needin help choosing a rifle/caliber

[Hamourkiller]

In my opinion, the 30-06 is never a bad choice!

The .308 approximates but can never equal, the performance ofthe 30-06. The .308 is a cut down 30-06 to more efficeintly use IMR-4895 and work in machine guns. When you reload the two cartridges the extra powder space of the 30-06 out shines the .308. I would never feel under gunned with a .308 but the .30-06 is a more versatile cartridge.

Besides my M1-Garands are in .30-06 and I can never admit the Garand could be improved!

In reality, any .308 based cartridge or .30-06 based cartridge will shoot anything in Texas very dead. Choose one and enjoy it.

.308 based:
243Win
260 Rem
358 Win
30-06 Based:
25-06
270 win
35 Whelen

These are just a few available.

[anygunanywhere]

Man up and get a 300 WSM.

I got two, a Mod 70 Supershadow and a Savage Mod 11 with accutrigger. Love the Savage. Like the Winchester.

Of course, the 30.06 is a good all round choice and you can buy ammo most anywhere.

Anygunanywhere

[SRH78]

To expand on something mentioned earlier, a question about barrel length and accuracy which then turned to larger diameter barrels.

Larger diameter barrels aren't necessarily more accurate, what they are is less effected by heat and thus more consistent. A lightweight barrel will quickly change it's point of impact as it heats up. This is no big deal for big game hunting where you usually only fire one shot. For competitive shooting or varmint hunting, however, it does matter.

As an example, I have a pair of Savages, a 110 with a lightweight barrel and a 12 with a varmint barrel. The 110 is incredibly accurate, even more so than the 12 but it will quickly heat up and the point of impact will change. With the 12, you can keep firing away and the point of impact is much more consistent.