Others may disagree, but a 243 with the RIGHT bullet is a very adequate deer cartridge. I broke my neck in 2013 and had to switch to a mild recoiling rifle while I recovered. I started loading 85gr Barnes Triple Shock bullets and haven't looked back. I get a pretty big entrance hole and and exit hole the size of a silver dollar. I have other rifles that I could use now, but the 243 works well. I've never lost a deer that I've shot with it. Good Luck!