While I love the 30-06 & .308, the 300WM is my favorite. I had my gunsmith build my 300WM. With the tri fin muzzle brake it has far less recoil than my .308's or 30-06's. The only sacrifice is the noise. It is a loud beast.
I would say most would be perfectly satisfied with the 308 or 06, after shooting a few round chrono'd in my 300 I fell in love. My loads are not for the faint of heart though. I received a few boxes of the Army/Navy Mk248 Mod1 and realized the potential of the Win Mag. After cloning the rounds I realized why the hype behind them was there.
Don't get me wrong, I shoot steel only, but with my back issues, there is NO way I could shoot the 300 without the brake. My rifle weighs In at around 13 lbs. with Manners T5-A, NightForce, and Harris bipod. I wouldn't want to trek it through the desert or woods very far but to set and hit steel it serves me perfectly.
That being said I still swear the 30-06 is the most versatile caliber I have shot. The 308 is no slouch, but picking the right caliber and rifle is up to the individual.
My next project is a 243 or 6.5 CM.