Depends on a lot of stuff.
I have a friend that swears by the 243 for elk. He hunts with a rifle like he hunts with his bow. No shot till the elk is blowing snot in his face. This individule also regularly shoots 85% or above on our Department qualification course.
If you hunt in this manner & use a good heavy for caliber bullet then OK, otherwise absolutely not..
If you are looking for a light recoiling accurate round for smaller statured folks, the 6.5x55 Swede is one of the great secrets of the shooting world. The 7x57 is another. Of course using heavy for caliber bullets & Practicing with your round being used 'till personal limitations are established & then not exceeded.
Another thought to keep in mind, going too big & scareing the shooter with the noise & rrecoil is counterproductive. I remember reading a comment by a professional guide something to the effect that he would much rather see his hunter with a well used 30/06 than with a unblemished big magnum. ( he was speaking of big bears & such). The idea of course is that a well placed small caliber bullet works better than a missed shot with a big one.
I think there is someone on the board whose "signature" reflects that.
