Ruger M77 Hawkeye - .264 Win Mag

[TBASTIAN]

The price range, looks, and newly designed stock have me interested in the Hawkeye, in .264 Win Mag. I know that the trigger still needs work, and the barrel may need to be free floated, but what are your thoughts on the rifle/caliber combo?

Since it only has a 24" barrel, will this negate the benefits of the cartridge's velocity very much.

I'm interested in hearing your thoughts.

 

[DrMike]

I have two Hawkeyes. The first, in 358 Win, is a delight in every way. The second, in 35 Whelan, was quite rough and needed a bit of work (pillar bedding, recut the checkering, relieve the barrel channel). Would I buy another one? Depends on whether I wanted the calibre. The 264 WM is, I believe, a great cartridge and one which appears to be making somewhat of a modest comeback as it is being rechambered in several rifles. Whilst 26 inches is perhaps the classic length of a barrel, I should imagine that 24 inches will work just fine for the cartridge. According to a quick and dirty calculation on QuickLoad, the velocity differential is about 60 fps. Either length of barrel burn 100% of the powder when RL17 is used. The trigger is not difficult to dress up, consequently. If you want the cartridge and you like the looks of the Hawkeye, you will likely appreciate the rifle and chambering.

 

[Big Squeeze]

The price range, looks, and newly designed stock have me interested in the Hawkeye, in .264 Win Mag. I know that the trigger still needs work, and the barrel may need to be free floated, but what are your thoughts on the rifle/caliber combo?

Since it only has a 24" barrel, will this negate the benefits of the cartridge's velocity very much.

I'm interested in hearing your thoughts.

........Go for it! But don`t do anything to that rifle until after you experiment with different powder, bullet and COAL combos.

"Bullet" who recently got a 358 Win Hawkeye, is getting extremely good accuracy right out of the box.

Ruger makes their own barrels and have been for quite awhile. Whereas before, the barrel accuracy when using an outside supplier was a hit or miss. They`ve also changed their trigger assemblies, which you may not need to change or modify.

As for the 24" barrel vs a 26".....Depending on the barrel, 15 to 25 fps per inch or 30 to 50 fps overall, will make absolutely no difference as far as accuracy is concerned, on any game hunted in the field, nor from any given hunting distance.

Without even trying hard, I can easily throw a baseball faster than any velocity difference between a 24" and a 26" barrel. With most cartridges and todays more modern hi tek powders, the `ol school thinking in losing 50 fps per inch,,,no longer applies and can be easily de-bunked.

And even if one were to lose 100 fps with 2" of shorter barrel length, it would still make no difference. Most if not all of us, could still toss a baseball faster than 100 fps or 68.18 mph.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

With the Remington, you could have the best of both worlds.
264 Win Mag, and the 26" barrel.

 

[nomosendero]

With the Remington, you could have the best of both worlds.
264 Win Mag, and the 26" barrel.

Ditto

257Wea, 7STW & 264 are some factory rounds that I will not buy with a 24" tube. I can believe the shorter is almost as good routine for rounds like the new Ruger short mags, 300WSM, 338WM & many others, but these std. fps per inch loss cookie cutter numbers leave me cold, sorry.
I just tested a Marlin 25-06 with a 22" tube & as always it was ALOT slower than any 24" 25-06 I have ever fired, just the way it is.

 

[JD338]

I think a 24" barrel is fine but a 26" would be better. The original offerings were 24"

JD338

 

[TBASTIAN]

I didn't realize that the originals wore 24" barrels...learn something new every day. Thanks guys.

 

[Guest]

I thought the original offering was the M70 Westerner, which carried a 26" tube? I could be wrong - wouldn't be the first time.

 

[1Shot]

The original Win M-70 264's had 26" barrels. People complained about the long barrel not carrying well in the woods etc. so Winchester cut it down to 24". Back when they came out with it they only brought out ammo loaded with 100 gr bullets to start with and pushed it as the fastest thing around. People started burning up the barrels shooting PD towns and using the little 100 gr bullets on big game like elk that they were never meant to be used on and the bad reputation got started. Then Remington stole the 264 Win case and put 7mm bullets in it that were heaver and that put the nails in the coffin for the 264 mag and rest is history.
The 264 Win mag is no more a barrel burner than the 7mm Rem mag. If you shoot them until the barrel gets hot and keep shooting it they will burn out quickly. If you take care of them and don't shoot them until they get hot and don't try to put 100 rounds a day through them they will last you as a hunting rifle a life time.

A 24" barrel really neuters the 264 Win mag. I have a 27 3/4" #4 Shilen barrel on my custom Rem. 700 and with 130 accubonds and 64 grs H-4831 or 67 gr. Retumbo I am getting 3480 fps average and under 1 inch for 5 shots at 100 yards. With a 24" tube you will be lucky if you can break 3100 fps. If the rifle only comes with a 24" tube get a 6.5X55 Swede. You can load it to almost match the velocity and the barrel will last a lot longer and it will take a lot less powder.

Remington makes a SS Sendero 264 Win mag with a 26" tube. My buddy has one and it is a shooter.

 

[FOTIS]

With a 24" barrel your better off with a 270 win or even better a 270 wsm.

 

[laker]

i have the ruger hawkeye in the 264 win mag and im crankin 120 grain ballistic tips out at 3400 fps so i wouldnt worry to much about the 2 inches of barrel.

 

[JD338]

Fellas,

I stand corrected, the original M70 Westener had a 26" barrel and then it was later shortened to 24". That is what I was thinking.......

I still think that the 264 Win Mag is better suited with a 26" barrel but that just me.

JD338

 

[FOTIS]

Fellas,

I stand corrected, the original M70 Westener had a 26" barrel and then it was later shortened to 24". That is what I was thinking.......

I still think that the 264 Win Mag is better suited with a 26" barrel but that just me.

JD338

Yup I had 5 of them.

 

[JD338]

Fellas,

I stand corrected, the original M70 Westener had a 26" barrel and then it was later shortened to 24". That is what I was thinking.......

I still think that the 264 Win Mag is better suited with a 26" barrel but that just me.

JD338

Yup I had 5 of them.

24" or 26"?

JD338

 

[FOTIS]

26 mostly . The 24" I worked with for someone did lose a lot of velocity.

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

I think it would depend on the individual rifle and that varies with each one.

Typically they say you'll probly lose around 100fps with that 2" of barrel but I really doubt it. Theres so many variables that come into play. You could get a fast 24" and a slow 26", different powders, chambers, etc..And really, whats a 100fps??

I'll give a good example.

Always wanted a 257 WBY. When they came out in the vangaurd my buddy wanted one although it only had a 24" bbl. I didn't want one for that simple fact. I said it would be a glorified 25-06. He bought some RL-22 and some 115g NBT's and its shooting .5-.75 at 3400fps. That 2" of barrel loss doesn't really seem to be noticable in this case.

That 264 in a hawkeye would be a sweet rifle. Only thing I dont like about rugers are there magazines are a bit on the short side so its hard to reach the lands with the heavier bullets. Other then that, it'd still be a terrific long range antelope and deer rifle, and could also see time as an elk rifle with the right bullet.

 

[bear]

I shot out the ace of spades with my new hawkeye in .308 win right out of the box. I also bought one in .358 but didn"t shoot it as I already have two .358's (got carried away in the heat of the moment.)
After I put a business card under the forend tip it really shot good.

 

[GilaJorge]

I bought a whole battery of Hawkeyes: 243, 2506, 270, 7mm. 300wm, 338w,. and 375 RM...and another 7mm and had PacNor change out the barrel for one of their premium 264 WM 26 inch barrels. Have yet to get it bedded but want that done before I shoot it...am most anxious for this project to reach completion but am financially constrained at the moment.
So must be patient....

 

[nomosendero]

I bought a whole battery of Hawkeyes: 243, 2506, 270, 7mm. 300wm, 338w,. and 375 RM...and another 7mm and had PacNor change out the barrel for one of their premium 264 WM 26 inch barrels. Have yet to get it bedded but want that done before I shoot it...am most anxious for this project to reach completion but am financially constrained at the moment.
So must be patient....

Now that Hawkeye 264 I could get into!! :wink:

 

[jtoews80]

Had a M70 Westerner in 264 w/26" tube, loved it. Have a 257 wby Vanguard w/24" tube and it shoots 1/2 MOA all the time.

JT.