I would never be one to suggest a heavy rifle for hunting. Nor would I suggest a huge scope. I do tinker quite a bit with my loads/rifles to eek the very best they can deliver. Honestly, I am pretty anal about accuracy. I am just as anal about my ability to shoot from field positions. I have been know to spend many a Saturday shooting at cut-outs on a woods walk my dad and I like to do. Shooting from a bench is fine and necessary to work out the kinks in anyone's rifle/ammunition combination, but few of us have a bench we can shoot a deer from.