For the species being hunted I agree totally with Allenday... no reason for anything over a 270--if you do your part, ie; practice, check your loads and know how to shoot... it will do as good a job as any...as most experienced hunters will tell you.. it's not the size of the club as much as where you hit them...

I have seen many elk drop to the shot here in Montana to guns as small as a .220 Swift--again, bullet placement is everything especially when you go that light..and I do not prefer to go light..personally I use primarily 30 calibers if I am strictly hunting elk and have never had one get away--period.

If I was going on a Coues deer hunt--I would use either my .257 Weatherby or .264 Win mag--both very flat shooting and I really like the guns therefore I shoot them better at really long ranges..

Ripp