8mm

To my knowledge the steel is the same and only the stock is different. Advantages/disadvantages really depend on you, your body shape, which feels best to you, and which allows you to handle recoil the best.

If you are just looking for a beauty contest, then the American version wins hands down, EXCEPT she's is kind of chunky and bulky when you touch her, pretty otherwise though. I personally prefer the Lux/Hogback/European stock --- they fit me perfectly and feel better in my arms, they distribute recoil better (for me), and they are a more trim stock, and they have a schobel (sp) at the stock fore-end just like an M-70. M-70's and CZ's, I have both and like both.

BTW and FWIW, regarding more "mid-range rifles", I handled a "standard"CZ American 550 at Cabelas. This rifle has a bit smaller scale than the Safari Magnums and I though it had anAmerican stock, I found thisacceptablesince the need for handlingrecoil is much reduced and the needto be able to switch overto iron sights with the gun still pointing well isless of an issue. This one was chambered for 30-06 and my, oh my, oh my,nothing else I handled(Rems, Wins, Tikkas, Brownings, Vanguards,etc.) even came close to feel and pointing and substance of that rifle, many of the others felt more like toys in comparison.