Thanks for the great response Wolf. About the .243 from what info I can gather going from a 20" barrel to a 15" barrel you will lose about 150 fps with an 80 gr bullet and about 250 fps with a 100 gr bullet.(
https://rifleshooter.com/2016/04/243...h-on-velocity/)
Back in my younger years many many moons ago all I had was a Savage 110LH in .243. I killed dozens of deer with that rifle and a couple hundred groundhogs. That rifle was like an extension of me and all I ever shot out of it was Hornady Interlock 100 gr RN bullets. I only ever had one deer not drop at the first shot and what I surmised after examination was a faulty bullet that shattered when it hit the shoulder bone. But the second shot while it was running away broke both shoulders and I watched him do a somersault through the scope. My favorite load was 40.5 gr of IMR4350 under that Hornady.
Because the .243 is used I can get a better deal than new. Then I just may take NoMercy's advice and get me a 338 Federal barrel for it.