That's exactly what I thought the first time I stripped mine all the way down. Remarkable how much is the same. If I put mine side by side with a 10/22, it's hard to pick out which is which. Then you start working the bolt and you decide it reminds you of a little Garand or M-14. Which makes you think of the Mini-14. But then you take it apart and M1 Carbine HAS to come to mind. Being reminded of those vintage rifles is a plus for the design in my book!
Sure, you can "top off" a tubular magazine easier than a magazine. But I can't say I've ever wanted to do that when I was deer hunting. It has been a strictly one shot rifle. On the other hand, a magazine fed rifle can have loads switched much quicker. If I go out with 240 grain XTP's in the rifle looking for deer but then decide to try to get a couple of coyotes, it is quick and easy to swap the magazine for the one in my jacket loaded with 180 grain JHC bullets. Swap mags and work the action and you are ready to go.
I wanted one of the old ones for years just because I tend to prefer older guns. But I got a chance at a Deerfield for a great price and it has really surprised me. It edged out my Remington 700 for deer hunting last year. That was just supposed to be for the fun of doing something different but I notice the Deerfield is the gun I took out this week to check the zero!
Opening day here in Oklahoma is this Saturday morning. The Deerfield and I will be up in a tree before the sun comes up. Usually I have a deer on the ground within an hour or two of sunrise.
Gregg
