Accuracy in the M77 Compact rifles

[tacotime]

I've read reviews from excellent to really poor on the accuracy of the compact rifles, the ones with the 16.5 inch barrels.

I'm really curious about the MKII version of these rifles, because I'm looking at a Compact 7mm-08 MKII for a possible buy.

How are these rifles performing? (And really, if the gun can shoot in 1.75 inches at 100, I consider that plenty good.)

And what differences make up the newer Hawkeye compacts?

Thanks.

 

[Kanook]

260Rem and 308 MKII
6.8SPC Hawkeye

Furthest deer with 308, 140yds
Furthest deer with 6.8 : 120yds
Furthest deer with 260 : 70 to 75 yds

I have never measured my groups, just try to get them touching at 100yds.

The trigger on the Hawkeye feels better than the MKII

I haven't lost a deer yet, and always seem to put the hole where it needs to go.

Not much help, but I would buy another compact without a second thought

 

[Trey Whitley]

I've got a 7mm-08 Frontier in the safe that is plenty accurate. Only difference between it and the Compact is the rib screwed to the top of the barrel. Honestly- it will be one of the last rifles I ever let go of, partly due to how "handy" it is and partly due to how effective the 7mm-08 cartridge is.

 

[RJ556]

Trey, I think there is at least one other difference in your Frontier and a Compact. I believe the Frontier has a somewhat heavier barrel than the Compact. With the pencil barrel and rear biased weight of the Compact, I found it difficult for me to shoot it accurately. However, if 1.75" grouping is acceptable to the OP in accuracy, then I don't think he will be disappointed with the Compact.

 

[pcgod]

Given the 1.75" goal, I think you will be fine. I have a 243 and a 308. The 243 can shoot sub inch regularly with both 85 gr bullets and 100 gr bullets. The 308 can shoot sub inch regularly with some loads but for a standard hunting load I use a 150gr bullet that shoots 1.1 - 1.25 inchs. I have shot Federal factory out of the 308 and they shot about an inch as well.
Note: 3 shot groups at 100yds. The barrels heat up fast cool between each shot or at least every 3.

The 243 is an older MKII and the 308 is a Hawkeye. The stocks are slightly different and the older one has nicer blueing.The triggers were both reasonable when I got them. But both triggers have been worked on and are dropping at 3 pounds.
As with any lightweight rifle, they can be tough to shoot extremely well. But they are fine for hunting and with practice they can be quite accurate.

I highly recommend Ruger Compacts.

 

[scoutman]

I second or third or.....

I can break clays all day at 100 meters providing I do my part.

 

[tacotime]

Good info, thanks.

I wonder if anyone has had a chance to try a Froniter along side a regular compact? Curious if the heavier barrel of the Frontier helps the accuracy by any noticeable amount.

Other than the rib and heavier barrel, what else separates the Frontier from the compacts?

And then what does the Hawkeye add?

 

[scoutman]

Good info, thanks.

Other than the rib and heavier barrel, what else separates the Frontier from the compacts?

And then what does the Hawkeye add?

I don't know . I quit looking. I can't shoot up to the potential of my Compact as it is. All I know is that my rifle all up with scope and sling weighs in at 7 # 8 oz. and is the "handiest" rifle I have ever owned.

 

[Trey Whitley]

Trey, I think there is at least one other difference in your Frontier and a Compact. I believe the Frontier has a somewhat heavier barrel than the Compact.

Maybe.

The earlier Frontiers had a slimmer barrel than the later ones (when checkering was added to stocks, 358 & 338 were introduced, and stainless became an option).

My 7mm-08 is one of the earlier ones with the slimmer barrel & no checkering. I've never studied the Compacts and don't know if the barrels are even slimmer, but from a cost/logistics standpoint I'd expect Ruger to try to make the same barrel profile work in multiple applications.

 

[RJ556]

OK Trey, lets find out. I no longer own a Compact or Frontier. Will any of those have a Frontier and/or Compact, please put a caliper on the muzzle end of the barrel and report the diameter on this thread? I could be wrong about this one, but I am just curious.

 

[Ditmo]

I've got two hawkeye compacts. 7.62x39 and .308
The .308 shoots the factory ammo I've tried at just over MOA to 1 3/4 MOA. My handloads are consistently MOA or just under.

The 7.62x39 shoots Winchester White Box MOA. My handloads are consistently 3/4 moa if I do my part. The cheap russian stuff varies from 2 to 5 MOA. I had a batch of Golden Tiger that would shoot 1 1/4 MOA consistently. Should have bought more of that lot.

I really like both of these rifles. Not going to sell or trade either one of them. Right now I'm focused on developing loads for my GSR.

All 3 shot groups at a 100 yards.

 

[Trey Whitley]

Can't help with the Compact, but I was certain that I'd posted muzzle diameter for the two different Frontier barrel weights and finally found it again. They measured 0.630" for the early version and 0.670" for the later one.

http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=105469&highlight=

 

[9638]

I have never shot one of the regular compacts myself but I used to work at a gun store and sold several in ,243 and 7mm-08. Everyone that bought one came back in bragging about the great accuracy of the rifles.

 

[Pal Val]

I have a 7mm-08 compact. After some experimentation, I found a load that gives me excellent accuracy. My best group so far was 5/8" at 100 yds, last Fall getting ready for the deer hunt.

Can't complaint.

 

[pumpgun]

i have frontiers in 7mm/08 and 338 federal with the leupold 2.75x scout scope on both. they are both very accurate. at 40 yards they shoot in the same hole. at 100 yards with my eyes they shoot about 1.5" but if someone had better eyes i know they would do better. they both have the short, fat barrels and are awesome guns to carry. i want to add the 243 version one of these days and maybe the 300wsm. i bought them for my boys when they started hunting and they love them. no scope bite with the scout scopes either. but the short barrels really blast and they jump pretty good. but i highly recommend them.

 

[Trey Whitley]

but the short barrels really blast and they jump pretty good.

There should be more muzzle blast & recoil with short barrels but I didn't notice that with my 358 Frontier and haven't noticed it with the 7mm-08 either. Could be because we almost never shoot from a bench.

Last year I quit using managed recoil loads in the 7mm-08 and the boys have been shooting 139-grain Hornady Interbonds at ~2,850 fps without any complaints. This is my 8 year old with his deer in December and the exit wound you see is typical of our experiences on several other deer & pigs.

 

[RJ556]

Trey wrote,



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Can't help with the Compact, but I was certain that I'd posted muzzle diameter for the two different Frontier barrel weights and finally found it again. They measured 0.630" for the early version and 0.670" for the later one. "

Will someone please measure the muzzle diameter of their Compact and report it on this thread? Thanks. I think you will find the Compact muzzle diameter some where around .565" or so. RJ

 

[tacotime]

Clearly the heavy recoil knocked out a couple of front teeth!

Nice to see the kids out hunting.

So if I read right, all the .358 Frontiers should have the largest .67 barrel they put on the Frontier, while the smaller Frontier calibers might be the .63 or .67 variety?

 

[Trey Whitley]

So if I read right, all the .358 Frontiers should have the largest .67 barrel they put on the Frontier, while the smaller Frontier calibers might be the .63 or .67 variety?

That's right. And the larger barrel diameter should be accompanied by a checkered stock...both changes were made at the same time. Personally I like the smooth, un-checkered stock on the Frontiers.

 

[tacotime]

Thanks. I guess the heavy barrel helps a little with the .358 recoil, and the extra stiffness may not hurt accuracy either.

 

[boaman81]

Everything I have read about the compacts stated shortened standard contour barrels were used instead of the thinner profile used on the ultra-lights. It was claimed Ruger made that decision simply because it caused far less accuracy issues than were found with the ultra-lights.
I know mine and my best friends are both quite accurate with factory ammo. In fact my 260 is one of the most accurate rifles I own. The 7mm-08 and the 260 are both pre Hawkeye rifles.

My 260 with a Simmons Whitetail Expediton

 

[tacotime]

Are you saying your 260 is a compact or an ultralight? Not sure which you meant.

 

[boaman81]

My 260 is a 77 Compact. I do have an Ultra-light in 7mm-08. It is far pickier as far as ammo goes. My friends 7mm-08 Compact is more like my 260, not picky at all.

My 7mm-08 Ultra-light. Definitely a thinner profile barrel than the Compact.

 

[RJ556]

Not so Boaman81. The barrels on Compacts are turned down pencil thin to get that lighter weight. I wish they were shortened, standard contour barrels. If so, I might have kept mine.

 

[475fan]

Ok, my Mark II 308 compact has a muzzle diameter of .517", and diameter at the forend tip is only .682". This is a wing safety model I purchased used for a good price because I think the original owner couldn't get it to shoot accurately. In the sale I received his partial box of 150gr Rem UMC fmjs, best 100yd group I could get with these was 4.25" for 3 shots. I had another box of 180 gr sp Remington and these did 3.5-4". I had loaded 308s in the past for a friend (this is my first 308) using Nosler 150gr Ballistic Tips and Hodgdon Varget. His old Remington 700 loved these and would shoot .5- .75" for 3 at 100yds. I loaded some up, cleaned the rifle barrel well, keep in mind it only had 40 rds downrange at this time, checked the action screws and went to the pit. Results were 1.25" for 3 shots average with 1 group cutting just under an inch. I had thoughts of selling the rifle, there was a couple months time in between these experiments, but am sure glad I kept it. I bought mine because I fell in love with my buddy's 7mm-08 on a Canadian whitetail hunt, and this one turned up shortly after. His gun has always been shot with Winchester Supreme 140gr Ballistic Silvertips, and these do 1.5-2" in his gun.
It's the handiest bolt gun I own, a joy to carry tracking whitetails all day, plenty of power, and now a fine shooter. Bottom line, they are good, accurate rifles. If you are a reloader you can get them to shoot well. If not you may spend some time and money to find the right factory load for your gun, but shooting something loaded with Ballistic tips would be a good place to start. Hope this helps.