I see them as all great cartridges and readily available. One of my pet peeves is that many 30 06 makes come in 22 inch barrels, which I think is fine for heavy bullets but you really have quite a bit of powder to burn there. Manufacturers spend alot of time and money trying to ring out a few more fps and then put on short barrels. Eeyi! Shoot in the evening (if you legally can) and just see all the wasted powder burning out there. If I was hunting in Montana or Idaho I would go with the magnums. I saw elk at mortar range out there. The 30 06 is no tinker toy, so if that recoil is something you can work with, then I think you will be fine. There are some really good recoil pads, and be sure to get a scope with reasonable eye relief! Bench shooting you will always take a beating. Shooting from the stand, kneel, or sit will be much easier on you. Keep alert, I know it is hard when you get that tired.... and I look forward to hearing from you again.