If you're a Smith then changing out barrels isn't as big deal...
6.5-300 weatherby will get a 140gr vld to 500 yard with a little over 20 inches of drop at 500 and hit with more energy than a .30-30 at point blank, still moving around 2500fps. It'll probably eat barrels, but for the hunter that wants flat trajectory over anything else, that's the person they had in mind for it.
http://www.weatherby.com/6-5-300-wby-mag.html