Like John, I have seen multiple hunters use a variety of cartridges. Without exception, the harder kicking cartridges are associated with more wounded game which results in either lost animals or “rodeos”.
I have used 270W or 280Rem on many trips. On several trips I used a really hot big 7 moving a 175 at 3000+ which is at the big 30 recoil level. Over a period of 4 weeks my shooting deteriorated. That has never happened with the 270/280 in a 6.75# rifle.
Two things to consider:
1 shots are rarely over 250 yards
2 my rifle is in my hands pretty much constantly. I don’t want a rifle to weigh more than 7.5 all up and 7 to 6.75 is better.
For me, the recoil of a LW 30/06 loaded to max level is much more like a big 30.
Lastly, my close buddy is a full time PH and has been for 35 years. He tells me that he can’t see any observable difference between the “power” of the 270 vs the 30 or 33 magnums provided good bullets are used. This is based on hundreds of animals a year during his career.
Take what you can shoot well.
