NRA Gun of the Week: Ruger Hawkeye FTW Hunter Rifle

by
posted on December 23, 2017
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

Ruger’s Model 77 laid the groundwork for the company’s bolt-action rifle designs, first entering production in about 1968. The M77 design features a bolt similar to that of a German Mauser—two locking lugs and a long, external claw extractor—but the action was investment cast, rather than forged, a process Ruger really perfected for firearm manufacture. In 2006, Ruger released the Hawkeye variant of the M77—a model with an improved trigger and a stock that saw a slight redesign. The Hawkeye is still very much in production today and American Rifleman’s Joe Kurtenbach happens to have a Hawkeye chambered for 6.5 mm Creedmoor for review. To learn more about this Hawkeye FTW Hunter Rifle, you’ll have to watch our feature video or stop by Ruger.com

Specifications:
Model: Hawkeye FTW Hunter Rifle
Manufacturer: Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.
Chambering: 6.5 mm Creedmoor
Action Type: bolt-action center-fire rifle
Barrel: 24”; cold-hammer-forged stainless steel
Finish: matte
Stock: laminate; Natural Gear camouflage finish
Sights: none; machined receiver for Ruger-style rings
Magazine: internal; hinged-steel floorplate
Trigger: 4-lb., 6-oz. pull
Weight: 7 lbs., 9 ozs.
MSRP: $1,269

Additional Reading:
Looking at the Ruger American Rifle   
Tested: Hornady 6.5 Creedmoor 
Ruger M77 Rifle: Exploded View 
A Look Back a the Ruger Model 77 Rifle  
Ruger Hawkeye Predator FTW Rifle 



 


  

 





 

Latest

Rifle with ammo and ruler
Rifle with ammo and ruler

How Accurate are Today’s Rifles?

In just the last few decades, rifle accuracy has improved an astonishing amount, and our expectations have risen accordingly.

New for 2026: GForce Arms LVR30S in .30-30 Win.

One of the latest .30-30 Win. lever guns comes from an unexpected place: Turkey. New for 2026, GForce Arms has introduced its LVR30S.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 21, 2026

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

5 Must-Have Tools for DIY Gunsmithing

These gunsmithing tools make it much easier to work on your firearms, whether at home or in the field.

Garmin Acquires Applied Ballistics

Garmin has acquired Applied Ballistics, a leading provider of ballistic research, projectile data and integrated solver technologies dedicated to enhancing shooting accuracy.

NRA Leaders Attend White House Dinner as President Trump Signs Orders Expanding Access to Public Lands and Waterways

NRA Executive Vice President and CEO Doug Hamlin and Institute for Legislative Action Executive Director John Commerford represented NRA members at a White House dinner hosted by President Donald J. Trump.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.