I'm coming at the ?? right now from a different angle as a old fart with a lame shouder, and hip deep in the re alignent of my shooters. For a One gun do all hunter I'd pick a 7-08...easy availability of good inexpensive factory ammo in everything from Hrn'dy's American WhitTail to the good stuff and comonly available everywhere.

Right now I am putting together a M70 7x57 and gathering & comparing data and reloading components for it. The 7-08 for all intents and purposes is the Ballistic Twin to the 7x57. I also own now, and have owned and shot as a one gun doall a 6.5x55 Swede with both of them in T3's. IMO in the 120,130 & 140's the Swede and 7-08 are about neck and neck for recoil, MV's and drop #'s out to 300 yards in the same weight bullets which is all he needs for WTails ..Elk on the other hand is different story I'm told - never killed one - but the 7-08 has made in USA factory loads in 150's & 160's at normal WTail ammo prices.

I owned and shot for well over 10 years a M70 XTR 257 Rbts's as my go to rifle, and owned at the same time a safe full of SAKO, Ruger and Winchesters from 270 thru 375H&H's after my 1st major shoulder problem. The Roberts is a great gun and cartridge with low recoil...I shot the barrel out of that M70 Rbt's. I know times have changed from the early '80 to mid '90's as far as ammo choice's and availablity go's..but the Rbt's is fine on WTails out to 3 mebbe 400 yards, but Elk??? - my semi supported 440+ yard off hand shot on a Pronghorn with 2 gun industry witness's aside - the Rbt's would not be my choice for anything with the 7-08 available.

Also not a fan of the 243 as a one gun do all, and even the "wedding present" ( I had to pay for) of a SAKO 579 243 from my grandpop in 1967 didn't convince me to keep that super accurate SAKO. A 243's fine on Texas sized WTails but reminds me a 22-250 or a 410 on dove & quail and more of an experienced shooters deer cartridge, even with todays bigtime better ammo. Even a 22lr can kill WTail if you can get close enough, especially when you hunt "the long pasture with the white stripe in the middle" so don't ask me how I know that for a fact...
Ron

Last edited by verhoositz; 07/16/17.
TIME FOR TERM LIMITS !!!! Politicians are just like diapers, they need to be changed often and regularly for the same reason...Robin Williams.