I've been looking for a left-handed and light, utilitarian rife for deer hunting out here for some time. My choices for the last few years have been limited to the big Weatherby magnum I use for elk or my great-granddaddy's 1886 Winchester (in .33WCF). Both do the job but neither are a great fit for most of the deer hunting circumstances I encounter out here. Enter the Ruger American. I normally don't have much time for plastic anything but progress marches on and I can see a few advantages in some applications (light weight & impervious to all but severe misuse). I also am drawn to a good value (as always...frugal to the end!) and the Ruger seems to be able to offer that as well. Can anybody here offer some insight? This ones chambered in .308 (which I now seem to have plenty of).