The 8X57JS Mauser is an excellent hunting round-if you don' t use American made factory ammo in it! Get RWS or Norma ammo, or load it yourself so you can use its' full potential. We have never fully appreciated this round here in the U.S., but it is as popular as ever for huinting in the European countries.

RE: A " scout scope" !! With all due respect to Col. Cooper, I have tried this arrangement on a couple of my own Mausers, and a hunting buddy has one of the " real" Scout Rifles in .308 made by Steyr Mannlicher. His is not too bad, but sticking a scope up on the barrel of a regular Mauser produces a clumsy, unhandy, poorly balanced, abortion of a sighting/rifle arrangement. Put your scope on top of the receiver, where it belongs!! I changed both of mine back to what they should have been to start with, and I can' t afford the Steyr!!