ORIGINAL: James B

The Barnes loads show the 243 @500 yds @ 1943 fps
The Barnes load for the 30-06 @ 500 yds 1967 fps.

Using the best bullet and load for many cartridges , the 243 does not have much if any velocity advantage. No it doesnt have the advantage but it's not at a disadvantage either. The 243 also lacks the frontal area and bullet weight to compare with larger capacity cartridges. It has what much larger bores do, SD, Velocity, good expansion. There is nothing magic about any cartridge. Your right for once, a bullet through the vitals is a dead deer. Powder capacity, This is where your wrong, small cartridges can achieve what larger cartridges can do, small cartridges burn efficiently giving great ballistics with half the powder, take the WSSM's for instance.bullet frontal area , bullet weight, velocity and ME combine to do the job. Yes, except for ME it has no bearing on killing. Velocity is but one side of a five sided fomula. It is the root of the formula, it is the key ingridient.The 45-70 which certainly lacks high velocity will do the job just as will a 270 not at 400 yds, and that is what were talking about, long distance with both velocity and fair bullet weight. 30 caliber bullets of 150 grains and up expand well at 308-30-06- 300 Win Mag velocities. The 180 and 200 grain bullets expanded well at 30-40 krag velocities. Velocity helps bullets expand but most good hunting bullets will have plenty of expansion at velocities of 2500 fps or moreso what happens at 500yds when velocity is around 2000 fps I have seen it for fifty years plus. I have no intention of making a 15 page debate on this subject again. It is MY OPINION that the 243 is on the light side for any big game.Tell that to roskoe who took an elk at 500+ yds with a wild cat 6mm Small whitetail and pronhorn are an exception and I have used it with marginal success on these critters. For big game I will always lean toward the 25 caliber and up. An animal wouldnt know the difference in .01 frontal area or 15 gr. of lead, thats not even the size of a .177 pellet, do you know how much 15 gr. is ? that is just silly. I have used them all a lot and thats been my findings. I have been using the .243 for 20+ years and it does whatmuch largercalibers can do, sometimes even better. Good Hunting. To you too.