The Ruger Hawkeye rifle has served hunters dutifully for 50 years now, and to celebrate that milestone, the company is unveiling a brand-new, Limited Edition 50th Anniversary M77 Hawkeye chambered in .243 Winchester.
Like the M77 Hawkeye’s that came before, the new limited-edition rifle features a one-piece bolt with a non-rotating Mauser-type claw extractor. The receiver has machined bases which are secure and eliminate the need to buy aftermarket accessories, and scope rings are included with a special limited-edition red drawstring bag.
The high-grade American walnut stock features wrapround checkering and comes with a grip cap and classic red recoil pad. Rich satin bluing covers the metalwork, and there’s a hinged floorplate with special 50th anniversary engraving. The bolt handle also receives special engraving to celebrate the M77’s long history.
The Limited Edition M77 Hawkeye is more than just a good-looking showpiece, though—it’s designed to be a functional and practical hunting rifle. The 22-inch, trim profile barrel is cold hammer-forged for improved accuracy, longevity and ease of maintenance, and the floorplate release latch is mounted flush with the front of the trigger guard, so it’s easy to access yet isn’t prone to releasing due to incidental contact in the field.
Weight is 7 pounds, which means the rifle is easy to carry and produces very manageable recoil, and with an overall length of just 42 inches it’s compact enough for hunting in dense cover or tight quarters inside a ground blind. Like other Hawkeye bolt-actions, it’s equipped with a 3-position wing-type safety that allows the rifle to be loaded and unloaded with the safety engaged.
Length of pull is 13.5 inches, magazine capacity is four rounds and the 1:9″ rifling twist is versatile enough to make use of a wide range of .243 Win. bullet weights. The Limited Edition 50th Anniversary M77 Hawkeye will undoubtedly appeal primarily to the Ruger collector, but it will work perfectly well for anyone who wants a classically-styled field gun with some aesthetic upgrades.
The Limited Edition 50th Anniversary M77 Hawkeye has an MSRP of $1,799. For more information, visit ruger.com.
