Well I'm a big fan of the 7mm-08. If you want a light weight gun then a short action shell like the 7mm-08 will fit that bill. It has very light recoil compared to your 30-06 which fits well with your request that it be pleasent to shoot at the range. Its a very flat shooter. Great sectional density and ballistic coefficient. Its available in a wide selection of rifles. And it is absolute hot death on whitetails. I know Portage says the he had trouble with ammo availability in rural Maine but I live in "very" rural Alabama and my local Wal-mart keeps 7mm-08 in stock year round. Winchester super X power points in 140 grain are 13 $ a box. They also stock 140 grain Remington Corelocks. The local sporting goods stores also stock those two choices along with 139 gr Hornady light magnums, Remington 120 gr hollowpoints (which would be a heck of a varmit round) Federal 140 gr nosler partitions and 140 gr ballistic tips. You can check your area but if I have access to that many options within 10 minutes of PINE HILL, Alabama then I don't think availability will be problem for most people.

If you want a gun that you can shoot all day at the range without needing a chiropractor at the end of the day yet is still powerful enough to kill the biggest whitetail on earth then this is a caliber to consider.

As for guns? Well Browning offers this caliber in A-bolt and A-bolt micro hunter, BAR and BLR rifles. Remington offers it in a model 7 and its mountain rifle. Winchester offers it in Model 70 and Model 70 classic featherweight. Ruger offers it in a Model 77 compact rifle. All of these would be realitively lightweight chambered for a short action shell.