Schoolcraft:

That's a great question. I think you'll find a ton of information to answer your question by reading Jack O'Connor's books (1) The Rifle Book, and (2) The Hunting Rifle.

There aresections of both books that will give you a ton of information on the capability and history of all the calibers you refer to. He really does not give you an answer, but gives you lots of real world examples and experiences.

They are great books and can be found on E-Bay for $20 or less all the time. It's also fun to read the old books to get an idea for how much things have changed (like today's bullet construction and capabilities), and how much they have not (like the importance of shot placement). Maybe your public library has a copy....