Taurus, no problem. We're on the same page. I totally agree with your comments above.

bws48 -- I tend to agree. Both of my hunting bolt guns are 30-06. I can build a 308 lighter due to the action length, but when I need extra oomph, I like the case capacity and ability to use longer, heavier bullets in the '06 case. Probably splitting hairs here in comparing the two, but I've always had a soft spot for the 30-06. Nothing fancy, no magnum name, but it works and works well. Mine too are pretty old. Well, at least one of them. I got it just after I got out of college in the early '70's.

I had some time on a full auto M-14 too way back when. Can't control it. A waste of ammo, barrel gets way too hot and you have nothing but noise to show for it. I did like the ability of the M-14 to hit things when something was between me and the "target" though and 7.62x51 gave me that in spades over the (back then) M193. Didn't like carrying it though. But then a friend of mine's father carried a BAR all over Europe in WWII and that kind of puts things in perspective.