If you want a gun that is unique, and not to many people have it I would get a 25-06 you can hunt deer to elk with this gun just change how much grain you get for the bullet.

The 25-06 is an excellent caliber just like its big brother the 30-06 but if you want a Screamer in 25 go with the 257 Weatherby which has three factory loads or the 25 STW which you will have to make from 7mm STW, or just go with the 7mm STW which will kill anything you want to shoot here in the lower 48. Its a great load designed by Lane Simpson for The Shooting Times. Great guy and Great load.

Try a .280 about the same as a .270 but it will be different from what most people have like you want.

I would go with the 300 win mag or the 300 ultra mag.I have had great sucess with my 300 win mag.

If you want to be different get a 260 Remington.

That's a 308 case necked down to 6.5mm (.264)Outstanding deer cartridge, even enough for elk out to 250 yards or so, maybe more.
Bullets from 100 grains up to 160 grains are available. Remington loads 4 different choices in ammo: 120 and 140 grain Core-Lokt, 130 grain Swift Scirocco, and 130 grain Core-Lokt Ultra. Federal and Hornady offer ammo too. You will likely have the only 260 in camp, and you will be able to shoot it well, because it won't beat you up.
If you want a great mule-deer cartridge you can't go wrong with a 270, a 280, a 25-06 or any of their Ackley Improved versions. There are no flies on the 257 Roberts either, just realize that you won't have the same reach as you would with a 25-06.

or the even more rare .240 weatherby magnum.

A cartridge designed exclusively for western hunting is the .264 Winchester Magnum. Not a lot of them around these days despite the advantages of the 6.5mm bullets. It's overshadowed by the 7mm Remington Magnum, but hey every cartrige has its niche. I believe the .264 would fill yours quite nicely.

I would go with a 7mm weatherby if you reload, it really shines with 160 to 175 grain bullets and its a dying breed. That or a 270wsm I know that alot of people have them but with a good 150grain nosler you have a hell of a elk rifle to.

25-06 is a great gun

mhough3

Take your pick Sir, but my choice is the 25-06 hands down! I own Magnums and back in 1980 I sold my 300 Win Mag and bought a 25-06 and never regretted it. The 25-06 has magnum performance and the ammo is cheaper than a magnum. For mule deer the overall performs and cost of the 25-06 slams any other cartridge. If you reload, you can make 25-06 out of 270, 280 and 30-06 and you don’t have to fire form them just shoot!
If my 9 year old Grandson can take deer at 250 yards with one shot, imagine the performance you can get out of it!!

I would go the 280 route, different from the rest of the pack but you can still buy ammo if you don't reload.

Another good choice for western hunting that you don't see everyday is the .270 WSM. I personally am not a fan of these short rounds since my preference runs more toward the STW or Ultra. However people I know who have shot animals up to elk with the short fat .270 who seem extremely pleased with its performance. It and the .300 WSM may turn out to be the only long term survivors of this group of cartridges.

Magnums are fun guns as long as you dont mind the recoil. Also great bragging to friends about them

RRMONT = The BLR in 300 Win Mag is next on my list! Now where am I going to get some extra money...

I understand the desire to have a different rifle from the rest of the guys. Before you buy an odd ball consider this. When you are an hour away from home and realize you forgot your bullets at the house are you going to find them at the local gas station? You can't go wrong with a 270, 308, or 30-06. Any one of those will drop any North American game and are common enough that ammo is affordable and everywhere you look. I personnaly have a Tikka T3 270. I love it! Common? yes. Common because its a great rifle? Yes!

If you wan something different, there are a ton of wildcats you can get rifles chambered in, or better yet if you want to be really different, you could design your own cartridge and name it after yourself!