My first rifle I bought was a Savage 110E in 7mm Mag. and I still use it, 19 years later. I handload all of my hunting ammo for it and that can give a person a bunch of flexibility as far as bullet weights and velocities are concerned. Deer are not thick skinned and are easy to kill. With that being said, for short ranges the 7mm Mag. is a bit much, but for long ranges I like it a lot. Here in VA, most of my shooting is done at less than 75 yards, way less! If you don't handload, the 7mm Mag can be close to $1 per round fired and there are more affordable calibers if you are on a budget.