While I am an advocate of large calibers and or large projectiles. I can not overlook simple shot placement. No matter what size the projectile, you put that into or through the right place and that animal will die. Maybe not where it stands, but it will go down.

Large caliber roundball work great, but face it... If I knew the shots were going to be 150 yards, they would not be the projectile of choice. I would want something more streamline, fast and something that will get there with still plenty of energy. That is why I understand Sabotloader's position about the distance he "might" encounter and why he would opt for a sabot over a roundball and even a conical.

Now conicals to me are the real fascination. Because of their weight, they can be moving at a much slower speed then other projectiles and still have impressive energy and do impressive damage on animals. I used to shoot large Buffalo Bullet 425 grain conicals many years ago at deer. The reason I stopped was I was causing too much meat damage, and I knew at the distances I was encountering, a simple roundball would do the job just as well. That is one reason I went to the REAL conicals. The smaller one is 300 grain and it does a beautiful job at bringing down deer.

As for the 7mm mag VS the .243, and interesting debate. I have heard it before. Well I never shot a .243 at a deer so I can not comment on them. I have a friend though that swears by a 243. He has done some impressive distance shots. Also, I do not own a .270. Now that was one caliber that I never picked up on, but others have. But I sure shot a lot of deer with a 7mm mag. And,in my younger days, and at some very impressive distances. I never had a deer run off after being hit with one, so I can not say what it would do in a head to head test. For centerfires, that 7mm mag and the old 30-06 were my favorites. Granted, hunting with a 30-30 or a 7.62x39mm is a lot of fun, but if I really neededto fill a freezer and the shots were long distance, I would have my 7mm mag.