I found this one being sold in Sportsman's Guide catelog for $259.00. Is that what you are buying, and at that price?
It only has a 24 inch barrel, which limits you and the loads you can fire. If you want a 50 yard hunting gun, then buy it. If you are looking for something that will reach out there, then spend $50.00 more and buy something like the Traditions Hawkin Rifle 50P, which comes with a 28 inch barrel, in stainless, and Black laminate stock.
http://www.traditionsfirearms.com/eshop/10Browse.asp?Category=Bargain+Bin:+Rifles
Like everything else, you get what you pay for.
Many of the these guns come with burrs on the lands, that cut patches, and the barrels need lapping, or smoothing before they shoot well. Sometimes the actions need work to make them fire
properly.
Its way too late to be buying a gun to use to hunt this Fall and Winter. Why not save up some more money, take advantage of the sales next year( there are always new year's sales) and buy a better rifle? If you check the For Sale topic on this forum, you can usually find some very good buys on used guns, that will get you started with something that doesn't have all the bugs to be worked out! The members generally can tell you what powder charge and ball/patch/lube combination works best in the gun, too.
I know very few people who start out with lots of money to spend on a MLer for their first gun.
My first rifle was a " close out " import in .45 with only a 25 inch barrel. It was not legal to shoot deer in my home state with this short a barrel. I found out AFTER I receive the gun. It cost $99.95, back in 1978. It had so many problems I almost threw it in the garbage. Instead, I used it to teach myself how to FIX all those mistakes and problems myself, and that knowledge has since helped dozens of other shooters.
Unless you are that interested in learning how to work on Black Powder firearms, buy something better.
