After many weeks of thought, and this past week of very heavy internal turmoil and debate over parting with one of my late brother’s guns, I finally decided to trade off the Marlin lever-action .30/30 that I inherited from him a few months ago for a new Mossberg Patriot bolt-action in .308 Winchester. It was a tough, deeply emotional choice, but one I’m actually okay with as I have zero interest in the .30/30 caliber, and really love the .308 Win., and bolt-actions in general!

What I brought home is a walnut-stocked Patriot with fluted barrel in .308 Win., my favorite center-fire rifle caliber. I thought about going with the 6.5 Creedmoor, but chose not to due to lack of experience with it. I know it’s the new “hot caliber” for tactical and long range use, but I have excellent experience with the .308 round and chose to stick with it!

I already had a Bushnell 4-12x40 scope and rings at home, so a simple trade got me the rifle and one box of Federal Gold Medal Match ammo to try it out with. Now for some decent weather and time to go to the range to sight it in! Will get a better scope later, but for now this one is fine.

308 is a great cartridge. Have any of mossbergs rifle models really stood the test of time though?

I suppose time will tell on the Patriot. At $300.00 plus tax, it’s kinda hard to beat though for a person who cannot afford a premium rifle! Would have much preferred a Ruger M77 or similar, but that would have been nearly twice the price, and this allowed me a straight trade vs spending money I didn’t have!

quote:

Originally posted by bronicabill:
I suppose time will tell on the Patriot. At $300.00 plus tax, it’s kinda hard to beat though for a person who cannot afford a premium rifle! Would have much preferred a Ruger M77 or similar, but that would have been nearly twice the price, and this allowed me a straight trade vs spending money I didn’t have!

308 in a bolt action is probably my favorite setup and I do about 95% of my hunting with a bolt 308, I wasn’t trying to criticize or say it’s a crappy gun because of the price, sorry if it came across that way, I can see it could have. I was just asking because it seems like just a few years back when mossberg started releasing bolt action rifles or at least that’s when I noticed them.

The main thing is that what you are shooting makes you happy, I have expensive guns that I don’t really feel any connection to, they are just tools and cheaper guns that bring me great pleasure to own, shoot, show my friends and tel stories about.

Anyways, have you shot your rifle yet? Did you get a scope?

Just got it today and haven’t gotten the scope mounted yet because the rings I had were incorrect. Will get new rings tomorrow and bore-sight it.

Probably won’t get to shoot it until next week at the earliest, and yes, I already have a scope. As mentioned, I already had a Bushnell Sportview 4-12x40 that will go on it as soon as I get the proper rings. It came off of another rifle so I know it works okay. Will get a better scope later when funds allow. For now, it’ll do for my use...

Regarding Mossberg rifles holding up or lasting, my oldest Mossberg is a single-shot .22 that was made in 1933 and belonged to my father when he was just a kid, and it is still doing fine!

Unless you are a long range hunter, the newer inexpensive rifles are perfectly fine. (Remington is not counted in this, I wouldn’t buy a new model 700.)

My late nephew bought a Ruger American .270 with a Vortex 3x9 and killed the same amount of deer he would have if he had $2,000 setup. It was a cool rifle for the cost.

quote:

Originally posted by smithnsig:
Unless you are a long range hunter, the newer inexpensive rifles are perfectly fine. (Remington is not counted in this, I wouldn’t buy a new model 700.)

My late nephew bought a Ruger American .270 with a Vortex 3x9 and killed the same amount of deer he would have if he had $2,000 setup. It was a cool rifle for the cost.

Yeah, I wouldn't own a *new* Remington ANYTHING as I considering it all crap after having sold some of it when working at Cabela's a few years back! It is heartbreaking to me to see an American icon ruined like it has been.

I originally thought I was going to trade for a Ruger American but then saw the Mossberg for a lot less, and with it's American Walnut stock for about the same price as the American with polymer, plus that amazing trigger it had right out of the box, it was an easy decision to make!

Good luck with your Patriot.

And... you’re saying Larry’s has a JM stamped 30/30?!!!

I've found the 308 to be a perfect caliber for me. It's great for varmints up through deer, and I wouldn't be afraid to use it for elk with the right bullets. It can be used in short actions, it's an accurate cartridge, and the recoil is mild.

quote:

Originally posted by x0225095:
Good luck with your Patriot.

And... you’re saying Larry’s has a JM stamped 30/30?!!!

Email me at the address in my profile and I’ll give you all the details....

Thanks Bill.