I own 6 Ruger Model 77 Mark II rifles and two Winchester Model 70 CRF rifles. On occasion, the Ruger rifles will not pick up the cartridge in the extractor as it emerges from the magazine and the rifle functions as a push feed. A balked loading stroke (starting the forward stroke with a subsequent rearward motion once the cartridge has just cleared the magazine) makes this a high probability in the Rugers. In the Winchester 70s I own, the claw has the cartridge the second it leaves the magazine, and a balked loading stroke drags the cartridge back with the bolt. I suppose I would use the Winchesters for dangerous game with a little more confidence, but a positive forward stroke in either rifle results in a chambered round. I have never had any failure to extract in either rifle brand, so I consider this a minimal point.
The safety on the Ruger is more to my liking than that on the Winchester, but both function fine. The floor plate release on the Ruger is also inside the trigger guard and more to my liking, as are the factory iron sights supplied on the Ruger.
The bolt dissembly mechanism of the Winchester is a little more user friendly than the Ruger, but again, both suffice.
The Ruger breech is flat as on the 98, whereas the Model 70 breech is coned like a Springfield.
The Winchester trigger is more to my liking and simpler than that of the Ruger.
Those are the differences which readily come to mind.
