I agree that my new ruger american is no head turner. The stock has a axis look to it, but it is different. One thing that I can say for sure, is that the rifle is nice to handle, and will be awesome to carry in the field.... The closest rifle that has a similar feel is a nice little marlin 336... Very similar feel , weight, and balance to a lever action rifle. The stock on my american is definetely no hogue, but its contours, and angles, make it handle very nice, and the 4 round rotary magazine fits flush, and goes in and out smooth and precise, with no rattle whatsoever.
The bolt is very thick and beefy, and seems built much better than my tikka. It fits loosely, and slides back and fourth with a slight bit of gravity, or with one finger. It feels really loose, when pulled all the way back, but when fully engaged, with the bolt down, and cocked, its very tight, with no play or rattle.
I handled and fired a axis before getting my ruger american, and its definetely a step up from the savage. I was looking at a weatherby vanguard, savage 111 international trophy xp, remington model 700 sps, t/c venture, and a few others, before choosing the ruger. To me, it looks and feels, similar to a t/c venture, but weighs the same as a tikka, and has a accutrigger. It is a hybrid sort of rifle, that has several good features, of a few different guns, all put into one. The only thing that I wish it had, is a 3-position safety, with locking bolt, however the bolt is quite tight when cocked, and down, so I doubt if it will get snagged in the bush and flip open.
If it shoots as good as I hear they do, then I might pick up another one, if ruger comes out with one that has a wood, or upgraded sythentic stock, similar to a t/c venture..... One thing I know for sure, is that when I held a mod 700 sps, then the american, in my opinion, the ruger was better quality. The ruger has a cheaper feeling stock, but not as bad as a savage axis, but keep in mind that its designed to be lightweight at 6 1/4 lbs, and when you see how big and beefy the bolt is, its understandable that the weight was taken from the stock, in order to keep it as light as a tikka. Ruger has been doing alot of plastic work lately, and seem to have made the 10/22 with more and more plastic, but keeping it as durable or more, than when it had no plastic, so I have confidence that the lightweight plastic stock on my american will be durable, and strong.
