I do not think there is a finer "light rifle" short action cartridge out there. The 308 has withstood the test of time, and will be here long after the short fat magnum craze of this world have faded to"oh-yea" memories. (I think the only one of those that will remain standing is the 270 WSM.)

I started my youngest son target shooting with my 223 bolt action varmit rifle so he would get used to the loud noise and no recoil. When he "came of age"he moved up to a 308 without flinching problems or a fear of recoil.

My youngest son shoots a Remington Model 600, it has an 18.5 inch barrel and it has a Leupold Vari-XII 3x9x40 mounted on it.

This year he was itching to "step-up" to his big brother's custom M98 chambered in 280 since he was not able to come hunting this year. The younger son ditched the longer barreled rifle in the cabin after1 day of hunting and having to work harder to get thru the timber and brush than he did with the M600. He figured out for himself that the "big long guns" are not all that they are cracked up to be.

During Christmas shopping trips to GI Joes, we looked at some of the 22 and 24 inch barreled bolt action rifles out there, and he was not interested, he liked his 308 as is. Personally I was drooling at the mouth over a Rem M700 CDL in 308. What a beauty.

The 243 has demonstrated that it will withstand the test of time; I presume this is because it heavily marketed in the youth hunter models and popular with short armed ladies too. But if we are honest, many of us hold our breath when we with someone taking a shot with a 243 and pray for good bullet expansion and performance.

I have found that I never worry about this when my son is taking a shot with a 308 150gr Spitzer. It is a very efficient deer killing machine. If the deer is broadside and within 300 yds, it is there for my youngest son's taking if he so chooses. No doubts - no worries.