Hello again frizz,
just a friendly reply to let you know i called sierra today at about 1:00 and they told me the same story they did several years ago....they recommend the 85 grain H.P.B.T. GAME KING(designed for deer) in preference over their own 100 grain GAME KING bullets for the same reasons they gave me the fist time i called them...of course,that doesnt indicate to me that the bullets you yourself use wouldnt be very good ones as well ..I think you said 100 grain Game Kings were the ones you use....and even if the 85 grainers kill a little bit quiker...big deal...as long as they hold together well on impact, i would tend to think the 100 grainers would generally be a little more reliable overall.even if you had to walk an extra 20 yds to find your deer....anyhow....,i dont think .243 is a bad caliber for deer sized game....I am a deer sized game,and i sure wouldnt want to be sshot by a .243 rifle....however,i personally and no b.s. involved ,lost one deer...a nice buck,shot at close range with .243 100 grain winchester power points....now you can argue as long as you want, that i didnt hit him correctly,but i tell you for sure i shot him mid chest, broadside behind the shoulder...a standing shot and he ran off ..i found him wounded, but he ran again and i was unable to get a clear shot again due to the heavy cover...then my daughter shot a doe ..perfect shot again..mid chest,behind the shpoulder..found 300 yds away....broken ribs on the surface....so yes, if you are going to use just any old bullet, .243 isnt minimal......,it ought to be outlawed for deer, ...i never had this problem with larger calibers)...but if you have good sturdy bullets it is a very potent deer killer...I WOULD NEVER USE A VARMINT BULLET IN .243 FOR DEER..PERIOD..END OF STORY!!!!