The 243 can't begin to touch the 7mm-08 and 308 for effectivness on medium size game. I have dressed out and processed every deer I ever killed so I have seen all the tales of the tape so to speak. There is no magic rifle or magic pill. The 243 is a good rifle which is on the smaller end of deer calibers. Nothing more and nothing less. I learned that and moved on to much better all around calibers.