You have got to be kidding me 500 yards with a 243?? That would be a lottery shot. The scope for that yardage to make shot placement just right for the downward angle and to make sure about the sex of the deer it the season is buck or doe is kind of riskie,lol. The scope would have to be worth more than the gun and likely just as big,lol. Maybe could be done bench shooting but if it's sited in for that, but then if something was 50 yards would shot five feet below a deer or just aim at your foot.

I will stick with my 308 savage 99c lever, with 150 gr. I have taken deer as far as 250 yards, open sites. I have taken too deer to count over my years with this gun. The thing to do, is what ever gun you buy, you buy for a reason, stay with the same gun, love it , treat it well, practice with it , be come one with it and you will become a team, and it all falls into place after that