Ruger American versus Ruger Hawkeye rifles
- Thread starter Dice69
- Start date
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Bitman
Bearcat
None
Good question.
I bet that most owners will say that there is no difference.
I would select a Hawkeye because they are well made and I love the Blue and wood look.
I would select an American if I did not have funds and was going to treat it as a utility rifle. "Hard".
Bill
I bet that most owners will say that there is no difference.
I would select a Hawkeye because they are well made and I love the Blue and wood look.
I would select an American if I did not have funds and was going to treat it as a utility rifle. "Hard".
Bill
Desire for a quality product at a fair price is strong.
Fair price is subject to the wallet of the buyer.
Fair price is subject to the wallet of the buyer.
Thanks for your input Bill. I am new to shooting and have a Ruger Gun Site Scout rifle that shoots 3/4" groups at 100 yards. I'm wondering if all Rugers are capable of this right out of the box. If so I would enjoy buying more rifles at the American price than opting for the M77 Hawkeye and limit my purchasing. I also have just ordered a S.S. 243 Hawkeye Laminate compact.
In you opinion, money aside, are all Rugers equal in quality?
In you opinion, money aside, are all Rugers equal in quality?
robertkirksey
Blackhawk
I have never bought a Ruger rifle of any type and not felt I had at least gotten my money's worth, sometimes more. I bought the first American I saw in .308 and I am delighted in it. A man needs a rifle that fires the .308/7.62X51 cartridge even if he is not crazy about the chambering.
BlackEagle
Blackhawk
Another difference beside the nice walnut stock on some M77's is the action. The Americans are a recent design whereas the M77 is based on the venerable Mauser. The M77 definitely has much more classic appeal and probably more rugged durability too.
OK.........now were getting to the meat of this deal.....Thanks Blackhawk. The Mauser action is different or not incorporated into the Ruger American models, if I understand you correctly. My neighbor has led me to the Rugers for the Action of the bolt that is based on the Mauser. He's a die hard Mauser bolt gun fan. I have a 6.5 x 55 Swedish Mauser. I see the similarities between the two rifle actions. Maybe I need to check closer on the American rifles and see what the differences are. Thanks for your input.
BlackEagle
Blackhawk
And welcome to the best forum around! I'm a big Mauser fan too. I shoot 1000 yards with a rifle built on a Mauser action that is over 100 years old. :wink:
Thanks for the welcome! I can't see 1000 yards so I won't be worrying about those shots. :shock: I am waiting on scope rings to mount a vari x 3 Leupold to see if I can make a decent 400 yard shot with a 308 Gunsite Scout Rifle. If the Rifle is good for it I'll be satisfied with 400 yards. If it can't perform I'll try the scope on a different caliber rifle...maybe 270... :?: what do you use at 1000 yards? 
BlackEagle
Blackhawk
.308 built on an Argentine Mauser
Jim Puke
Hunter
There is one more difference between the 2...that annoying cheap magazine on the American.
Dice 69, I don't think anybody hit on the facts. The M77(Hawkeye) and the American are 2 entirely different rifles, like apples and oranges. The Hawkeye is old school, walnut and blued steel, Mauser action, checkered stock, internal magazine with hinged floorplate, and integral scope mounts. Yes the Hawkeye comes in SS/ synthetic also. The American is a less expensive( I didn't say cheap) rifle with polymer parts and an in house action using screw on scope bases. The American comes in the most popular non magnum rounds that a non shooter would have heard of. Both will probably shoot as good as the shooter's ability will allow. The American is not simply an economy grade Hawkeye. The American is designed to compete with the Marlin X7, Remington 783, and Savage Axis. The Hawkeye is on the same playing field with the Winchester M70, the Savage 10/110, and the Remington M700. Bob!! 8)
oldguy
Bearcat
Dice69, Can't help but put my 2 cents into the ring. Your original post asked about the performance difference between the Hawkeye and the American. If you define performance as the rifles functional accuracy that allows you to hit your intended target one poster was right to say there is no difference. Taking into account minor variations in accuracy from one gun to the next which is normal in a mass produced rifle, both guns if in the same caliber would perform in essentially the same manner in the hunting field or the target range. As other respondents stated design wise the rifles are nothing alike. Each rifle is aimed ( pun not intended ) at different segments of the gun buying public.
Cedar Creek
Bearcat
I love the walnut stock & blue steel on Ruger 77 rifles (the older the better) and own more than I probably need in .22 LR. .308, .44 mag, .280, .308 and 6.5 Rem Mag. Over the past months I have purchased a Ruger American .243 and a Ruger American Compact .308; I am impressed with the accuracy and utility of both rifles. I also like the feel of the stock. I guess I might describe the difference in the two as art vs science; my downfall with my Ruger 77 rifles are some of them are too nice for me to be comfortable using in them in the brushy woods & clearcuts where I hunt most often. Not a problem with the Ruger American!
I would compare the contrast between the current Hawkeye (I just realized I have never even handled a Hawkeye!) as similar to back in the 70's when Remington produced their 700 series and also the 788 rifles. The 788 was a totally different design with a much lower price that would shoot at least as well as the 700 rifles.
Cedar Creek
I would compare the contrast between the current Hawkeye (I just realized I have never even handled a Hawkeye!) as similar to back in the 70's when Remington produced their 700 series and also the 788 rifles. The 788 was a totally different design with a much lower price that would shoot at least as well as the 700 rifles.
Cedar Creek
30WCF
Bearcat
BlackEagle said:
Now this is what I'm looking for. I bought the M77 Hawkeye "All Weather" ($899 msrp) not even a year before the American ($529 msrp) came out. Everybody started raving about this American and I've been wondering if I bought too soon. I mean dang near $400 less? I want to hear more than "it's prettier", cause I don't see it. They're praising the American's adjustable trigger, mine doesn't adjust. So who's is better? I mean I want to here things like the Hawkeye's have better barrels. More out of the box accuracy, stuff like that.
30WCF said:
Both the Hawkeye and the American will outshoot, i.e. are inherently more accurate, than the average shooter, myself included. That said, the Hawkeye uses a Mauser style bolt with controlled round feeding vs. push feeding of the American which may or may not matter to the purchaser. Also, the Hawkeye has classic lines, checkered walnut stock, etc. The Hawkeye utilizes Ruger's integral scope ring mounting system and some Models still can be purchased with open sights. The Hawkeyes come in more flavors, (models) and a better variety of calibers....it is a personal choice but accuracy is not a factor in the purchasing decision...it is a matter of budget and personal preferences...my two cents!
