The .30-06 also works a lot better than many 21st-century handloaders can apparently imagine with new bullets and powders!
My current 23" barrel 30-06 does 2825 with Re16 and 180 Accubonds. A 0.507 BC makes this combo a flat shooter and wind bucket - with a big game bullet. At a shade over 7lbs it is also delivers tolerable recoil. I did a bunch if gacking a few years back on 7RM and various cartridges in that class to evaluate ballistics. At 500 yard or less there ain't much difference in a 270, 280, 30-06, 7RM, etc.... using some type of heavier Accubond. If you can shoot over 500 yards accurately, you can find differences and certain cartridge/bullet combos started to pull away.
For me, I dont shoot past 500 yards so I'm cool with the 'standard' cartridges. I aim, pun intended, for lighter, shorter rifles that deliver a big game capable bullet on target at a level of recoil acceptable to me. Which falls in the 270/280/30-06 category.
