I have used one on summer permits (shooting deer in the corn fields) and my six year old son currently uses one. Itis not my#1 choice in a deer rifle but under the right conditions it is an effective caliber for deer. Me and my son let several bucks and does walk this year because they never gave him the right shot. A gun is only as good as the person behind it. My best friend and his father use one for there main deer rifle and have always had good luck with them. His father even took it to Maine bear hunting and took a bear with it.