I have a friend that got to test one extensively in .30-06.

After hearing my comments about the bedding method looking chinsy, the stock looking cheap and the idea of shooting 180's out of a 6.25 pound rifle making me cringe, he basically said it worked well, was fairly accurate and wasn't intolerable to shoot (although he was shooting 150 grain bullets).

Knowing he's a walnut and steel kind of guy, I was fairly surprised.

He basically said that for what most guys will use them for (20 rounds a year for practice / zero and 1-2 rounds for hunting), it will do the job.

I don't get too excited by the entry level guns from any of the big manufacturers, but it seems Ruger is going to be competitive in that part of the market with the American.