Caribou, I apologize for the autocorrect. I ended up purchasing a savage 11/111 trophy hunter xp in the 30-06 caliber. Action was more study than the axis 2, I figured the extra $100 would pay off in the long run when I decide to customize the rifle. Now I cannot wait for spring when black bear season opens up😃

Thank you guys for the input and different view points. Deciding factor ended up being the grain range the 30-06 has over the .270 and .308. Plus my father in law uses 30-06 so using ammo on hunting trips will be that more simple. Plus the 30-06 is so accessible and widely produced it makes life easier while I gain more experience in this sport. Once I get more seasoned I'll probably look into different calibers and challenges.