I have a friend who uses a 450 Marlin for deer..lol...he loves it. Overkill ?? Heck yes...but this is America and its his choice.

Right on...

Let me tell you what I said in the original post..I questioned why I had shot so many different standard and magnum calibers when MOST of my shots ARE AT 30 YARDS OR LESS.Do you like switching rifles during a hunt ? Well neither do I when I get a chance to shoot deer in a hayfield and may get a 400 yard shot(longest to date there is 100 yards in reality) I like using the same gun for everything but realize now that I should get more specialized and for that I don't need a MAGNUM.

I just love magnums

I "know" i'm "overgunned" for whitetails, but i use my "one gun for everything", and in it i usemy "one load for everything". (200NP's) That means my 8x57jrs "is" morecartridge than i need for whitetails, but i still use it...

I also know anything inside 300 yards is mine, but i don't get shots over 200 yards here on my place, and i'm glad of that...

My "second" in line rifle for deer, is a custom .280 that i have, built on a LH Rem. 700 action... I've harvested whitetails, blk tails, bear, caribou and many other animials with it...

I really think the 280 Rem. is waaay under rated!

DM

I don't believe in "overgunned". Shoot what you are comfortable with. I have recently started shooting a 9.3x62 and love it. My other favorite is my 30-30's.

when i first got into guns and hunting, i took a good long thinking about what to get for the oppertunities i would have. dont think ill make it on an african big game hunt!
then walmart had a sale!! got my first real gun, a marlin336cs 30-30 for $170.00! slapped a leupold 4x on it and so igot my close range or brushgun!
found a freind in need of some cash willing to let one of his bar's go, so i got my 30-06! got long shots coverd and if i use different grain bulletsit will kill from elk,bear,antelope,hogs,deer, pretty much any game in the us!
i gotan ithica 37 with combo barrels, coversthe featherd crittersand slug only areas.
a 10/22 for small game.
and a mac90 w/several 30rd clipsfor plinkin and protection.
and i think im almost set, all i need now is a 44mag 9"!!
what else could i possible need?

It just means I am really good at making up excuses to buy more guns..

I have one to that I bought for hog hunting it is bigger than I needed but I like it. I also usedit on deer and it will put a big hole through them but it doesn't blow out the far side like a lot of the higher velocity rounds do. Like someone said about the .45/70 one time you eat right up to the hole.

Gotcha!!!