I have been recoil sensitive since I was a 14 year old skinny kid shooting a 30-06 Remington pump, with a metal butt plate and 180 grain bullets. It bruised my shoulder and caused my ears to ring for a month. I still believe that the tinnitus I have today started back then. So, I do prefer to shoot rifles that light recoiling, and over the years have come to settle on cartridges that are easy on the shoulder. I have arthritis in my shooting shoulder, and that is a major concern for me.

I have a 6.5 Creedmoor, a 7-08, 7X57, 270, and 308. This is my first year shooting the CM and I'm very impressed, as far as accuracy and the light recoil. It's a Howa, which is of course a little heavier than most rifles are, and that may have something to do with it. I've never been able to warm up to the 7-08. It's a very good round, and may be the most versatile of the lot. I like the 7X57, but mostly for nostalgia sake. The 308 is also a nice choice, and probably deserves to me used more than I use it.

That leaves the 270. It was what I call my first "real" deer rifle, and I've killed a bunch of deer with it. As far as a cartridge strictly for deer, it may the best there is. It does have more recoil than I like when used in a lightweight rifle, and that's one reason I rarely use mine much anymore. But, as far as all the cartridges mentioned, the 270 is probably the best of the lot, as far as it's use for hunting. I say that, even though mine has taken a back seat to the 243 and the 6.5 Ceedmoor.