You mentioned “pride of ownership” in the original post - as such, I think it’s pretty hard to beat the Ruger Hawkeye in blued steel/walnut. Seal the inside of the stock and you’re all set. It’s CRF, terrific safety that holds back the striker, real steel floor plate/trigger guard, fantastic trigger of an open design, and don’t forget the integral scope bases. I love a good Model 70 Winchester, but I’m hard pressed to say it’s equal to this Ruger for the money involved.
