"Stick with what 'ya know". I've used all three of the .308 varants to change now. Besides got the CRAP kicked out of me as a kid by a .338 "mountain rifle" .
I've never regreted NOT lookin' back Mr Cooper !

Clay we have had this discussion before. I have had great success with both the 300 Win Mag and the 338 Win Mag. Have also used most of the variations of these two fine calibers, and always return to the two originals. Less recoil and great results. I cannot tell a lick of difference between the two when it comes to killing animals, so generally go with the 300, a little less recoil. In Africa, one of the two is my light rifle. Have taken bear with both and sheep with both. Prefer the heavier bullets in both calibers. 180 and 200 in the 300 and the 250 in the 338. The light 300 bullets blow up small animals and sometimes under perform at short ranges.

The 264 Win Mag has always intrigued me, but the one I have just has not been too accurate. But what do I know, if it was not for you I couldn't spell hydrostatic shock.

I'm partial to the 338 because other than a 22 it's the first rifle I ever owned. There isn't much you can't do with it.

Clay I never did have a problem with 3 1/2 in but never shot one off the bench eithier, and I have to laugh when people tell me a 375 has no vel, A friend of mine shoots a 235 grain Barnes at 3110fps another shoots the same bullet at 3100 and mine are just a tad shy of 3000. shoot flat and and very accruate.

I like to have confidence that the bullet is doing what it is designed for at the velocity it reaches at range. Pass throughs without expansion do kill, if in the right spot - and that is where a bigger diameter bullet is nice. But I like to use the bullet in its working range, and that includes close as well as long shots.

Clay,
I went to the range Saturday morning and returned Sunday morning to find the bench I used the day before splattered with blood. After I left Saturday a chap shooting a 460 Weatherby got "kissed" by the scope.

I was witness to someone shooting (for the first time) a 338 Lapua - and they leaned in too much on the scope.....OUCH!!!! He took it in stride I must say, and wore it like a badge of honor!

And on one of the recent 'Lock and Load with R.Lee Ermey' episodes he got gashed by the scope shooting a .50 I believe...I was surprised they didn't edit that out! And to his credit Ermey kept shooting, blood and all!

I like the 6.5's as well clay, but I would choose a 6.5x284 over the .264 Win. Mag. I really can't give you a good reason why. I guess I would say because of its dominance presence on the 1000 yard line nowadays. Both are good cartridges I'll say that.

I've never tried 130gr. Hornadys out of my .300 Win. Mag. Only bullets I've used were some 190 SMK for barrel break in and now all I shoot are 200 grain accubonds.

I shoot a .300 Dakota that seems to me to have a little less recoil than the .300 Win Mag. I've been happy with it and thanks to Clay's advice am experimenting with 130 and 135g bullets. Haven't shot anything but paper with them yet though... the 135's are going 3850... I'm just hoping they don't splatter on a big buck's shoulder at that speed. I like the .338 performance but the recoil is just too much for me... I like to shoot my rifles a lot and that is just a bruiser... If I lived in Alaska, I would maybe go for it. Instead, like idduckhntr, I shoot a .375 H&H. I like that a LOT and shoot prettly low recoil 235g bullets most of the time. Mine also get about 3/4 inch groups at 100 yards from 2800-3000 fps. I may try one on a deer this year just fof the fun of it. As opposed to the sharp rap of the .338, the .375 seems more like a push like a 12 gauge slug even with 350g bullets.