Every purchase I've made in life I've always tried to make it dual purpose, How can I get multiple uses out of the purchase. I too struggled with what caliber to get to do the most for me. I settled on the .308, you can load it light and varmint hunt with it or load it heavy and bear hunt. It's really your all around do it all caliber for most people. Oh yea the .308 was introduced to do away with the .30-06. I think someone forgot to tell him he was supposed to leave.