal-Mart are close enough to the ballistic reticle to make hits on 12" steel gongs with the hash marks from 200-500 yards. If I was in bear country, I would swap the Power Points for Nosler Partitions. I use the 180's on feral hogs and it is decisive. The Firedot is a neat feature in the shadows.

It's not a lightweight but the weight and feel of this wood and steel rifle, in this fine caliber, make me feel like I'm carrying my own personal time machine. It reminds me of stories of hunts I read as a kid by gun scribes like Keith, Gates, and O'Connor. It connects me to memories of some of the best times of my life. You might say the weight of this rifle on my shoulder takes a weight off my shoulders.

I like it a lot.

 

[LuckenbachTexas]

I use 180gr Powermax and I'd shoot anything on the planet with it. I'm scoped up with #3 & #4 factory rings and a Leupold 4x. I use the muzzle break all of the time.

Steel Blue, I don't know of any real advantage other than the Guide Gun is like my Duluth MEN'S FIRE HOSE IRON RANGE FIELD COAT, Polartec vest, Bic Lighter, and Swiss Army knife.

I think hughree understands where I'm coming from.

 

[Rocdoc]

Made me go hunt for one, spotted one on Gun Broker. May go for it if seller answers questions correctly.

 

[LuckenbachTexas]

I tried to answer your PM but the synopsis is

Any of the three caps are clean fitting. I leave the muzzle brake on all the time because it offers better crown protection than the cap and all three register the same decibel level on a meter. So the brake all the time is for me.

The rifle really doesn't kick and the break works.

I also have the filler screw in the forend instead of the sling stud because I use the barrel swivel stud.

This rifle ain't for everyone but she aims real steady. The only thing I woulda added is a bayonet lug.

It just gives me a warm fuzzy for some reason. I would say if you are even looking at one then you'd probably love it.

 

[LuckenbachTexas]

Yall know that woman that has a natural beauty, doesn't spend hours on excess makeup and hair, will drink whiskey, camp, hike, saddle a pony, or go hunting with you, wears jeans, doesn't require fancy meals or high dollar wine eventhough she'll indulge on occasion, and has a sturdy childbearing body...Thats the Ruger guide 30-06

 

[Rumrunner]

When they first came out I handled one at the annual NRA show, and knew I would get one. Mine is in 338 RCM. The heft and the muzzle brake really calm down the recoil. One picture is the bare gun and the other is with a Tract Toric 2-10 scope. I also have a Weaver 30mm 1.5-4.5 illuminated scope in Ruger 30mm rings.

 

[Rocdoc]

Yall know that woman that has a natural beauty, doesn't spend hours on excess makeup and hair, will drink whiskey, camp, hike, saddle a pony, or go hunting with you, wears jeans, doesn't require fancy meals or high dol. lar wine eventhough she'll indulge on occasion, and has a sturdy childbearing body...Thats the Ruger guide 30-06

My bride of 33 years lost a kidney due to cancer,she looks as good with or with out makeup, does a work-out 2-3 times a day, will not drink, gripes at me when I do, will camp, hike, we only ride horses that that belong to another (stupid, delicate and expensive critters) sick of camping myself, last trip 35 days on the ground rained most every day. She hates guns, but indulges my interests....proud of my girl...made me brag,,,,my girl is more like the K1RSI!. Still want me a K77 Guide!

 

[LuckenbachTexas]

Wonderful pics, wonderful rifle, just do it.

 

[greyrush]

I just bought a Guide in 30-06 two weeks ago, with the help/advice of forum members here. I've had it out 3 times now for some practice (I'm new to using rifles and scopes) and so far I really like it. And I love some of the descriptions of the gun you folks are using. I look forward to the day when I can say the same thing about mine after using it and getting to know it.

One thing that has kind-of surprised me lately is just how easy it is that your breathing, and even heartbeats, affect the shot. I can literally watch the target bounce a bit with each heartbeat, especially at long ranges (have a 4-12 scope).

Yesterday's results at 200 yards ...

 

[Hughree]

I use 180gr Powermax and I'd shoot anything on the planet with it.

I will have to try those as a bonded bullet alternative. I sighted mine in with the Power Points as they can be found in almost every Wal-Mart, even when the ammo scare cleaned out most of the shelves. I sighted my Guide Gun to put the 180 gr. Power Point behind the white dot on the front sight at 50 yards. With the Leupold 2-7x VXR in place, it put the same bullet into an inch at 100 yds, and on steel at 100 yd intervals out to 500 yards. Once sighted in, I bought a bunch of the same factory loads and tucked them away.

Although I reload for the 30-06, I wanted to set this rifle up for factory ammo I could find anywhere. I now need to try a few readily available factory loads in 165, 150 and 125 gr weights to determine what adjustments would be needed to zero them if needed. Call it "first choice" or "last ditch", this is the rifle I would grab when I REALLY needed a rifle.

Oh, a back-up Leupold 1-4x scope with the ballistic Pig Plex reticle in Warne rings completes the package. The 1" tube is shorter and lighter, but still gives me a magnified optic with ballistic aiming points if the primary optic goes South or I want to lighten the load on an extended hike.

 

[Rocdoc]

I had great results with 165 gr Federal rounds several years ago.

 

[LuckenbachTexas]

Sometimes I seem to go against the grain. I dissasembled, put a bead of silicon about an inch back from the tip of the forend, torqued to Ruger's spec of 95 inch pounds, let the silicon dry overnight so there was flexible contact with no free float. I only use flat based ammo. My five shot groups are well inside a dime.

 

[Rocdoc]

Can you show how the stock spacers come off? I am a big man but like short little rifles.

 

[LuckenbachTexas]

I have no pics

 

[greyrush]

Can you show how the stock spacers come off? I am a big man but like short little rifles.

There are 2 long screws going thru the rubber buttpad and spacers into the stock. The slim piece (yellow arrow) stays in place, the rubber pad of course stays, and then however many spacers (red arrows) you want go inbetween.

 

[LuckenbachTexas]

Excellent