As I've mentioned before, I used a 30-30 before my 243 and while I was a lot more experienced hunter, I've lost 1 with the 243, which I later found. It was a shot I shouldn't have taken, but it was lethal, I just needed to look another 50 feet

The 243 is more than enough for deer in Texas. I have shot white tail mule deer and axis with mine and I have never lost a deer with it. Some shots out to 350 yards.

I don't see how anyone can blame a .243 for not generating pass-throughs. Velocity and bullet construction are what generate pass-throughs. Too much velocity, or too thin a jacket will result in failure to pass through the deer. Neither had anything to do with the .243 itself. I get pass-throughs with a .222. Killing instantly without, hitting bone, rarely happens with bullet/velocity combinations that result in a pass-through. The primary advantages of a pass-through are improved blood trails, and a faster bleed out if the deer didn't die from shock. Unless you hit bone, it is difficult to generate enough shock to kill instantly while still achieving a pass-through. Again, it's about bullet/velocity combination. I can achieve a pass-through on a WT with a .222 between 80 and 200 yards, and i can prevent a pass-through on a coyote between 0 and 150 by changing bullet weight and construction.

killed my first deer with one and almost every other one after that doesnt blow the meat to hell and very accurate. And i agree with homeboy some peoples ego tells them they have to have a elephant gun to shoot anythang

.243 is a GREAT round.