Interesting opinion on Ruger. I too have a Tikka. It's fine, plastic parts and all, but it doesn't outshoot my Ruger 77. I've owned three Ruger M77s. One I still have. An original version. The later 220 Swift was a Mark II and was a lights out shooter as is the 22-250 I currently own. The 25-06 shot fine, about like my Tikka, not spectacular, but plenty adequate. I am still waiting for that brand of rifle that makes lights out accurate rifles 100% of the time.
I was there at the start back in 1968 and the M77 was certainly something to get exited about back then. I couldn't wait to get in line to buy one as soon as I had the means and the years to do so, which was 1972. Well over a million of the original model were sold in 24 years when the original production ended in 1992. The pre-64 Win 70 only sold 581,471 in it's 28 year production run. The 77 might not be considered exciting at the present time, but after 53 years, I would say they are an American tradition.
By the way, Ruger is still owned by Ruger and stockholders, including me. SAKO has been owned by the Italians for 21 years.
Just to be clear, I am NOT smearing SAKO. Got nothing against them, or Tikka, at all. But, they are Finnish...er....Italian. Ruger is American all the way through.