The .243 was intended to be a varmint rifle, why people insist on hunting deer with it is beyond me. Use a cartridge that reliably produces quick humane kills and save the .243 for ground hogs, coyotes and such vermin. Deer deserve to be dispatched more humanely.
The .243 is plenty of gun for deer. My first 8-9 seasons of hunting my brother and I shared a .243 and the deer had instantly fatal reactions to it. I still take the rifle out from time to time just for nostalgia. Good thing the deer didn't know that a .243 is insufficient.
