magnums arent required, but they are better if the shooter does his part and can handle it. There are more slob hunters shooting 30-30, 30-06,308 and 270 than 300mags....by the same margin that those rifles outnumber the 300mags. More people useing them = more slob hunters. The shooters part is made easier w/ a magnum, they kill better w/ all other factors being equal. The problem w/ these boards is that everyone is a one shot-crack shot-drop em in their tracks - never lost an animal-never missed a shot-never placed a bad shot, hunter. (Yeah ...right.)When everyone is so perfect no one needs another caliber. If you dont beleive that the power over 1000lbs makes a difference, try useing a 243 on elk, a 223 on big northern deer, or 250 savage on griz. you may do fine, for a while...but sooner or later...[:@]trouble will come your way.