Ruger actions as a platform?

[Stuart C.]

Hi,
I just love my hawkeye. 
What I can't figure out is why, it seems, that the Ruger 77 action isn't used as much as other actions as a platform for a custom gun.
It seems people use a remington action or a mauser action.
Why is that?
The Ruger has CRF, locks up like a vault, etc.
S.

[Flash]

Good question. My Ruger 77's are tack drivers including an early open sight model.

[wackmaster]

It's simple avalibilty of parts!
For the remingtion thers a doven makers of every part you can think of.
The ruger maybe you can get one maybe you cant. For example Jeweld triggers!
That being said. For all my costume heavy barrel long rang rifles I build remingtion.
For all my light packing rifles I build ruger! I realy like the controlled feed. And yes the rugers are tak drivers.
My sones and I have several wild cats disignd just for the ruger.

[Dee]

I think probably wackmaster has the reason in regards to parts. I too like their control feed bolt, and their inherent accuracy but, until not too long ago the availability of after market triggers was pretty much nonexistent. I have done some trigger jobs on the Rugers but didn't like them. Let's face it, you can lose about 30% of your accuracy thru a bad or heavy trigger.
Them Remington 700 however, I like better than most custom triggers. It is an excellent system to work with, and I always get the trigger I'm after when I finish.

[Hooker]

The Ruger action with the angled action screw makes bedding it a nightmare.
My 77mkII is very sensitive to torque pressure on the action screws.
I have not had a chance to look at the Hawkeye, does it also have the angled action screw at the front of the floor plate assembly?
The horrible factory trigger can be overcome by replacement or a good trigger job but the action design would be to costly of an undertaking. That being said I do like the Ruger very much with a lot of careful fussing and good handloads mine has on occasion  produced 3/4 inch groups. That's a pretty good improvement for an out of the box rifle that would barely make 2 1/2 inches.

Pat

[drdougrx]

Rugers are my MOST rebuilt guns.  I currently have 4, only 1 is stock block and that's a #1 sporter in 45/70.  My 10/22 is a factory fancy- schmancy altemonte model that I had CT Precision Chambering accurize (recut chamber, recrown, bluepring, etc)...well worth the $ spent.

I have 2 M77s and a MkII.  My 270 was purchased in 1982 and I shot out the barrel, so I had a shilen premium barrel installed w a timney trigger and glass bed the ultralite factory stock...it's fabulous!  I have a m77 in 300win that was a factory special with a semi varminter barrel, had that replaced, same set up as the 270 by Brown Precision and a Brown fiberglass stock.  These are my 2 favorite rifles!

I also have a MKII in 243, another ultralite.  Shot horribly with every load I tried...glass bed, timney trigger..sickening...so off to ERShaw and a new 22" fluted barrel (a bit heavier than the ultralite one, my mistake, I should requested their ultralite barrel) and had the action blueprinted.  So far so good, a dramatic improvement except for the weight, 8.5lbs....too much $$ invested to sell at this point.

I also have a several remington 700s...I just install the timney trigger...that's it...good to go......

Ruger actions are terrific platforms though I prefer the tang safety models over the MKII.  They are a heavier action that the rem and have a fixed magazine length which severly (in my opinion) hampers the overall cartridge length.  For example, I currently load 30/06 cartridges to 3.4" and can easily have a much longer cartridge length with plenty of room in the magazine well if I want in my rem700.  In all the long action rugers, I can only have an overall max cartridge length of 3.35 or else the bullet nose rubs or won't load into the mag.

In short...I like the M77 -tang safety action alot.  I do build from these actions and expect I will again even though the remmys come good to go, right out of the box with an upgraded trigger.  I have no experience with the hawkeye....

[Stuart C.]

, does it also have the angled action screw at the front of the floor plate assembly?

Yes.

[Lloyd Smale]

one of the big reasons remingtons get the nod for a custom gun when accuracy is the main goal is the faster lock time.