I am getting an old Sako forester in .243 Rick, but I have done similar moves as you are doing. I have killed a lot of varmints and deer, exotics with small cartridges, i.e .221 Fireball, 22-250, 22-250 AI, 220 Swift, and the 224 TTH for the 22s. Don't own a one now, ha. Been there, done that. I love and used the 240W, the 6mm/284, 6mm Remington, 6mm Bullberry ( 6mm/30-30 Improved) and the .243. I also had a 27" barrel 6x47 made up ( 6mm/222 Magnum) and the 85 XBT was going a tad over 2900fps, very mild report in the jewel. I killed an axis doe, a big axis buck and a Scimitar horned Oryx with, essentially, a .243! ha. That was awhile back. I'm not getting this .243 primarily for deer but for shooting rocks, coyotes and the "occasional" muley or antelope and for Texas deer. I am getting my 7x57 Mod 70 FWT set up as my "main squeeze" with my 338 WinMag as a thumper. I like to take two rifles on any hunt trip, just in case one gets gilflirted...so for deer, its the .243 and the 7x57; for elk, hogs and such, its the 7x57 and the 338. I "right now" have an old JC Higgins Mod 50 in .270 that is in limbo. It "may" get sold it may get rebarreled! Nothing wrong with a hot .22 and the right bullets, especially on Texas deer! have a ball.
