Canazes9
Bearcat
I have finally had the opportunity to bloody my Ruger Hawkeye in 338Federal and use it for a long weekend of hunting and have some observations:
#1) The ultralight stock on the standard rifle works really well.
This is a standard stainless/synthetic Ruger Hawkeye that I jokingly refer to as a "semi-custom" because I replaced the factory synthetic stock w/ a factory ultralight walnut stock. I prefer the aesthetics of the walnut over the synthetic and find that my rifle seems to shoot slightly better w/ the factory walnut stock. I spent a great deal of time carrying this rifle this weekend while stalk hunting (walking real slow 4 or 5 steps at a time, pausing to look around, repeat) and found the rifle a joy to carry. The slimmer proportions of the factory ultralight make for a rifle that carries well wether balanced in one hand, carried at the ready or slung over the shoulder (up or down). I have no regrets in my choice of the ultra light stock over the standard stock and would do it again. I carried the rifle through two days of hunting exposed to the elements in drizzling rain for hours on end and made a shot afterwards with the rifle hitting exactly to point of aim - a properly sealed walnut stock works just as well in inclement weather as does a synthetic stock. The ultra light stock does shave a few ounces over the standard rifle stock, ounces put to good use in observation #2....
#2) The Bushnell 6500 2.5-16x40 is a really nice match for this rifle (not pictured above, that's a Nikon Monarch that I pulled from another rifle to test fire the rifle w/ the new stock prior to purchasing the Bushnell). While stalk hunting, coyote calling, the rifle lives at 2.5X. While sitting on the stand it's usually at 6X or 8X. Still, there are times, that an opportunity to stretch this rifles long legs comes up and then the extra magnification is a nice option. The glass on this Bushnell 6500 is first rate equal, to the glass on my Nikon Monarch 5-20x40. The resettable click adjustment knobs work well and the range of adjustment is greater than any other scope in this price range that I'm aware of.
#3) The 338Federal really delivers the goods on large feral Hogs and whitetail deer. The performance of the Federal Factory 180grn Accubond loads was phenomenal. I have killed 2 deer and 2 pigs w/ it this year. I recovered 1 of the Accubonds from a buck I shot this weekend. The buck had his head down, quartering into me and I shot him at the juncture of his neck and chest. The bullet traveled 32" through, bone & muscle, coming to rest just under the skin on the far side flank. The .338 Accubond expanded to .545 x .651 inches!
This combination also delivers excellent accuracy:
David
#1) The ultralight stock on the standard rifle works really well.
This is a standard stainless/synthetic Ruger Hawkeye that I jokingly refer to as a "semi-custom" because I replaced the factory synthetic stock w/ a factory ultralight walnut stock. I prefer the aesthetics of the walnut over the synthetic and find that my rifle seems to shoot slightly better w/ the factory walnut stock. I spent a great deal of time carrying this rifle this weekend while stalk hunting (walking real slow 4 or 5 steps at a time, pausing to look around, repeat) and found the rifle a joy to carry. The slimmer proportions of the factory ultralight make for a rifle that carries well wether balanced in one hand, carried at the ready or slung over the shoulder (up or down). I have no regrets in my choice of the ultra light stock over the standard stock and would do it again. I carried the rifle through two days of hunting exposed to the elements in drizzling rain for hours on end and made a shot afterwards with the rifle hitting exactly to point of aim - a properly sealed walnut stock works just as well in inclement weather as does a synthetic stock. The ultra light stock does shave a few ounces over the standard rifle stock, ounces put to good use in observation #2....
#2) The Bushnell 6500 2.5-16x40 is a really nice match for this rifle (not pictured above, that's a Nikon Monarch that I pulled from another rifle to test fire the rifle w/ the new stock prior to purchasing the Bushnell). While stalk hunting, coyote calling, the rifle lives at 2.5X. While sitting on the stand it's usually at 6X or 8X. Still, there are times, that an opportunity to stretch this rifles long legs comes up and then the extra magnification is a nice option. The glass on this Bushnell 6500 is first rate equal, to the glass on my Nikon Monarch 5-20x40. The resettable click adjustment knobs work well and the range of adjustment is greater than any other scope in this price range that I'm aware of.
#3) The 338Federal really delivers the goods on large feral Hogs and whitetail deer. The performance of the Federal Factory 180grn Accubond loads was phenomenal. I have killed 2 deer and 2 pigs w/ it this year. I recovered 1 of the Accubonds from a buck I shot this weekend. The buck had his head down, quartering into me and I shot him at the juncture of his neck and chest. The bullet traveled 32" through, bone & muscle, coming to rest just under the skin on the far side flank. The .338 Accubond expanded to .545 x .651 inches!
This combination also delivers excellent accuracy:
David
