The .280 seems like it would be the optimum deer rifle if it was a little more populer.

Well, I guess somebody has to be different so I guess I will. First of all, I hunt with a Rem 700 in 30-06. My father hunts with a 7MM mag as does my uncle. My dad got magnumitus about 5 years ago, and has purchased many magnums since, included a couple 7MM, a .300 mag ans a .338 mag. I love these guns. Is it overkill for a deer; yeah, but who cares. Do these guns kick like a mule; yeah, but nothing that you can't handle. If you know what you are doing and practice shooting the "magnum recoil and magnum muzzle blast induced flinch" will go away. Anybody who shoots pretty often knows that if you flinch the recoil is only worse. If you squeeze like you are supposed to and the gun suprises you when it goes off then the recoil is not that bad. We also have one 7MM mag that has a ported barrel, and the difference that it makes is unbelievable. It kicks like a .243 now. So these magnums can be shot very accurately.

I have also heard people mention expensive bullets having to be shot thru the guns. I personally always shot premium ammunition. I now shot 165 gr. Remington Sirocco Bonded bullets for my '06. I used to use standard Remington factory ammo, and when you go to the range the difference is huge. My groups go from about 4" at 100 yards to about 1". I don't shot these bullets because of bullet expansion issues, just accuracy issues.

Well, I also don't want everyone to think that my opinion is tht magnums are the only way to go. My brother still uses a .308, and a buddy of mine still uses a .35 Remington, and they kill deer just as effectively. I just don't see why so many people look at people who use magnums like they are ignorant.

i don't know why people need compound bows or traditional for that matter, in alabama you can legaly hunt with a spear, to me a bow just seems like overkill, all i ever hunt with is a max 54" switch for grizzly bears anything else i use a 4 footer

a spear, alabama must be full of cavmen.

i only use a 30/30 i dount like a gun that can dislocated my shoulder

We have the magnumitis in our camp. As the only lady hunter there I think I am imune to it. They all laugh at me (except my husband cause he knows better) because I use a h&r 243 single shot. But that is all I need. I have never had to track a deer because of a missplaced shot. Using a single shot makes you a better hunter. My 16 yr old daughter uses one as well and she is a better shot than her 2 brothers.

My first deer rifle is my last deer rifle. I bought a Remington 721 / .30-06 with a 3x-9x in 1986 for $200.00. I have killed deer dead with it from as close at 20ft to as far out as 125yds. It is all the gun I need for the Maine woods (deer and bear). I shoot 180 grain remington core-loks.

In response to an earlier posting on this thread:

Which is worse in this country, the case of "magnumitus", or the case of "Anti-magnumitus"??

I honestly believe there are more people out there giving themselves ulcers thinking about the heathens shooting magnums than there are people that think if it ain't a magnum, it ain't "nothin". You'll note that on this forum this thread shows up at least every other month, while it is RARE that anyone ever comes out and says "the .30-06 ain't spit compared to the .300WM". You'll also notice that the same people that say that all you really need for deer is a .308 or .30-06 can easily be found claiming that the .243win is "marginal", while it's a time proven cartridge for big game.

Personally, I don't care what others choose to hunt with, and I enjoy my right to choose my cartridges, as I've had the pleasure of taking deer with many cartridge/gun combinations, as well as "alternative" weapons. I've taken deer with a "lowly" .357mag revolver, as well as a .22-250 bolt rifle, all the way up through the 30 bores to the .45-70 and .416Rigby, plus recurve and compound bows and .50cal muzzle loaders.

My "primaries" this year inlude my compound bow, my Marlin Cowboy .45-70, and my Ruger Vaquero .44mag. I'm also planning on taking my SxS coachgun 12ga out in our "extended season".

My point is, there are a LOT of fish in the sea, pick the one that's right for you and don't ask the whole world to drive Ford pickups.