I personally haven't had any problems getting deer on the ground with either the 243 or 6MM Remington. I used the 80 gr, Remington SP on a bunch of animals with good results. I preferred the 95 gr. Ballistic Tip and used the 85 grain Partition for a while. But for big moving deer in the thick I would pick a bigger round. If you have tracking snow that would make it better. I have a lot of experience finding deer for others who used 243 rifles. Not all hits were really bad just that the deer went 75 to a 100yards in thick briar brush with thin to very weak blood trails. We lost some.
I would lay money on it that most of those lost were shot with 100 grain bullets.
I don't have any issues with 100s on a high shoulder shot but through lungs I will take the 80-85 grain bullet every time. Those light bullets simply tear the hell out of things when pushed north of 3200 fps.
Partitions give me that super fast initial expansion of the light bullet but that rear base ensures an exit. Haven't busted lungs with them though, simply shoot high forward and eliminate that tracking bullschitt.
