For just deer size game it's hard to argue against the ole .270, but I will. I would get a .280.

easy, a 308 in a winny compact with a 4x scope..........
woofer

Swede Mauser M96 in 6.5x55. I like that combo so
much I have 3 of them. Use them for everything from
deer to 1000 yd F class.

Lee.............

Dakota Model 10 in 7x57, simple as that...




Hank

Oh my! For deer only when you take killing power, range, recoil,and versatility into consideration 6.5x55#1 7x57 a very close second 6.5x54 #3 and .257 roberts #4.The 7-08 and the .260 should be considered orphaned because of inferier design. roger

257 Roberts on 722 action with a nice light matte SS barrel. 2-7x Nikon Monarch. I've got it and I love it...

Custom M700 in -06 Leupold 2-7 Compact weighs 7lb 2oz
Russ

For me you could flip a coin between a Winchester FWT 7mm-08 and a stainless Ruger MKII 270.
My Winchester looks and shoots like the classic it is. My Ruger is stainless and shoots like some benchrest guy built it, it simply is amazing for any factory rifle.

If ammo was free, or I loved to reload, I'd buy a Rem CDL in 7-08. If not, Id buy another Mauser Whitworth 24" barrel in 308. Milsurp is cheap, accurate and encourages practice. Short range 150 PP at 2775 and longer range 165 sst. BTW The 308HE matches the standard 300winmag using Nosler Partitions. Of course they are Protected points compaired to spitzers. capt david

7 mm Mag and a 139 or 140gr bullet or if a faster one and long distance is wanted a 7 Stw and same bullets

Well...all depends. In Alaska, I would hunt everything with my .338WM, but in the lower-48 (for deer), a .270 or maybe 7mm-08 should be fine.

I'd have Rocky Mountian Rifles build me a light weight .280 put a 3x9x40 Leupold on it;load up some 150 grain Nosler Partitions and go huntin'.

30-30 levergun, 170 gr FP.

In the lower 48, a Ruger M77 or Mod 70 stainless all weather in .270 Win shooting 160 gr Nosler Partitions. What else could one ask for..?
For Alaska or Africa, I'd have to think about a .338 Win Mag in the same above rifles.

Another vote for the 280, M70, 3-9x. -I assume you mean hunting rifle. I have a lot of respect for the '06, but I think the bullet SD's you can expect to shoot well between the two makes me lean a little smaller.
If I was really stuck with ONE rifle, it'd be a well-tuned FAL, open sights and ten 20rnd mags. I guess I'd need a 5rnd as well to keep it legal.

My Sako Aii in 7mm08, I am getting more and more pleased with it.

Regards,
Martin

270 Win 150 grain Nosler out of a good custom m98 sporter

7X64 Brenneke, ZG-47 custom and 3-10X42 scope.

Cheers
/ JOHAN

Don't mean to be _too_ snarky (and I love my .270), but isn't this a bit like asking, "if you had to choose one and one only, which ratchet and which socket would you use?"

I'll be happy as a clam with my custom Mauser in 7x57. Of course my old pre-64 Model 70 30-06 never let me down. And a .270 is hard to beat. Boy, a 6.5x55 would work great. Then again the .308 is a fine round... Lots to choose from without making a wrong choice.

Jeff

Wow what fun just thinking about this and reading the post. Why is it so interesting thinking were only going to have one rifle.
I'd have to go with the "Dakota in 7X57". It don't get any better than that.
Reading these post I see the 7's are very popular.
David

Normally I'd say 30-06(I have two and love 'em) but I am leaning toward my Ruger M77mkII stain./lam. in 280. It sports a Nikon Monarch UCC 3-9X40 and with 150-160 Nosler Partitions I can take anything that I personally would care to hunt for out to 300 yards.

Model 700 in 7mm RM w/ a Nikon Monarch, Leupold bases, a Butler Creek sling, and properly tuned handloads.

Good Luck!

Reloader

Someone said "It's hard to argue with the .270 Win, but I will"

I agree, the .270 (handloaded) is a great performer, but I've got to throw my favorite, the .25-06 Rem in here for good measure.

The 117 BTHP from Hornady and 56 gr H4831 will do magic on deer sized game.

Rifles, HMMMMMMM, I like the Rem 700, but for any circumstance I might opt for a Browning auto loader.

Jim

Well, I wrote the qustion, so here is my thougths.I hunt with a 7MM-08 rem. in a rem.700 s.s. 24 in barrel. with 3x9x50 handloaded with 140 sierra b.t. this is a great combo. for deer size game out to at least 300 yrds

I agree Jeff... or just use a 270 and forget the rest!

Vines: The correct answer to your question is one I contemplated and came up with the answer for many years ago. My question was very slightly differently contemplated/asked though. I wondered what would be the ABSOLUTE BEST type of Rifle and cartridge to handle all my Hunting needs from Antelope to spring Black Bear to Elk and long range Mule Deer as well as the uncertainties and varying conditions of Big Horn Sheep, Mt. Goat and Whitetailed Deer Hunting!

I found the answer!

I found a wonderful and exceptionally smooth Winchester pre-64 Model 70 donor action originally made in the same month I was born (July 1947) and I had the re-nowned Riflesmith Dan Cowen of Renton, Washington fit up a premium heavy sporter weight 25 1/2" barrel to the action and added a McMillan fiberglass stock with camo paint job!

The caliber to be succinct about it was the easy part to decide on - it of course is chambered for the splendid and extremely efficient 280 Remington cartridge!

This superb arm has helped me harvest all manner of medium game and big game from Blacktail Deer to Black Bear as well as Elk, Mt. Goat, Mule Deer, Antelope, Whitetailed Deer and many Coyotes!

This IS the correct answer to your "one Rifle, one cartridge" question!

I soon hope to take a Caribou with this rig and would not consider using anything else.

This Rifle holds 6 rounds of ammunition has the SAFEST safety ever devised for a Rifle and it is splendidly accurate and the action is amazingly smooth and lightning fast in the field!

I could not be happier with any other Rifle than I am with this one. And believe me when I tell you I have tried them all!

Long live the amazing, strong, beautiful and accurate pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters!

The Riflemans Rifle!

Hold into the wind

VarmintGuy

For deer sized game only:



In the east, a stainless Model 70 with a 22" fwt barrel contour in 260, 7-08 or 308.



In the West the same in 270, 280 or 30-06.



Either topped with a 2x7 or 2.5x8 Leupold and the rifle fiberglass stocked.

After about 50 or 60 years of hunting, all of you will return to the 30-06, its just the natural order of things for you to try all the rest then go back to your roots, that being the 30-30 and 30-06, God ment it to be that way..

I'm there already. Using the '06 for just about everything, and I use only one load. 180 grain partition.

The partition has a high BC and opens up easily, and works on everything - even small deer. This load at 2800fps gives me a flat trajectory and 2000 ft.lbs at 300 yards.

Ahhhh, perfection! It may take time for the more stubborn hunters to convert, but common sense dictates the .30-06 with a 180 grain partition.

A good quality controlled feed bolt action chambered for either the .30-06 or the .338-06.

Depending upon the shooting conditions - expected distance and light conditions, topped off with either a 4x36 or 6x42 'scope.

OK, OK, I thouht I had this all figured out and you guys go and bring up the .280, one of my all time favorite rounds. The funny thing is it's not much different than the .270, (only .007"), but it is a whale of a round. Around here, it seems no one has discovered the .280, all you ever see is the .270, I don't know why. None of the gun shops will ever buy anything except .223, 243, 270, and 300WM, that's it(and of course some of the WSMs). Once in a while you'll see a 30/06, and a 7mm-08, but they all seem to be fixed on the same standard calibers. I know they all work fine for their intended purposes, so you can't argue with that, but it'd sure be nice to see some new calibers. That's why most of my guns came from out west or gun shows. Heck, I had to go to Ohio to find my favorite 30/06 Ruger a few years back, and they aren't even allowed to use rifles for deer, go figure.
Anyway, I'd add a .280 to the perfect deer rifle, if only I could FIND ONE!!
It's always been a sore spot with me, that I can't ever seem to find one around here.

I can't believe in 42 replies to the question and nobody got it right! Winchester Classic LT in .270WIN HA!

Terry

East of the big river: Model 7, 7-08, 1.5x5 scope, 140-150gr bullets
Out West: Model 700CDL, 30-06, 2x7 or 3x9x40 scope, 180-200gr bullets.
If it wasn't for big things that go bump in the night, the model 7 in 7-08 would work fine out west. I used one out there for years but when I went up into griz country, I was packing a 30-06 or a .300WM. That said, in 15 years of hunting in Wyoming, I have never seen a grizzly "in the rough".

Slowhand:



"I'm there already. Using the '06 for just about everything, and I use only one load. 180 grain partition.



The partition has a high BC and opens up easily, and works on everything - even small deer. This load at 2800fps gives me a flat trajectory and 2000 ft.lbs at 300 yards.



Ahhhh, perfection! It may take time for the more stubborn hunters to convert, but common sense dictates the .30-06 with a 180 grain partition."





Slowhand,



Amen to that! Elmer Keith always said (or was fond of the quote) "Beware of the man with one rifle" cuz he knows how to use it.



I heartily agree with you, stick with one good load that covers a wide range of applications and you can travel just about anywhere and be well equipped most of the time. And even when you're not your familiarity with the rifle will overcome any lacking in power most of the time.



I'm more and more thinning out my rifle battery to just a handful of rifles - and each one shoots only one load. That way I know exactly what to expect out of that rifle every time I reach for it.