They all shoot fine for whitetail to 100 yards. As far as which one shoots "best" the Stevens .270 will print the tightest group. But most deer can't measure quarter inches anyway so they're all pretty equal in that regard (to 100 yards anyway)
In my area of PA the first 5 days of season is buck only. While I hunt seriously, I don't "get serious" about putting meat down until the first Saturday and the second week when antlerless season comes in. I like to shoot a buck as much as the next guy I suppose but I really enjoy hunting doe.
As for letting others pick.... Part of what I enjoy about hunting is using different rifles, different bullets, etc. Not always about what's best. That's why I loaded 220 grain .30-06 for a while, that's why I occasionally use an 1898 krag, or a mosin nagant, or an enfield, etc just using different things. That's what keeps it interesting for me. And I figured this year it would be interesting to take that decision out of my hands and let HNI decide. Not because I care what anybody thinks.... Just something different to do this year.
The r700 .30-06 kills deer with boring regularity for me. That's why it goes, at least as a back up for me, on any trip I go on. I could sell everything else and likely do all the big game hunting I'll ever do with that single rifle. But then I'd miss out on allot of fun I think.
Thanks for all the votes do far.
-Jake