ive been using a mr-7 25/06 for about 6 or 7 years and it has worked flawlessly for me in the role you describe.one bullet weight works for everything ( 100gr. soft point) coyotes, groundhogs, deer. the 270 would be a great choice and im told its better for big game, but for what you describe the 25/06 is great and around here the resale on a 25/06 is fantastic seems like every gunshop has 4 or 5 .270's but no 25/06's and everybody wants one.