RE: 3 rifles for all North American game
The insistance on a .243 really sort of messes up this 3 gun equation IMHO. The .338 Mag or several other biggerrifles will do a good job on the elk upwards animals in this hemisphere. The 45/70 will kill the larger stuff but it's pretty seriously limitedbyrange. The problem is the .243 is too much gun for the small stuff and not the ideal rifle for the middleclass of critters like big mule deer, sheep, etc. I think of a .243 as a whitetail on down rifle. Although I know a Texas game warden who says the .243 has been responsible for more lost and wounded deer than any cartridge he's ever seen. (Personally I think this is more due to the fact a lot of 243s are fobbed off on women and kids as their first rifle. I can't believe the cartridge is really to blame at all.) Anyway, I'd much rather see a .308, 270, 7mm, or a more traditional "middle cartridge" in the mix and then we can grab a good 22LR or whatever for the little stuff.