Originally Posted by
flyinlowe
I've just read from several sources that it is not the ideal caliber does not have the best knock down power for whitetail. Again I am new to rifles so could be wrong. Curious what others think about the .243 for deer.
Well having personally seen LOTS of deer taken with the .243 I can tell you from an educated and non biased standpoint that the little ole .243 is plenty of gun to take whitetails. They aren't armor plated. As I stated previously, with many of today's bullets, it is an exemplary round to use for whitetail. If you don't reload your own, and I am assuming you don't being as you are new to rifles, there are quite a few factory cartridges specifically for whitetail deer on the market that you should try and see if your rifle likes (that's if you end up getting one). Here are just a few
http://www.hornady.com/store/243-Win...rLock-BTSP-AW/ I'm a big hornady fan so of course that's first
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/338...moly-box-of-20
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/290...in-power-point
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/156...tail-box-of-20
Now that's just a FEW that are DEDICATED whitetail deer cartridges designed with them in mind. I personally would suggest if/when you decide, if on a .243, you get a barrel with a twist rate of 1:9 to stabilize the 95-105 grain bullets that are designed for whitetail.
The .243 meets and well exceeds every one of your requests. Light recoil, capable of downing whitetail with ease, most every rifle manufacturer makes them and they can be found in lightweight packages or longer range heavy rigs built for the bench. Ammo is easily found all over the country in every walmart and they make rounds for varmint as well as whitetail so the round is versatile.
Put your shot where it's supposed to go and you will have meat at the end of the hunt.