bigbulls

$500 for a Remington SPS in 30-06and $400 for a Zeiss conquest 3-9X40 and you are set for a lifetime of hunting everything from the largestmoose on down to the smallest deer.

Rebel Hog

I also agree!

driftrider

Another vote for a good .30-06. There's a reason that it's been in the top three best sold commercial sporting cartridges in the U.S. and all over the world for the past 101 years. A cheap 150gr PSP (i.e. Rem Core-Lokt, Win Power-Point, etc...), provided it shoots well, is more than adequate to drop any deer not already stuffed and mounted. A stout 180gr bullet is more than enough for elk at reasonable ranges (which, contrary to the "never-miss-a-running-deer-at-500-yards" gun writers, is about 150-200 yards. Fact is, the difference in trajectory between a .30-06 and a .300 Rem Ultra Mag is inconsequential out to 300 yards, and shots past 300 yards are rarily necessary or advisable IMHO.

Don't succumb to the tempting of the magnumitis speed-freaks that'll tell you you just gotta have a .475 Eargesplitten Laudenboomer to have any hope of taking down a 125lb southern whitetail, let alone the nearly indestructable elk. I'm probably going to draw a bunch of fire (pardon the pun) from the magmunitis afflicted, but the truth is the truth. Makes one wonder how mankind nearly whiped out the buffalo off the face of the earth with .45-70's and such pushing big, slow bullets with honest-to-God black powder. Today if it isn't pushing at least a 140gr 7mm bullet at 3200+ FPS it's considered a varmint rifle.

Opt for the .30-06 and you'll have a gun that can take out any animal that won't kill you back. Your wallet, shoulder and ears will thank you, and you'll probably shoot better to boot.

Mike