Thanks for the replies guys. Josh, sadly, I don't reload so that option kinda goes out the window. Another reason I chose the Hornet over the .223. Thanks though! Totoe, this may be a shock to you, but in my state there is a .243 minimum on whitetails. And I personally would have to agree that it is unethical to hunt deer with anything less. Nonetheless, I appreciate the NEF vote. I will probably go with it anyways since if it doesn't shoot great, and I attempt to better the rifle and don't, I will still have a couple of hundred dollars in the project. A little easier to chunk than a 5 or 600 dollar experiment that you would depend on shooting great. Thanks for the replies.

"Clutz by Nature, Hospitalized by Fate..."

Pyral