Ruger Hawkeye African .223 thoughts - Pictures added

[Buckeye Bill]

Hello,

Been looking at this rifle and reading what I can find about it. Sounds like it was developed as a trainer for the full size Ruger African calibers.

I am not planning a trip to Africa and I do not own a Ruger Hawkeye African but I think that this rifle would be an outstanding field gun for varmint hunting.

The appearance and workmanship seems very good and at this price level, (about $800) and the open sights seem outstanding.

Anyone out there got one of these fine rifles?

Does anyone know if Ruger made a lot of them?

I do not see many for sale on the net.

Bill

 

[E]

My dad bought one around Christmas. Probably the nicest bolt action I've ever fired. The open sights are outstanding.

 

[rugnelli]

Hey,

I don't know anything about them but like you I have been stalking them for awhile...

I think they are cool as heck and would love to have one for the various dangerous game hunts I encounter in South Dakota...

rugnelli

 

[mrbumps]

I have the 9.3x62 in the African and love it. I just noticed Davidson's received five of them in .223 the other day. Looks like they still have them!

 

[KurtC]

Probably the largest .223 ever made. It should essentially be a bull barrel, so I'm curious about the accuracy.

 

[Buckeye Bill]

I am curious about how it shoots also. I think the Ruger site has them coming in at 7.75 pounds. Something about this rifle has caught my interest. Might have to find one in 375 Ruger to see how it comes to my shoulder.

I have never held any of the Hawkeye African's.

 

[E]

The barrel seems pretty close to a bull barrel to me -- we put about 40 rounds through it in about a half hour's time, and it was barely warm to the touch. I think it has good accuracy potential for varmints, but I've only shot it at 50 yards with the open sights, and I'm on the near-sighted side so around 2" @ 50 yards with bulk ammo is about as well as I could do with it.

 

[SteelShooter]

Have ben curious about these, but have never seen one.

Are they on the Ruger website? OK helps if you actually look :lol:

HM77RS 37158 ain't exactly cheap!

 

[Buckeye Bill]

Kurtc,
This is not the largest or heaviest .223 bolt gun ever made. The Savage Predator comes in at 8.5 pounds and is the same length, 43 inches and still has no open sights.

SteelShooter,
They are not cheap is right. From what I can find, it would take about $800 to get into one.

At this price point, I would hope that the quality would be great. I would hope that the wood would be better than average.

 

[SteelShooter]

Buckeye Bill agree! It woudl be nice if the .223 at least came with NICE Circassian Walnut and a high luster blue finish. That would make the $800 a bit less painful :lol:

I'll never afford to get to Africa to hunt, but having one of the Africa guns in a usable caliber for teh states would be a bunch of fun, and you can afford to shoot the .223 and not get beat to death doing it.

Going to have to put it on my "dream gun list"

 

[Buckeye Bill]

Well, I got one coming my way via GB. I hope it will live up to my expectations. Photo's to follow. I will break it in with some paper targets with pictures of charging elephants. :oops:

 

[Buckeye Bill]

Duplicate

 

[Buckeye Bill]

Duplicate :oops:

 

[Buckeye Bill]

Duplicate

 

[Buckeye Bill]

News that is hard to hear:

UPS does not deliver to rural areas on Saturdays. My local shop is closed on Sunday and Monday. Looks like I will have to wait til Tuesday to lay my hands on this rifle. :cry:

 

[ndcowboy]

That gun is sweet. I'm a sucker for iron sights.

 

[JFB]

It is Tuesday and I don't see ANY pics :(

 

[TRanger]

My thought is how strange it is that a rifle called "African" is chambered for the .223, but not the .416 Ruger. :?

 

[HAWKEYE#28]

Lets you practice with 223 and imagine the 416 recoil pain in your head............I think this a rare gun and soon to be collectable........Kinda like a 22 Hornet in the pre 64 Model 70...... 8)

 

[Buckeye Bill]

Picked it up on Tuesday and have shot it twice. First impression is that has some weight to it but it is not bad. Fit and finish is great but the wood is only average. The sights are very nice and easy to see. I took it out on Wednesday and fired about 30 rounds at 100 yards on paper and was able to get 1.5 inch groups at 100 with the iron sights off the hood of my truck using a sand bag for support. The weight of the rifle results in almost no recoil. Was hitting at the 3 o’clock position about 2 inches from the bull. Needed to make a sight adjustment but did not have a screw driver. From their I started shooting a rocks against a large hill at about 200 yards. Wow, this rifle getting solid hits at that range with me holding the sight picture slightly to the left. I fired on other rocks at about 100 yard off hand unsupported and was getting consistent hits. The LC6 trigger is very very good. That night I loosened the set screw on the rear sight and moved it slightly to the left. I took it out again Thursday and fired about 20 more rounds. It is hitting dead on now. It is a great rifle and a lot of fun to shoot. Going to leave it without a scope for the current time and continue to work with the express sights. As soon as it cools off a bit, I will see about how it works on the local coyote population. I will post some pictures on Saturday. :D

 

[rugnelli]

Buckeye Bill,

Thanks for the report. Now I really want one.

rugnelli

 

[JFB]

drool.....(I want one too)

 

[Buckeye Bill]

OK, sorry for the delay in posting pictures but here they are. Sorry for pool quality, I was using my cell phone.

:)

 

[rugnelli]

Very cool...

 

[SHOOTER]

I put a WTB ad for one of these in the classifieds....... been wanting one for a long time!

 

[SHOOTER]

I believe I have one in my sights ...

 

[SHOOTER]

Does anyone have any old ads on this gun? Not much out there !

 

[JFB]

I think THIS post was the only place I heard about them TILL a "for sale" post around 9/2014.