470,

I don't believe release in Oz is significant in that the question I asked Ruger was when they were first made. They said '92-'93.

Are you sure the gun in your production was actually a CRF? The actions look the same and so does the extractor at least from the side. Could it be that people were referring to the gun as CRF just because it had a claw extractor & Win 70-type ejector when in fact the action did not actually control feed? Just wondering.

On the other side of it, production changes in gun manufacturing are notoriously sketchy in precise date. True to just about every gun I am aware of. Try to track down the precise date of a technical change in S&W handguns, or military Mausers, or whatever and it becomes obvious general estimates are about as good as can be had. So maybe you are right about the early CRF. Who knows. Personally, I thought Ruger's answer seemed a bit too recent and thought one of the whole sales shtick reasons for the change to MKII was CRF. I do not remember all the sales info/claims, but thought that was one, at least early on if not immediate to its intro.

A post on the Ruger forum might clear it up.

PS: Just so folks know I don't hold a grudge, I REALLY like my "rebuilt" CZ550, chop-stock 9,3 that started this post. I've got all the bugs worked out and it is really a peach to carry and shoot. The GI Mauser 98 extractor I used to replace the original has continued to give 100% CRF and all the effort was worthwhile. Won't willingly sell this one!