Theres more to a hole in an animal than just the size of the bullet. Bullets leave a wake in there path called wound channels, these are usually asociated with energy but velocity plays a part too. Thats why some super high velocity small bullets leave bigger wound channels than a slower moving bigger bullet. Like say a 22-250 compared to a .45.
If some of your theory's were correct (which there not) a .45 acp would be better than a 30-30. A .45 diameter compared to .308, 240gr compared to 150. But the fact is the 30-30 has more velocity and energy making it the better choice, also leaving bigger wound channels.
The fact is the faster smaller bullet with more energy leaves more destruction to tissue. And yes a pass through is always better (well most of the time) A 22lr going through a deer would not leave the destruction say a 270 not going through, but yes a pass through equalls more of a wound channel and more bleeding, 1 1/2 lungs is not better than a full pass through on both lungs, (depending on which calibers were comparing of course). Also a 30-30 at 200 yds with only 1600fps and 850 ft lbs will probably not mushroom very much, if at all. So say the diameter of .308 not mushroomed will be smaller than a .24 at full mushroom, flying in at 2500 fps it will leave a bigger wound channel, specially with a pass through veres not.
Also the pass through I was mentioning earlier was in reference to someone saying that the .243 bullet doesnt hold together, thats bull because it does, pass throughs verify this.

Shoot a man in the gut with a .45. 10 bucks says he'll make it to a hospital to have the bullet removed and live another day to tell about it. Shoot the same man in the gut with a 22-250 and he'll die pretty much instantly , no bullet to remove because it has taken his gut and pushed them out through his spine.
Comprende ?

Wound channel=energy=velocity.
Energy is derived from velocity.
Just because you have a bigger bullet doesnt mean more wound channel, you have to push that bullet faster. Like say a 30-06 compared to a .243. The '06 has a 150gr bullet traveling the same speed as the 100 gr .243, in this case the 150 gr has more energy'= bigger wound channel
Now compare that same 150 gr in a 300 mag to a 30-06, more velocity, same gr. but now has more energy= even bigger wound channel
Comprende ?

Not totally. My expectation, and of course it's only an expectation, is that the bullet manufaturer takes into consideration the speed and energy of a particular cartridge when it designs how quickly it mushrooms. So is it possible that they would design two bullets of different caliber tomushroom similarly while passing through an animal? If that were the case since the 30-30 is a larger diameter the wound channel would be bigger.
As far as a 22-250 and a human. Im not sure the guts would be pushed at all.
I'm new at hunting and I can not say I am talking from experience. (only 2 shots with a 30-30 at deer). Both pass throughs by the way but in no way is that a lot of ecxperience.
I am only speaking from what I read

Well if thats true then the 30-30 would have a bullet that fragments easier than the .243 making it worse for you you brush busters.

Huh??? Say what?

Zrex, I think you're fixated/obsessed with velocity, and looking at the temporary wound cavities which can be quite large - and yes, generally get larger with higher velocities (but, not always). That's okay. There's those that adhere to the high velocity school, and others that like larger calibers/projectile mass. There's so many theories on killing power out there that you could argue this stuff for years - and never come to a conclusion that all can agree on.
I sometimes like to think of it this way; would you rather get hit with a baseball going
90mph, or a bowling ball going 50mph. For sure, if that dang bowling ball goes thru ya'
it's going to leave a bigger hole in ya'.
Generally, greater mass/bullet weight equates to better penetration (momentum involved here). Push it faster, and all the better, but velocity and energy ain't everything. If it were, heck, we might could use a 220Swift for pachyderms.
There was one theory I came across that held bigger bullets at low/moderate velocity killed better due to the time the projectile spent in the quarry/target. Sort of the opposite of all that hydrostatic shock stuff.
In the end, probably just best to go with what has been proven to work best by those
who do the most shooting/hunting. The 30/30 has been knocking off deer and black bears (and bigger stuff, too) for a lot longer than I've been around, and I suspect it will keep doing so long after you and I are gone.
I'm not knocking the 243Win., but within 150yds., I'll put my trust in a bigger, heavier bullet, thank you very much.
BTW, folks that get gut shot with a 45ACP - they very often die! Check out any study of
law enforcement weapons, stopping powers, etc.

Dont you understand, velocity is everything.
Like I said before compare a 30-30 to a 300 mag both are shooting a 150 gr bullet, but whats gonna do more damage ? The Mag of course. Why.... VELOCITY!
VELOCITY=ENERGY=WOUND CHANNEL.
Remember a woundchannel is not the hole but the disruption of tissue around that hole. bullets leave a wake, just like a boat, this wake is the wound channel, not just the little hole.
This is simple stuff.

What would you rather have in your hands if a cape buffalo were charging you, a .50 caliber 335 gr muzzle loader or a 150 gr 300 winchester mag ?

No offense there zrex, but you need to take a course/study ballistics and wound channels. Look up temporary cavity vs. permanent. Velocity is NOT everything.
But heh, you believe in it, that's okay. Some folk believe in Santa and the tooth fairy too!
If it were all as simple as you insist it is, then how come all the experts are still arguing about it, and have been for years. Guess we can end this debate, and just refer all the
ballisticians to you
Oh, and like the wake of a boat, wound channels, the temporary ones, close back in.
Like the wake dissappears, so too the temp. wound cavities.

I,m not saying a 22-250 is better than a 416 remington mag because it's faster. I'm saying you cant just chunk a big ol piece of lead out there at a 1000fps and say its gonna be better than a smaller faster bullet.
A 416 rem mag is pushing a 400 gr bullet at 2500 fps second, with 5000 ft lbs of energy, that some serious umph, why ? VEOCITY!
A 45-70 is pushing the same 400 gr bullet at only1300 fps second with only1500 ft lbs of energy, why ? no velocity.

This is a quote from a web site.

Ok now being gut shot with a 45ACP, and make it to the hospital and live to tell about it???? First off I would not wish for any man to be shot with a 45ACP or any other firearm for that matter over a $10 bet thats for darn sure. Zrex does this mean that a 22cal is capable of more distruction than a 45ACP because it's a faster round??? I see your point regaurding that Muzzle Velocity and Muzzle Energy are important factors, however to say that bullet wieght, expansion and retention after striking it's target does not mean anything is going to be a hard one to sell. Like I said previously Balistic Charts are a great tool to use however it can't speak for everything and can also misslead a person to think a certain rounds can take down any beast in the world @1000 yards. As far as the 30/30 being a good brush gun? It's a great brush gun do to it's compact size and in the thicket you can move around without getting it hung up as easy as other long guns, not to mention for a quick snap shot, that often happens in thick woods the 30/30s design is a natrual handler in tight spaces that allows you to bring up on target. I would never suggest to anyone to shoot through thick brush with any round for that matter because it's just not responsible to take chances.

CBA, any doctor would rather treat a patient that has been shot with
a larger cal. than a .22cal. You might be shot in the right thigh and it might
come out on your left shoulder. It will not brake bones, just richochet in the
body, causing much damage to your organs. The larger cal. usally go in and
exit out, but could also be fatal depending where the shot went in.