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I picked up one of these before the hunting seasons this past fall. I hear the complaints about the fit&finish, but I think fit is solid and finish is commensurate with the price.
As for performance:
I bought it too late to mount a decent sling so I ended up carrying it slingless around the mountains of Vermont for a weeklong moose hunt. The weight was outstanding compared with any bolt-action I'd have carried instead.
I did not mount a scope...but I was very impressed with the consistent iron-sights accuracy I got at the range with Hornady LEVERevolution. And so much fun, that I actually went through a box of this ammo just at the range (also an endorsement of the ammo).
Our moose was taken with my loaned out ruger 30-06, but I did later take two deer with the mossberg and same ammo (hornady) as above.
I spent nearly 3 weeks afield with only this firearm this year and in the end, here's what I'll say...it was my first time hunting with a lever-action and first time hunting just via iron sights. My deer kills were proof to me that I definitely don't need a scope here in the mountains/brush of vermont. The gun was light and short enough that all shots felt reflexive and solid. I now don't see myself deer or eastern black bear hunting in my home of vermont with anything but a lever/iron sight combo. I'll probably pick up a 444marlin or 45-70 for the next moose hunt. As for whether I regret not spending the extra do for a Marlin or Winchester? Not a bit.
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