It does. The flat receiver bottom has a wide stance and three lugs that mate with a quarter-inch alloy plate glass-bedded into the stock. The plate is double-pinned at the web between trigger and magazine well, a clever precaution against stock splits in this normally weak area. The plate's scalloped edges ensure that it will not shift. Mark conceded that the center and rear lugs are probably unnecessary--action bedding is indexed from the thick and broad but relatively shallow front lug. There's more than enough steel to arrest even the most violent setback during recoil. The stock is secured to the action by three stout guard screws, one into each lug. They're given 65 inch-pounds of torque at the factory.

The author fired these three shots prone at 200 yards, a better group than he got from the bench.

The action is heavy. "We wanted this rifle to shoot very well, so we made the receiver stiff," said Mark. The removable box magazine tapers at the top to feed cartridges in a straight stack. "Besides keeping the slot small, straight-up feed is smooth and reliable," he explained. Gregg acknowledged that the Tikka's excellent magazine influenced their thinking. The Icon's sheet-steel magazine has a polymer follower and holds three short-action rounds. The front-mounted magazine catch is designed with one-hand manipulation in mind. Even empty magazines fell readily into my hand. I'm told an assist spring is in the offing, to pop the magazine free with the rifle held vertically.

The Sako-style extractor, Gregg told me, is temporary. "We're aiming for controlled-round feed." He laughed when I questioned that option on a three-lug bolt. "It'll be a challenge, but Mark has an idea. We'll use a mechanical ejector, like the M70's."

The receiver top wears an integral Picatinny rail on front ring and bridge. The rail will, of course, accept Weaver scope rings as well as those with beefier bases. Its only disadvantage is that scopes must sit a trifle higher than with some other mount designs. That's not a concern for most hunters these days, who use scopes with objectives big enough to require medium or high mounts, but I like sights close to the bore. Incidentally, the stock comb of the Icon is just the right height for instant aim through a scope mounted in low or medium T/C rings on the rail.

T/C developed its own trigger for this rifle--a sturdy, consistent, easily adjustable trigger at that.

The Icon's bolt stop is a slender lever at the traditional spot on the left receiver wall. It pivots from the front "so you can hold the rifle and operate it conveniently with one hand," said Gregg. The stop is undercut 15 degrees and designed so the force of a bolt flung rearward bears on the radiused rear of the stop in the receiver wall, not on the pivot pin.

A solid receiver top with integral Picatinny rail adds to the stiffness of the Icon's breech.

The trigger, designed by T/C expressly for this rifle, is adjustable from 21?2 to six pounds in weight--without disassembling the rifle. Just reach through the tang with the supplied Allen wrench. The trigger's vertical coil spring also loads the sear. Reducing weight to the minimum pulls the adjustment screw free of the spring, letting it bottom on the sear body. Access to sear engagement and overtravel screws requires stock removal. Both have lock nuts. "We'll set triggers for near-zero creep and minimal overtravel," said Gregg. Dry firing, I found the trigger wonderfully manageable, a crisp, consistent 2 3/4 pounds.