In addition to the solid, reliable
M77 Hawkeye action, the LRT has a
bunch of other features that make
it suitable for long range work. Firstly
the barrel – it has a 26 inch, 5R rifled,
heavy contour barrel that measures
.840 inches at the muzzle. It is threaded
5/8”x24 tpi, and fitted with the same
index-able, directional Hybrid muzzle
brake used on the Ruger Precision Rifle.
The twist rate is 1 in 9”, which is faster
than the usual 10” twist on 300 Win Mags
and suited to the heaviest bullet weights.
The stock is a laminated wood tactical/
target style, with a wide forend and
vertical grip. It has a single lever
adjustable cheekpiece, and has spacers
to adjust length of pull. It has flush
mounted sling swivel cups, on both sides
of the butt stock and the single on the
forend can be swapped from side to
side. The underneath of the forend has a
flush mounted M-LOK rail, that you can
attach accessories to, and is supplied
with a three inch picatinny rail that has
a traditional bipod stud attachment
included. The stock finish is a striking
earth brown with black splatter paint.
The bedding is conventional with a
free floated barrel, and the stock has
two cross bolts for reinforcement.
The trigger is a 2 stage model, with
a very light initial stage of about 10
ozs, and a final stage of about 1.5
pounds that has a little creep. It is non-
adjustable, but is very usable as it comes- once you get used to the 2 stages.
A 20 MOA picatinny rail scope base
comes factory installed with 8-40 screws
on the integral M77 bases. The safety is
the standard later model M77 three stage
on the right side of the rear tang, ditto for
the bolt stop on the left side of the rear
receiver bridge.
The bottom metal is 2 piece alloy with
the trigger guard sliding onto the
floorplate. The single stacker detachable
plastic magazine holds 5 shots, and
is interchangeable with Accuracy
International magazines.
All metal work is finished in a matte
black – except the bolt which is left
shiny stainless.
We fitted the Nightforce AtacR scope
we are also reviewing in this issue to the
LRT, in Nightforce alloy rings with the
incorporated level bubble on the rear
ring cap. Then it was on to the range
with a spread of factory ammo to try,
and we also worked up a handload with
the 215gn Berger and ADI 2217 powder
in Norma brass. It didn’t really like the
Hornady Precision Hunter 200gn ELD-X
ammo, which is surprising as most 300
Win Mags seem to shoot well with this. It
shot superbly with the Norma 170gn Tip
Strike, averaging under .75 inches. It also
shot under MOA with the 215gn Berger
handload doing about 2900fps.
With the load worked out and the dataentered into the Applied Ballistics app,
the LRT came with us into the eastern
side of the Southern Alps when we took
the guys from Garmin on their first tahr
hunt. It was mid-June and there was still
plenty of rutting activity. On the last day
of the hunt, Kieran used the LRT to cull a
few nannies at around 600 yards, taking
five with five shots. I can’t say much more
than that, as Kieran is going to tell the
story of the rest of their hunt in a future
issue and I don’t want to spoil it for you!Conclusion
Weighing in at over 11 pounds bare, the
LRT is not a light or even medium weight
hunting rifle. If not going to be carried
far from where you can drive or fly to,
then it certainly qualifies as a mid to long
range hunting rifle. And if steel shooting
is your game, then this rifle in either of
the 6.5 chamberings should fill the bill. It
sits nicely on bags or bipod, and is easy to
shoot accurately even in 300 Win mag. At
about $2300 RRP, this rifle represents
pretty good value for money for an
off the shelf long range package.RRP $2,300
Inadditiontothesolid reliable th t d d l t d l M 7Projectile Powder/
ChargeVelocity Avg. Group
SizeComments200gn Hornady - 2925fps 1.5" Poor accuracy170gn Norma - 3100fps 0.65" Most accurate load215gn Berger 2217/78gns 2895fps 0.75" Popular long range performer
in 300 Win MagsAugust / September 2019~ NZ HUNTER MAGAZINE 87Inadditiontothesolid,reliable
M77Hawkeyeaction,theLRThasa
bunchofotherfeaturesthatmake
it suitableforlongrangework. Firstly
thebarrel– it hasa 26inch,5Rrifled,
heavycontourbarrelthatmeasures
.840inchesatthemuzzle.It is threaded
5/8”x24tpi,andfittedwiththesame
index-able,directionalHybridmuzzle
brake used on the Ruger Precision Rifle.
The twist rate is 1 in 9”, which is faster
than the usual 10” twist on 300 Win Mags
and suited to the heaviest bullet weights.
The stock is a laminated wood tactical/
target style, with a wide forend and
vertical grip. It has a single lever
adjustable cheekpiece, and has spacers
to adjust length of pull. It has flush
mounted sling swivel cups, on both sides
of the butt stock and the single on the
forend can be swapped from side to
side. The underneath of the forend has a
flush mounted M-LOK rail, that you can
attach accessories to, and is supplied
with a three inch picatinny rail that has
a traditional bipod stud attachment
included. The stock finish is a striking
earth brown with black splatter paint.
The bedding is conventional with a
free floated barrel, and the stock has
two cross bolts for reinforcement.
The trigger is a 2 stage model, with
a very light initial stage of about 10
ozs, and a final stage of about 1.5
pounds that has a little creep. It is non-
adjustable, but is very usable as it comes
- once you get used to the 2 stages.
A 20 MOA picatinny rail scope base
comes factory installed with 8-40 screws
on the integral M77 bases. The safety is
thestandardlatermodelM77three stage
ontherightsideofthereartang, ditto for
theboltstopontheleftsideofthe rear
receiverbridge.
Thebottommetalis 2 piece alloy with
thetriggerguardslidingonto the
floorplate.Thesinglestacker detachable
plasticmagazineholds5 shots, and
is interchangeablewithAccuracy
International magazines.
All metal work is finished in a matte
black – except the bolt which is left
shiny stainless.
We fitted the Nightforce AtacR scope
we are also reviewing in this issue to the
LRT, in Nightforce alloy rings with the
incorporated level bubble on the rear
ring cap. Then it was on to the range
with a spread of factory ammo to try,
and we also worked up a handload with
the 215gn Berger and ADI 2217 powder
in Norma brass. It didn’t really like the
Hornady Precision Hunter 200gn ELD-X
ammo, which is surprising as most 300
Win Mags seem to shoot well with this. It
shot superbly with the Norma 170gn Tip
Strike, averaging under .75 inches. It also
shot under MOA with the 215gn Berger
handload doing about 2900fps.
With the load worked out and the dataentered into the Applied Ballistics app,
the LRT came with us into the eastern
side of the Southern Alps when we took
the guys from Garmin on their first tahr
hunt. It was mid-June and there was still
plenty of rutting activity. On the last day
of the hunt, Kieran used the LRT to cull a
few nannies at around 600 yards, taking
five with five shots. I can’t say much more
than that, as Kieran is going to tell the
story of the rest of their hunt in a future
issue and I don’t want to spoil it for you!Conclusion
Weighing in at over 11 pounds bare, the
LRT is not a light or even medium weight
hunting rifle. If not going to be carried
far from where you can drive or fly to,
then it certainly qualifies as a mid to long
range hunting rifle. And if steel shooting
is your game, then this rifle in either of
the 6.5 chamberings should fill the bill. It
sits nicely on bags or bipod, and is easy to
shoot accurately even in 300 Win mag. At
about $2300 RRP, this rifle represents
pretty good value for money for an
off the shelf long range package.RRP $2,300
Inadditiontothesolid reliable th t d d l t d l M
Projectile Powder/
ChargeVelocity Avg. Group
SizeComments200gn Hornady - 2925fps 1.5" Poor accuracy170gn Norma - 3100fps 0.65" Most accurate load215gn Berger 2217/78gns 2895fps 0.75" Popular long range performer
in 300 Win MagsAugust / September 2019~ NZ HUNTER MAGAZINE 87