Ruger has earned an enviable reputation for quality and affordability, offering users terrific guns at very reasonable prices. And, in addition to its expansive line of “sporting” firearms, the company has also developed a good selection of tactically oriented weapon systems. A good example is the Ruger M77 Hawkeye Tactical, a trim and handy bolt-action rifle ideal for LE patrol duty, which Guns & Weapons for Law Enforcement writer Richard Mann had the chance to try out for himself in the current issue of the magazine.

Built on Ruger’s proven Model 77 Mark II action, the rifle has a fixed ejector and a full-length claw extractor. It features a matte black/blued finish on all the metal surfaces of the rifle, with the exception of the bolt, which has a matte grey finish. The rifle has a heavy-contour barrel that measures 0.80 inches at the muzzle, and it is also threaded. Out of the box, the barrel is fitted with a flash suppressor, but it can be removed, which provides the option of attaching a sound suppressor. “The Hawkeye also has a synthetic OverMolded stock from Hogue. And that’s not a bad thing. One of the most accurate rifles I own has this same stock on it, and I’ve tested several others so equipped,” stated Mann during his review. Also, the rifle comes with a short Harris bipod, which, as the author points out, is worth at least a hundred bucks alone.

To find out how it performed, pick up the January 2014 issue of Guns & Weapons for Law Enforcement, available on newsstands and digitally October 8, 2013. To subscribe, go to /guns-weapons-for-law-enforcement/.