Looking at the rifles I currently have, I realized I bought them because of the rifles themselves, not for the cartridges they were chambered for (one was a gift that I had no say in). I like the rifles themselves, I just wish they were all chambered for something different. Some have mentioned the 7x57. I have one and would love an excuse to use it forever. But when you talk the rest of your life, I have to go a little more common. What I've come up with is my Ruger #1 S26M (and older and much slimmer version of the current #1B with a 26" barrel) chambered for the .270 Winchester loaded with 160gr Nosler Partitions. Big, small, close, far - this one should do it with minimal fuss at the reloading bench, at the shooting bench or in the field.

That's my sentimental choice. If I had to be practical and talked about beating rifles up rocks and ice and rain etc., maybe someone would have a nice, light, lefty bolt in 7mm-08. Either way, both would be topped with something like a Leupold 1.75x6.