After all I said earlier about the 308 and I do love my AR-10. If I were definitly going to buy a bolt action rifle, I'd go with a 270 or 280 just as easily as 308. The 308 is my choice for semi auto because the AR-10 and 308's in general win more competitions for accuracy at long range. They also are very easy to find all kinds of ammo for, for hunting ,and military surplus ammo for just shooting paper. They also have killed every deer I've ever shot at with them. But I think the 270's, and slightly better, if not as well known 280's are the best whitetail guns out there, short of an AR-10. 06's work fine if you like excessive recoil without any gain in accuracy or effectivness, and if you use the right load. My semi auto Remington 06 did a fine job for me for years.