I have and do love lots of different rounds in lots of different weapons, BUT, I really do love the .30 cal. The 30-06 Model 700 Rem that I presently (and for years) have absolute confidence in has been dead-on with every gr. round fed to it from 125 gr. Speers and Noslers up to the max. of 240 gr. Sierra HPBT. The only limitation with these different handloads is the game one's after and the shooter's ability. This particular rifle especially loves .165 gr. rounds and for 90% of my shooting is what it shoots.
However a .300 whisper that can shoot with extreme accuracy from either my handgun or my son's rifle and can also be loaded with anything from 240 gr. subsonics to 125 gr fireballs is also fantastic. You just have to open up .221 Fireball brass to accept the .30 cal. bullet (which is longer than the brass).
But to have even more accurate, long range fun---I also love the .309 JDJ. .444 Marlin brass necked down to accept the .30 cal is nothing but fun ,and deadly.
This is probably more information than anyone wants, but I'm not on here often as I'd like and wanted to spit it out while I could.

Yep, the '06 is about the best all around caliber you could have in your gun safe. I now have a 30-06 barrel for my TC Encore that is as good of a tack driver as my Model 70 and the 165 gr. Nosler Partition is my bullet of choice. I shot a Ruger Model 77 in 7 Mag. for many years and still have it; 61 grains of 4350 and a 165 gr. Nosler Partition would do 3/4" all day long. I recently bought a 22-250 Encore barrel and looking forward to sighting it in one of these days.

Pap

What is one persons dream rifle is another persons garden cane?! I have several rifles and calibres more than I need and I hunt 3 times a week.
I agree with the 308 lines but waver slightly and say go for the 7-08. The BC is far superior and a 168 or 180 VLD out of 7-08 will drop most things on this planet if the shooter does his bit

Rich.K
5640

My "calibers" are 9,3x62 for hogs hunting and
20' for "birds".
Both rifles are Benelli.
Guido

9.3X62...I had a combination gun (Ferlach) in 12 ga./9.3X72R. Either one of these 9.3's are bad medicine. The European 9.3 is roughly equilavent to the British 375. If memory serves me correctly my 9.3X74R was close in ballistic performance to a 375 Holland & Holland Magnum with the 375 having about 10-20% more in most categories.
Factory loads are a bit difficult to compare because there are not a great deal of "common" bullet grains to compare. I did find one comparable load: A 270 grain bullet "hand-loaded" for the 9.3X72R runs 2300 FPS and has 3172 Foot Lbs. of energy. The 375 H&H Mag. runs a "factory" load (usually a tad less power than a handload) at 2600 FPS and 4050 Foot Lbs. of energy! That comparison shows a 30% difference. Just sayin'. Guido's round is probably more comparable to the 375 Winchester. Terrific load at medium distance...and doesn't stomp ya' nearly as bad as the H&H.
Best, Capt. Chris

7mm Rem Mag for Big Game, 308 and 7 WSM for long range.

Just when you start to feel sorry for yourself, watch this-

Pap

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlMz2sCDCA4&feature=related

I am a 6.5mm (.264" dia.) fan(atic). The custom rifle I built in Gunsmithing School was in 6.5 X 55 Ackley Improved. I hunt deer now with a .260 Remington because the barrel on my custom is a heavy one. I am also an AR15 fan and I am contemplating a 6.5 Grendel AR also.

The 6.5 X 55 Swedish is one of my very favorite also. Anyone in the family can shoot it...and shoot it well! The photo below shows my Elizabeth with her first Bama whitetail. The 140 grain Winchester silvertip dropped this 120 pound doe on the spot. The measured distance, from the deer back to our shootin' house was right at 120 yds. Although you cannot tell from the 4 layers of clothing, the 5' 7", 120 pound Elizabeth had absolutely no problem with recoil or the overall weight and length of pull from the Steyr "SBS Mountain Carbine". Of course the removable spacer in the buttstock helped considerably...A "Happy Girl"!
Best, Capt. Chris

I like the 6.5 too. All of them.

Two of my favorite maybe-some-day rifles to daydream about are a 256 Newton on a Mauser action and a 6.5x57R Dakota 10.

Come to think of it, a 6.5 Grendel mini-Mauser would be a right handy little rifle for small deer.