Not everyone, including me. I feel that the .243, .260 Rem, and 7mm-08, and the .308 Win itself, are all fine cartridges. Your experience indicates that it can be done, and done well. I guess my issue is that if one is planning on taking long shots on game, that they should factor that into their cartridge selection. The .243 Win worked for you with your long shot, but I'd bet you didn't take the .243 out of the safe that morning planning to make that shot either. It happened, and your knowledge of your rifle and your marksmanship skills allowed you to make a clean kill.

One would not (wisely) pick a 16oz claw hammer for a job thats suited to a 6lb sledge. Nor would they use a pile driver. The same logic applies to selecting a cartridge based on the intended application. If you want to take long shots, choose a rifle and cartridge suited to that purpose. It is my opinion that the .243 is not intended for long range work against deer. The little 6mm bullet doesn't retain much energy out past 300 yards, and with the marginal sectional density there's no guarantee that it'd get through a deers shoulder. The 7mm-08 is much better suited to longer ranges, because while the trajectory is similar, the 7mm bullet will have a lot more energy when it gets there than its 6mm cousin.

Mike