ORIGINAL: M77man
I have a hard time believing that the bolt on the Ruger was wobbly. I have a new M77 MKII All-Weather and the bolt don't wobble at all? It all comes down to personal preferance though. My backup is a cheapo Rem 710 and I am perfectly happy. Probably gonna get either a Ruger, Remington, or Savage in 7mm-08 for my kid so me, my dad, and my kid can all hit the mountains together for a week and get in touch with the real world. I guess I'm just a happy man. [8D]
I now have two Ruger M77 MkIIs, and agree that the bolt is smooth, although it does feel loose compared to the Springfield. But, the Ruger action and bolt were the closest I could find to the feel of the 1903, that I could afford in a hunting rifle. You're right, of course, personal preferance is the key. Enjoy the real world and stay happy!