[aigel]

You should get a Caldwell lead sled shooting rest and set that up for your wife and yourself at the shooting range. It reduces the felt recoil by 90% and you will be plinking away with any caliber. This is very important IMHO to avoid picking up a flinch. Practice shooting from field positions with a .22 or .22 mag - best by doing some small game or varmint hunting. When going hunting with the big caliber, you will not feel a recoil ever due to the adrenaline.

That's my advice and it will open the .270 back up as an option.

On a final note, I have a buddy who hunts elk with the 7/06 successfully. No problem. He does admit though that it doesn't carry the energy and that he passes on shots over 300 yards.

George