For kids, wife, and you... plus deer at 200y or less seems like a 223 would be an absolute blast. Wouldn't even worry about the 75gr AMAX, yet. Deal with that later.
Like this idea myself. Even saw some 223 cat-fart loads in the Hodgdon manual. Not sure how accurate, but would be a heck of a way to get the kids going if jumping from rimfire to centerfire is too much. And, in the same rifle they'll shoot the real loads. Probably just need a few to make the transition.
Had a Salvage in 243 with milk-jug stock that I bought just for the action. Before dismantling it, I shot a few boxes for why-not. Was actually surprised by how much recoil it had! Was expecting less, much less. Not a heavy kicker of course, but more obnoxious that I thought it would be with factory ammo. Had a lightweight 300 Win Mag fetish at that time so I was not recoil shy either.
I think that ~6.25lb Salvage 243 would be too much for many smaller kids and probably many women especially from prone or in volume. Even if it weren't, I don't see how anyone could argue that they'd not shoot more in 223. Once my boys are old enough, I want them shooting buckets of 223. Not just 10 or 20 rounds of 243.
A 243 Kimber will be much nicer than that Salvage by a mile, but it will still be over 1-lb. lighter. A 223 just seems to make more sense for what you want/need.
