I have a M77 Compact .243 -awesome little rifle. My kids love it and have shot a pile of deer with it, all dead w/ 100gr core locks.

Most of my life, I felt like you needed more than a .243 - have to admit, I was wrong. For deer sized game...doesn't get much better than that. Almost no recoil, ammo real easy to find. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend one. In most cases, for hunting under 200yds... .243 is a great fit. They are just as dead as the guy with a .30-06, 7mm mag, or .300 mag. And way easier on the shoulder and wallet.

7mm-08, .260 rem... also great rounds. I got a .260 this year...can't wait to shoot some with it. To me, its just about the perfect overall cartridge for deer hunting