The .243 has become my primary deer rifle. I have shot 11 deer between 70-280 yards and never had one need a second bullet. I always used the Sierra 100gr SBT either hand loaded or in the federal premium loading. Of those deer 5 where shot clean thru both shoulders and I have yet to recover a bullet. I shot all those deer in michigan and average weight was 120-135lbs. One was a large doe that dressed at 160lbs and one was a nice 7pt that dressed at 174lbs, its nice having a hog scale to check weights. The load I used was a 100gr Sierra gameking SBT at 2850fps out of my short barreled browning eurobolt w/bossCR. 4 of those deer where shot past 200 yards the remaining 6 between 100-150 yards, and one at 70. I have found the .243 ability to kill all out of perportion to its size. There isn't the deer made that will take a good 100gr .243 bullet in the vitals and not die quick.