Very cool rifle evanhill.
340mag - I've been looking hard at one of those nice little Rugers in .30-06. I've got one in .375 that I really like, but mostly I hunt mule deer, so all that power simply isn't necessary.
In recent years I mostly hunt with a .25-06 700 CDL with a 6x Leupold. It's filled my mule deer tag almost every year since I bought it in 2004 or 2005. Light enough for backpacking, flat shooting, reasonably accurate. I just plain like the rifle.
Young buck taken in rough country here in Washington. I'm real glad he stopped sliding down into the canyon when he hit those rocks! Packing him out, quartered up, I was glad he wasn't a bigger buck too...
Guy