RE: .308 underrated
Although popular the 308 is a bit under rated in my opinion. Several of my hunting buddies don't like it not because of the balistics but because they don't like the look of the short cartriage.
I think that the problem is people think "big bullet big boom" and the short action thing is for sissies.
On the other thing I have friends that swear by the 308 and say its a deer killing machine. I personally have never shot a 308 but love it and all its offspring.