Sorry HTM, all I heard was blah blah blah.....Politics is where I find the most useful and interesting conversations.
The .308 is under gunned for the big bears (grizzly's, polar bears). Though you already know that, don't you. I would gladly use it for a black bear, and have suggested as much in another thread.
I have shot a H&R it was a decent little gun for what it was.
The majority of my 20+ years of hunting experience has been with Ruger rifles (.308, .30-06, 7mm), and dbl barrel shotguns ( over under and side by side). Though I do own a Franchi, and have owned a Mossberg 500c, and an 835, as well as a Bennelli Nova.
I too enjoy shooting different guns, and have swapped with friends as well, while at the range.
Got the shoot the DPMS .308 prototype before it went into full scale production, shortly after they bought Del-Tone\ Luth range in St.Cloud, MN.
So, before you go falling all over yourself to be the pot calling the kettle black. Consider that many of us simply want short answers that aren't founded in what you read on another site, or heard from a friend.