Main design difference is one is a CRF and the other is a PF.

Lets compare SS rifles:

Vanguard/Howa 1500 action is patterned off earlier Sako rifles. It has a very robust extractor similar well to a M16 extractor. The reciever and bolt are forged steel. Bolt is one piece as well. Bolt is field strippable with no tools needed. Trigger is similiar to that of a Remington 700 except it doesn't have an overtravel feature. the SS version is made of 410 steel which is a better grade of SS then 416 which the ruger is made of. Krieger barrels charge more for machining barrels out of this alloy compared to 416..that tells me it is more difficult to machine ie harder. One piece floorplate assembly is combination of aluminumn housing and a steel floorplate. This is a very rugged rifle and I think better designed then most Push feed rifles out there.


Ruger is completely investment cast out of 416 SS . Bolt is one piece as well not field strippable unless you carry around a nail with you. The triggerguard and floorplate are 2 piece design. The trigger is nonadjustable from factory you will have to polish sear and trigger surfaces for it to have any semblance of a decent pull. The safety is too small and requires to much movement from safe to fire. Compare it with a Model 70 and then tell me. I think they could finish the action a little better since the only polished part seems to be the top of the reciever and the bolt body..everywhere else they are a bit rough IMHO. Still they are very dependable guns and have a good scope mounting system built in.

In a nutshell if you want a quality CRF rifle look at a Commercial Mauser or Model 70 action. If you want a really good PF action you would have to spend double that of a vanguard to get any measurable difference. I have owned both guns in both CM and SS and they both shot very well. If I had to choose it would be the VAnguard easily over the Ruger.