[HiBC]

Like a lot of folks on this forum,I have rifles like some folks have golf clubs.I have a Win M-70 Laredo,7mm Rem mag,with a Leu 4.5-14 M-1 Longrange Mildot on it.I have fun with it,but I put it together as a long range coyote rifle.The only big game use it has seen is ending the suffering of an antelope someone else hit badly.
For most of my hunting,I have a 257 Ackley on a Mexican Mauser,22 in Douglas fwt bbl,in a Garrett Accra-lite stock.It has a 6x42 Leupold on it,and ,scope and all,it weighs 7 lbs.I zero it at 300 yds,and,generally,I try to limit my shots to 300 yds.I can hit prairie dogs at 300,so a deer or antelope is going to be well hit.One key,I do not have a problem with not shooting.If I am not confident of a good hit,wind,range,dancing crosshairs,I don't shoot.I do not regret not shooting.
At resonable ranges,like inside 300 yds or so,if you are proficient in the basics of marksmanship,and your tool is setup right,a common,light big game rifle will deliver a good,clean kill.The ballistics of the cartridge will help manage wind and trajectory.
Now,I am going to make a critical point.There is far more to what Zak Smith can do than equiptment.Buying a big,expensive,heavy long range rig will not give you Zak's skills and experience.The equiptment does not read wind and mirage.As ranges get out where the heavy barreled tactical rifles come into their own,the variables like wind and mirage and trajectory knowledge and precise ranging become far more critical than the rifle itself.Its the shooter that gets the job done.Some folks,like Zak(I do not know Zak,but I do not doubt his abilities)have the skills to use the tools he is carrying.But I could go spend $3000 on mountaineering equiptment,ar a Stradevaius Violin,and that does not mean I can show up at Annapurna or Carnegie Hall and get her done.
In my experience,it seems to me the die hard hunters are not so equiptment oriented.They know the terrain,they know the critter,and they are quiet,stealthy,and they show up at the right place/time.They get all quivery and excited like a bird dog sneaking a hundred yards closer.They do not really care if their rifle is a Savage 99 in .300 Savage,or dads old Springfield 30-06.Heck,I was mentored some by a man who has some of the same SE Asia military sniper experience as Kraigwy.He is doing all his hunting with a cloned from parts Remington Rolling Block Navy Carbine in 50-70 with black powder.
One more thing,consider the 95% of the time shot,vs the 5% of the time shot. Some how,we envision the long shot and gear up for it,when most of our shots are more modest.It is cheaper,lighter,and easier to gear up for the 95% 300 yd and less shot.
That rifle will always be useful.Later,as your skills develop,you can always buy the longbow if and when you can put it to work.