{"id":113663,"date":"2019-09-01T15:29:26","date_gmt":"2019-09-01T19:29:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?p=113663"},"modified":"2025-11-17T04:58:16","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T10:58:16","slug":"rugers-newest-rifle-the-hawkeye-long-range-hunter-reviewed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/rugers-newest-rifle-the-hawkeye-long-range-hunter-reviewed\/","title":{"rendered":"Ruger’s Newest Rifle: The Hawkeye Long-Range Hunter Reviewed"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ruger has decided to enter the light-weight, long-range hunting rifle game with their appropriately named Hawkeye Long-Range Hunter<\/a> Bolt Action Rifle. This gun is designed to be accurate, lightweight, user-adjustable and tough. The light profile, stainless steel barrel contributes most to this rifle’s low weight and comes chambered in the most popular 6.5 calibers: 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 PRC in order to provide the perfect balance of ballistic coefficient, velocity and recoil for you to make the one shot that matters most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ruger's
The Hawkeye Long-Range Hunter is a very capable rifle with the features that you would want on any hunting rifle all while lacking the weight.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Interesting Features<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hawkeye LRH is built on a stainless steel M77 Action but comes with a 20 MOA rail already mounted using #8-40 bolts torqued to 20-inch pounds. The added elevation that you are able to get out of your optic with this rail is valuable for the long shots that you can end up taking while hunting and target practicing alike. The single-stage LC6 trigger measured in using my Wheeler Trigger Pull Gauge at a crisp 3.5 LBS which is not adjustable. I have heard horror stories about how these triggers feel, but I was only reassured by this trigger being light, crisp and lacking any kind of creep or overtravel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ruger's
The optic rail on the Hawkeye LRH is a 20 MOA rail which allows you to dial more elevation for longer range shots. Under the rail, Ruger’s integrated mounts can also be seen and potentially used.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The M77 Action<\/a> that this rifle is built on is a controlled-round feed which means that the bullet being mechanically pushed into the chamber by the bolt is guided up into place on the bolt face before being driven home into the chamber. This is an extremely reliable design which I was happy to see being incorporated into this rifle. The bolt itself is also stainless steel, making the construction almost completely weather-resistant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ruger's
The controlled feed system that this rifle uses is extremely smooth and reliable when coupled with the Mauser style extractor. You can see here how the round in the magazine lines up directly below the bolt face.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The stock on the Hawkeye LRH is a very simple wooden laminate stock (despite appearances) which helps achieve the lightweight aspect of this rifle. The length of pull is adjustable using 1\/2″ spacers underneath the butt pad. The LOP goes from 12.75″ all the way to 14.25″ and the recoil pad is VERY soft which makes this gun quite comfortable and enjoyable to shoot. On top of having a soft recoil pad, the Hawkeye LRH is outfitted with a radially drilled muzzle brake, threaded 5\/8″- 24. This brake is specified to be torqued on at 20 inch\/pounds, but when I removed mine, I had to apply well over 100 inch\/pounds to break it free in order to install a suppressor. That said, be aware that it is not mechanically fixed with any kind of thread-locker in the event that you find yourself needing to use elbow grease to remove the brake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ruger's
The radially drilled muzzle brake is held on with 5\/8″-24 threads and a flared muzzle so that it can seat against the shoulder of the barrel. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The bottom metal and trigger guard are integrated into the same piece and are both plastics in construction. The rear magnum cross-bolt runs through the bottom metal and must be removed for the subsequent removal of the bottom metal. The magazine release is located in front of the trigger guard as a push to release lever mechanism. This rifle accepts AICS style magazines and comes with 1 supplied Accurate Mag. Capacity for the 6.5 Creedmoor is 5 rounds and 3 rounds for the PRC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ruger's
The long 145 grain 6.5 PRC rounds fit easily within the AICS style Accurate Mag short action magazine.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Accuracy Testing<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One worry that I always have with light-weight rifles is accuracy, as in “will it perform well?” This is because material is typically removed from the barrel in order to make the rifle lighter. This action can be highly detrimental to accuracy if the proper precision isn’t utilized during the process. That said, Ruger<\/a> says on their specifications that this rifle has a “Free-floated, cold hammer-forged stainless steel barrel with 5R Rifling at minimum bore and groove dimensions, minimum headspace and centralized chamber.” which makes me believe that the utmost care was placed in manufacturing these rifles, and it shows in my results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using Hornady Precision Hunter 6.5 PRC<\/a> 143 grain ELD-X ammo and a Sightron SIII 8-32×56<\/a> optic, I fired multiple 3 round groups at 92 yards from a prone position. I would have liked to test the Hornady 140 grain ELD-M ammunition, but I could not get my hands on any as of yet. When I do, I will update my results appropriately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The following groups were shot on the same day while allowing the barrel to cool between shots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ruger's<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The following group was shot on the same day, while not allowing the barrel to cool between shots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ruger's<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Specifications<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n