"Rugged" means different things to different people; when I was shopping for a hunting rifle it was definitely something I was looking for, along with accuracy. For me, that included backup iron sights, stainless steel, and a barrel on the "shorter side". I ended up with the Ruger Gunsite Scout and am very happy with it. The iron sights are quite good and as I'm a fan of the scout scope for the ranges I hunt at (100yds or less), it is easy for me to remove the scope with quick release mounts on the rail. 18" barrel is very handy and doesn't get in the way. The removable magazines are also a plus. The polymer ones aren't easy to source but I recommend them: load them up, put the dustcover on and toss it in your pack. (Just keep in mind the 10-round really only holds 9.)




















































