Once again MrMurphy nailed it. Ruger wanted the rifle to work with the factory supplied mags, not worry about some gun show mag casting doubts on the new rifle's reliability.
Blaine, you know, the more I look at Ruger's Scout Rifle, the more I like it. Some buddies and me were talking about it the other day. It's good to 300 yards. How many of us are taking longer shots with a carbine length long gun ?
The picatinny rail, which put off a lot of folks initially on just aesthetic grounds, DOES allow you to mount a scope Scout style, if you're comfortable with that setup. Or, you can mount a conventional scope in the "normal" fashion, and do some serious shooting at realistic distances. Or, you can use the ghost ring sight for close stuff.
The freedom to set up length of pull, with the supplied spacers, to exactly suit the user is pretty cool too.
The laminated stock is robust, and the flash hider helps to tame the fireball a 16" barrel might otherwise produce with a .308 round.
As has been noted by you and others, the magazine choices are pretty good now too: 3 round, 5 round, and 10 round. That's sharp.
The more you look at this rifle, the more you realize that this is one heck of a versatile rifle. Darn you, Blaine ! Now I REALLY want one.
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
- DixieBoy
When the People Fear Their Government There is Tyranny; When the Government Fears the People There is Liberty.