Pappy348 have a valid point there with the size of the animals. First of all I have to say that I have never hunted deer but I see plenty of deer sized animals being hunted each year. I have read deer can weigh more that 400lb and if that is the case a 243 can be a very slow killer on larger animals. Over the years game farmers in South-Africa started banning the use of 243 and smaller cartridges on their farms for a very good reason, because 1000s of animals were wounded only to be found a week later long after hunters have left.

I know probably 50000 guys now wants to tell me that they have never wounded anything with a 243, but the same thing goes for the all the Kudus that were hunted with 222s, it does not make it the ideal choice. At 180m plus the 243 can kill very slowly on light to med game as the light bullet slows down and does not have the energy and speed to make a good wound channel, we have seen this on plenty of Imapala and Blesbuck.

The 243 is still a great cartridge for light game but 400lb is not light.

Pieter

Last edited by m77; 07/01/15.