Thanks everyone fore the very informative responses!!!!
So after quite some time looking through other forums on caliber, I think I've narrowed it down to a .243, a .25-06 or a .270. But still, I can't quite decide. How do the trajectories compare? Also, I've heard from some folk that "the .25-06 requires at least a 26-30 inch barrel for full potential".
Are all of the above (in the Savage or Stevens rifles [22 inch barrel]) going to achieve similar groupings at 100-300 yards?
So far I understand that:
The .243 is higher velocity but with considerably lighter bullets and somewhat less energy than the .25-06- which has higher velocities, more energy and a greater range of loads for anything up to medium-sized game, and the .270 has somewhat higher velocities and energies with similar bullet weights than the .25-06 (but with considerably more recoil)?
What are some general handloading prices for an average load of each? Relaitively similar or is any significantly higher?
Again, thanks for all of the help!!!!!!!!