my 2 cents is go with the 243 and put a good recoil pad on it. then to take it a step further if you reload then you could have a deer and varmint gun. if you go up to the "2009-2010 deer hunting braggin' board" , you will see a picture of a nice mule my roomate took this year with a savage 243. i work up some handloads for this. i also have a 223 that i have for a back up also, but then again i have been shooting it for a long time and ,I WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE USING IT. rember shot placemnt is what counts.

Thanks Mark