In my opinion the best rifle is the one that YOU shoot well with ! I have hard people talking about the advantages of this caliber over that caliber , well that talk is not without merit .It's true that the .270 shoots flatter and farther than 30-30, but what i have found for myself is that alot of cartridges fall into the same caterory, 6.5x55 , .270., .280 rem., 7 mm ,.264 win.mag., the difference is really splitting hairs . Likewise 30-30, 35 rem., 356 , does one out perform the other the answer i think is yes. Is the difference so great that it matters a great deal , i think not ? The old debate about which is better .308 or 30-06 , both are capable of shooting the same bullets ( weight & size ) for the purposes of hunting ( deer , bear , moose ) all are good and will do the job, ( if we do ours eg: good bullet placement ) I think that the more important issue is , am I comfortable with the rifle i have , do I shoot well with it , and is it suited to the hunting location that i am going to.People are built differently , some are small , some are big , some have short arms , neck, and reach ( length of pull ) some not so small . i think any deer hunter will tell you that the window of time after he spots a deer is limited , i think it's important to have a rifle that snaps up to your shoulder quickly , and that permits fast target aquisition , the length of trigger pull is important , are should be payed attention to when buying a rifle , weight of thr rifle is important , you don't want something you have to wrestle with to get to your shoulder , balance should be considered , is my scope mounted correctly for me , or do i have to move my head in and out to get a full sight picture ? Am i using a calber that is to heavy for me , ( alot of guys i've seen with the .338 win.mag. can't shoot them too well ) that's not saying that there's anything wrong with .338 , but if iI have trouble handling it maybe i should drop down a caliber or two , and practice more ? Barrel length , is another thing , if i'm hunting in the woods , i don't want a rifle with a 26 inch barrel , gun books often sing the praises of all the products being manufactered , and most of them are good , but do they suit your needs , and do they fit your build ? If a pair of shoes don't fit me right in the store , i'm not buying them , doesn't matter how in vogue they are ! What ever rifle you buy i think it's important to prartice with it from different shooting postions , know the ballistics of the caliber , and bullet weight you are using .A 30-30 winchester model 94 n the hands of a man who knows his rifle , is deadlier than a .458 Win mag., in the hands of a hunter who is not a good shot ! But , i think comfort , relieablitly , fit , and practice are the key to finding the best rifle . Thanks Joe




















































