Best bedding option for M77 Hawkeye?

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bpeezer

New member
I have a friend with a .338 Win Mag Ruger Hawkeye, he plans on using it for some boar hunting. It is in a Boyds Prarie Hunter laminate stock. He is wondering what would be the best way to bed it. Neither of us have bedded a rifle in the past, so if there is nothing effective we can do he isn't opposed to having a pro bed it.

Thanks in advance for the help!
 
I'd say that since it's a Boyd's (inexpensive) stock, if he's a do-it-yourselfer, go for it. It's not difficult if you have some basic "handyman" skills and a dremel...

For a beginner, I'd suggest Brownell's AcraGlas Gel- it's easy to work, and you don't have to fight "gravity" as much since it's a gel and doesn't run...

And it's not like he could screw up a $500 McMillan stock...

Here is a good article on bedding:

http://www.accurateshooter.com/technical-articles/stress-free-pillar-bedding/
 
How does it shoot? Does it need bedding? Some say that Rugers don't need bedding because of the way their angled action bolt draws the recoil lug back to the stock. Others say Nonsense, Rugers benefit from bedding like any other rifle.

If he choses to bed the rifle, there are plenty of online videos that detail the process. There's really not much to it, but like any other job over half of it is prep work. Brownell's Acraglas Gel is probably the most common standard bedding kit, but I've used other epoxies, to include JB Weld to bed firearms.
 
I have an old 77 (not Mk II) 6mm that was my late fathers. Always a problem child being a 1.5" 3 shot 100yd gun at best, I took it to a gun smith friend who floated the barrel and glass bedded the very nice walnut stock.What a difference!:) I only wish I would have done this for my dad 30yrs ago, he just didn't want to take a chance with someone messing his pretty little 6mm up.
 
What's wrong with the accuracy now?

I've heard of quite a few people bedding their rifles that were shooting fine and groups opened up afterward.
 
To be honest, I think the rifle still outshoots him (especially offhand). I'll let him know that he probably doesn't need to bed it for his purposes. Thanks for the advice.
 
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