I was reading up on some of these old threads and thought I'd add a post script to this one.
I've already posted about how much I love my 7000, so here goes.
I'm an inveterate trader, and this past week I ended up in a trade that netted me, among other things a custome 10/22. It had the most fantastic trigger on it I've seen on one yet, I ought to know I built the trigger group out of parts several years ago for the guy. He installed a Fajen stock, Midway/Green Mountain barrel, custome barrel clamp, and after I got it I smoothed up the bolt and polished the action throughout. It is one smooooth rifle. After all this work, and I would guess, $500 in extras he's put in the gun, I thought a shoot off between it and my 7000 was in order. Since the weather here has broken it's warm enough for a go. I shot both off of a makeshift rest, using a TV tray in my back yard at 40 yards. After settling on the 10/22s favorite ammo, I decided to use whatever it liked in the Marlin to give the 10/22 the edge. Well when all the shooting was done, the Ruger shot pretty good, and the Marlin shot only 1/4" larger groups. Now for the rest of the story. The Ruger was using a known good 6-24X Japan Tasco and the Marlin was using a Bushnell 30mm red dot!!! Needless to say, the Ruger has already been sold, I didn't trade for it to keep, just happened to get it. I kind of knew of a fellow who wanted it, and he got it.
The 7000 is one heck of a rifle, at any cost. So far it's either stayed with or beaten out a Rem 504, a Kimber Hunter and this Ruger, all of which cost in the neighborhood of $700, against a $152 Marlin.
