I know I'm supposed to be finished buying guns but I'm going to retire in a couple of years and I deserve a present.
Since I'll have lots of time to hunt, I want to do a lot more still hunting. What I think I am going to NEED is a rifle that will hit deer hard, be easy to carry all day and handy to bring into action (quietly). I have a 308 Win and love the cartridge. It's got a lot going for it but it's in a Winchester Compact Classic. Works great but the 3 position safety is just to loud when I click the safety off.
I looked at a Model 7 but don't like the J-lock; it looks stupid and I think another poster said it right when he said life's too short to hunt with an ugly gun.
I like the original Ruger with the tang safety, it's quiet, the tang safety works the same way as my 20ga grouse getter and a walnut stock appeals to me. I could try and find a used 308 then bob the barrel off to about 20 inches and top it with a VX-II 1 to 4x or something like that.
If it doesn't shoot, I'll get a decent aftermarket barrel like a Douglas or Shilen. If the stock is too chewed up, I would put a laminate on. The profile I favor the most is something along the lines of the Remington Classic or old (non-DM) Remington Mountain Rifle.
There must be better ideas out there. This could be my last one (so I tell the boss) so I'd like to get this right. I just got a 338-06 not long ago to do the same thing but it's just not right. I don't really want a new gun but in my mind, to still hunt any better, I really need one ;-)
