30.06

yes I second that. .30-06 Springfield

I'd also recommend the following to consider for all-around N. America hunting (with the exception of the great Grizzlies and Polars)

.270 Win (my personal favorite)
.280 Rem
.308 Win
7-08mm
7mm Rem Mag

I'd recommend starting out shooting a .22 LR first or any smaller caliber cartridge to learn the basics of shooting. Various shooting ranges offer instruction.

You can not go wrong with the 30-06! I have it in a Remington 700 BDM (bolt action with a detachable magazine) Mountain Rifle. You will be able to hunt anything from prong horn and deer, upto elk and moose. The wide array of factory loads make this an excellent gun. The XCR model from Remington is also a great gun and and can be purchased as a 30-06. These are great guns at a great price.

3006 most versitile round on the planet. Light bullets for smaller game and heavies for heavies. Next in line are 270, 280, 7mm mag , and 7mm08. All these are great. And a good 3-9 scope from Leupold, Nikon, Zeiss, Bushnell is all you will ever need. Try various rifles to see what feels best to you like Remington, Browning, Ruger, Savage, Sako/Tikka and you are set.

I'd stick to .270 or .30-06. Though there may be other all-around cartridges that are as good, there are none that are better. Usually the choice between these two is personal preference ("My grandpa used a .270, my dad used a .270, so, dammit, I'm using a .270"). I went with .30-06.

As for quality, you can't really go wrong. Remington, Browning, Savage, Weatherby, etc. They all make a good product. I've hunted with people using all of those makes and never had anyone complain about their rifle. Again, the choice here is more about personal preference than performance.

I liked the fit and finish of Browning and it was one of the only manufacturers of a non-laminated wood stock + stainless barrel rifle.

For a general all around hunting rifle. A bolt action in 30 caliber is an excellent choice. There is a very long list of bullet choices in factory fodder and for the home roller. 30-06, 308 win and 300 wm being the most popular. Another round that is worth looking at is the 300 wsm.
Some other options would be 300 rum, 300 wby, 300 dakota or any of the Lazeroni 30 cal's. These rounds will step the velocity and energy up a bit above
the previously mentioned rounds.

As far as brand of rifle. Find one that is comfortable for you and comes to sight quickly. It's hard to say which one is the best. They all serve their purpose quite well. Whichever you choose. Be sure to put a good quality scope on it.
For general hunting. I like a straight stock and have it cut or lengthened to fit the clothing I wear when I'm out.

Welcome to the site. Theres a bunch of cartridges that would work fine and all the answer's you got are good. Hard to go wrondgwith the 30-06 and I say that never having shoot game with one. But a 30cal bullet lanched at 30-06 velocities is about ideal. Some people start with a 30-06 and never find a reason to change. There are a great number of cartridges that would also work well for what you've asked. At this point for you though, it would only serve to muddy the water for you. The secret to a cartridge lies in the user's ability to shoot the rifle well, handle the cartridges recoil, understanding what makes a good shot and choosing a proper buttet. In 30 cal, you almost have to try to pick a bad bullet.

Let us know what you get.

Cool.
Thanks for the info guys!

I feel that a 30-06 fits best for what I need and I've looked at the....

1) Browning Abolt-2 Stainless Stalker 30-06

2) Tikka T-3 Lite Stainless

I like the look and feel of the Browning but then again I haven't fired it.

Has anyone had any experience with these? Thoughts about them?
Thanks!

I haven't shot the Tikka but the Browning is very good. I'd highly recommend it.

Good to know, thanks!