RE: Savage Rifles
I've taken somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 deer with the .243 using Hornady 100 gr Interlock bullets and only had one needing a second shot. Heaviest was a dressed wt of 159 lb. If you like the rifle, and Savage are accurate reliable rifles, get it. If you have a choice though and want the short action, you would probably be better served with the same rifle in 7-08 or 308 for those big NE whitetails.