I'd say it depends on what your still hunting, where and when.
When I still hunt/track desert Mulies in daylight, I use my 7.5 lb. Win M70 .308 with a 4X Leupold. The safety isn't loud enough to notice by a deer. I've tested this against the real thing, BTW. I'd see a gunsmith about your's. Lots of ways to quiet one down.
The above rifle is easier to carry all day than my other still hunter and quick for those "I blew it" shots. I won't consider a single shot. I may ned a second shot fast.
My other still hunter is a tang safety Ruger .280 with a 6X42 Leupold. It has a custom 4a reticle. This rifle is used in dark forrests, early and late on big deer that I must see first. The 6X excells for that. I can see through cover and find holes to shoot through better than he 4X. The rifle weighs 8.5 lbs. More weight and muzzle heavy balance for off hand shooting. This is a new experience for me. Those who say a 6X is a hinderence in heavy cover, haven't used one that was properly mounted. At 20 yds., it's field of view is about 4 feet. That's the lenth of an average Mule Deer. The large eye box of the 6X42 makes this scope really quick.
I prefer a bolt gun because, on the deer I hunt, your first shot is far and away the best, and may be the only one you will get. I need a first class trigger and good accuracy even in heavy cover. Try shooting through a hole in cover from a less than great shooting position w/o one. E
