Thanks for the discussion, guys. The RAR doesn't have barrel band thing going on. It is free floating. True enough, the 597 has a stick magazine not a rotary. The RAR does have a rotary that is a bit longer than the traditional 10/22 version even though it is based on it. I was initially hoping that Ruger still had a 77 in 22 mag, but I guess they discontinued it. So am looking at the RAR 22 mag.
The RAR seems like a decently built rifle, but looks can sometimes be deceiving. How it actually performs in the real world can be something else. I have heard good things, but no real experience with it myself. The 22 mag, for me, fits a niche between 22LR and the centerfires. Good for the open areas around my property that typically shots are a bit much for the average 22LR but the centerfires are a bit of overkill. Especially on ground hogs, possums, coons, etc. I could never count on my 597 22 mag to operate reliably. So I am not really considering autoloader version again even though it is claimed that Savage has solved the problem.