Even 5 or six years ago most people I know their main deer gun was a 30/06 or 270. Know a lot of them are going to short action calibers around the 308 family. Also with the advancement of the so called budget rifle even the average man can afford more then one rifle of quality. My father's main rifle for 30+ years was a remington 700 bdl in 30/06 he got new in 1970.