time to hit the weights
Gunplumber writes:
You are confusing good gun with good round. I have actually talked to two guys that said when they sit for deer with theirs they have the safety off. I have an old Carcano that shoots a lot better than 1 1/2 " groups, but it is a lousy deer gun. The scope is unhandy to use (side mount), and the safety is also unhandy to use. Carcanos have been around in large quantities for many years and I only ever saw one in the deer woods. Point is, if you want a cheap, handy, deer hunting gun, you would be a lot better off with a Mauser, .303 British (They strip down pretty light), or an Arisaka. You rarely have to dig through piles of them to find good shooters.
Really? The safety is too difficult to engage? My 9 year old nephew can disengage the safety and in total silence (as needed for hunting). I don't want to throw stones but anyone who CAN'T disengage a Mosin safety either has an ailment (my mistake) or needs to get to the gym.
Not a "good" deer gun? Sure, when compared to my Rem 700 in .308, it is an old "tired" gun, with a heavy and trigger pull and a "HEAVY" safety. But, compared to a .243 it has more stopping power, it certainly is better medicine for a deer than a handgun, a .223 or a muzzle loader yet a lot hunt deer with those.
Perhaps shooting Bambi at the feeder or the water hole is a bit too EASY with the .308 Rem 700. Perhaps "handicapping" myself with an ancient WWI rifle puts some "sport" back in the hunt. I dunno - perhaps that is why I also bowhunt...