I own a 7x57 Mauser, 30-06 and 300 WSM and I use all of them for deer hunting and I would use any of them for any North American game. I have no problem with someone who wants to use a magnum, however I do think most people are not capable of shooting them accurately. Most magnums have to much recoil for most people. I know someone (about 16 years old) who asked his parents for a 7mm STW for christmas and durring the youth season was to affraid to shoot it so his older brother shot the deer with it. The next year he was using a 300 ultra mag. Young shooters should start out shooting .22 LRs and smaller caliber rifles and work their way up. The Ruger #1 in 7x57 was my first rifle when I was 13 and I was not affraid of it. My WSM kicks quite a bit but I can still shoot 1/2" groups with it. I will shoot any rifle you hand to me, but I can tell you that if I was shooting a 378 weatherby mag much I would develope a flinch. You should not be using a gun you are scared of so I would have to say you are better off recomending a30-06 over a 300 ultra mag if it is capable of doing the job, which it is 95% of the time.