I vote for the 7-08. My wife has been shooting mine (Encore) with no problems. For Deer out to 300 yards, it is a fine choice with light recoil and good terminal effects. My view is that the talk about few bullet choices is overblown. Most of us - even reloaders - pick one weight and design of bullet for the majority of our hunting. Find which brand of ammo shoots best, and buy a supply. Unless you start prairie dog shooting, or decide to chase Grizzlies, that one load will serve you well. JMHO