Greetings. Well, here's two cents worth of info.......#1, the rifle must fit and appeal to you. If you buy what everyone else has and it doesn't feel right, then you won't shoot it as well. #2, you must "love" your rifle...without getting ridiculous here, you simply must want to pull it out of the cabinet or safe and hit the woods with it. Be it a bolt, lever, semi, or pump, you simply must have a fit and feel for your rifle and think of it as an extension of your own arms. Then, more often than not, you'll shoot that particular rifle quite well. There are many features to look at when shopping for a particular rifle but I personally believe most folks get caught up on what they've read or what they've been told, instead of their own opinions. While there are gems and lemons with every maker, Remingotn, Ruger, Winchester, Savage, Weatherby, Sako, Browning, Tikka, and Marlin all make fine firearms for the deer hunter. Caliber is a different story. If you are a handloader, then the choice is of little importance as you will fabricate your loads to your rifle. If not, then choosing a popular caliber that is easy to find at better sporting goods stores makes good sense. The .30-30 Win, .30-06, .270 Win., .308 Win, .243 Win are all excellent choices for folks that do not handload(or even if they do). Its all a matter of personal prefference. Good luck, keep us posted.
HB