hunted deer with it last year.
Used Hornagy SST 165 gr.
And even though I could have never leave it alone.... ;lots of mods now, at that time it was as received minus the grease.
I used irons and felt a that if there was no snow on the ground, I'd have had trouble without a scope.
I have a scope on it now, but even as stock, I wouldn't feel underpowered for anything in North America - (given some nice bullets - forget about the SST for anything bigger tha deer).....
Go for it! If your rifle shoots acceptable, take it hunting.
If it doesn't - no matter if you paid 399 or 1000 .... leave it home.
BTW : where's the 399 bashing - coming from? By the time it gets taxed and sent home is not 399 anymore, and I gather that a lot of guys buy rifles on CGN for less than that - for no lesser purposes.
Edited to ad : I got a nice 10 pointer - 100yds bang-flop... all worked good....
Last but not least- if you hunt in AB or BC, please only load your mags with one round - just so you don't get in trouble with the right-doers.

JK