Alsatian

Your recommendation is entirely satisfactory, no doubt about it. But what fun would this post be if other people didn't share alternative recommendations -- even if they aren't one bit more likely to result in dead deer and hunter satisfaction?

For deer hunting, ease of carrying is not so important as on a sheep hunt where one is climbing in high country all day long, day after day. In deer hunting one often walks a minimal distance and then sits down and stays on a stand. Even if you change stands for the afternoon, you just aren't talking about too much walking and carrying of the rifle. What about a Winchester Super Grade? Looks pretty nice to me. Also, on the scope, I would personally prefer the Leupold 3.5-10x 40mm VXIII, but my hunting is a bit more open field. Maybe your hunting has more heavy woods than my hunting.

As to cartridge, certainly .270 will slay them dead, but I have a special fondness in my heart for the .25-06 and would recommend this over the .270 -- for whitetail only hunting as you have framed it. The .25-06 would come in a 24 inch barrel to get just a wee bit more muzzle velocity out of this cartridge (and the .270 may benefit from this extra 2" also). Again, that extra 2" in my open country is no disadvantage -- it may be a disadvantage in primarily heavy woods.

Again, your .270 featherweight would work marvellously. But as in any thing of beauty, are we satisfied in only contemplating one beauty?