I like my .243 Win I have it in a Savage modle 11 - I originally bought the gun for coyotes with the option to use it when I get to go to PA for Deer hunting. Until just this year I was not allowed to use rifle for deer in the area I hunt in Western NY. Now that they have opened it up for rifle I have considered either modifying my varmint rig (.243 Win Savage Model 11 - harris bipod and 6x18 bushnell scope) I figure if I am going to use the gun for deer instead of my 12 gauge Rem 870 I will have to tone down the scope a little to maybe a 2x7 or 3x9 - I use the .243 year round on woodchucks, coyotes, fox, deer - so I am very comfortable with the gun - I used federal 100 grain ammo on everything so i get a feel for accuracy at different yards - I can consistently take a woodchuck at 300 yards and feel very confortable on yotes out to 400 yards. I try to stay within 200 on deer though and even 200 yards is a little iffy depending on the situation. I just don't want to wound an animal and have it go off suffering.

Some people worry about too much pelt damage with the .243 but with the 100 grain ammo I have used i noticed that I really don't get excessive pelt damage to bullet seems to hold together nicely on yotes and I get all the penetration and expansion I need on deer. I have noticed when experimenting with different loads that if I use a 75 grain or even 55 grain bullet I get more pelt damage because the bullet still passes through the animal but expands more rapidly leaving a larger exit hole.