OK, I AGREE WITH SOME PARTS OF ALL THE RESPONSES FROM ABOVE. I CAN GIVE YOU MY REPORT FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH OK. MY PERSONAL DEER RIFLE FOR OVER 10-12 YRS. I HAVE SHOT DEER OUT TO 500 YRDS. WITH IT TOO USING FROM 100 HP, 110 HP, AND 130 GR BULLETS. I CAN SHOOT AND KNOW THIS RUGER MK 2 STAINLESS RIFLE AS WELL AS MY WIFE,LITERALLY). A PERSON WOULD NOT WANT ME FIRING AT HIM WITH IT ANYWHERE I CAN SEE HIM LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY OK, IT'S EASY TO SHOOT TO ME AND HANDLE AND IS ACCURATE AS HELL. BUT THE 25-06 IS ONE OF MY NEXT RIFLES BOUGHT, EITHER THE 25 OR A 204??). BUT LIKE SOMEONE ABOVE SAID IT IS ALMOST THE SAME AS THE .270 TOO. BUT, THE ALL ROUND RIFLE IN MY OPINION NOW IS THE .243 AND I WILL EXPLAIN IT AS WE GO. I HAVE A REM. BOLT ACTION SET UP WITH HANDLOADS SHOOTING 58 GR. HORNADY BULLETS FOR VARMINTS, AND BOY DOES IT DO IT'S JOB AND DO IT WELL. IT SHOOTS A LIL FARTHER OUT THAN A .223,MY NEXT FAVORITE RIFLE MADE) FOR VARMINTS. SO, HERE'S MY STORY ABOUT THE .243. WHEN I WAS A KID ABOUT 9-10 OR CLOSE YRS. OLD MY DAD BOUGHT AN OLD .243 REM. M788 IN .243 FROM A PAWN SHOP BECAUSE HE JUST MAINLY HUNTED BECAUSE OF ME. HE BOUGHT ME A NICE MARLIN 336CS 30-30,WHICH I STILL HAVE). HE HAS SHOT I WOULDN'T KNOW HOW MANY DEER WITH THIS RIFLE OUT TO ABOUT 400 YARDS I THINK IS THE FARTHEST. NOW, WHOEVER SAID IT DON'T HAVE DEER POWER, WELL I DISAGREE, BECAUSE IVE SEEN THE PROOF AND THE PUDDING AND ATE IT TOO. I WAS WATCHING WHEN HE CRACKED AT A DOE AT 400 YARDS AND IT HIT THE GROUND ABOUT THE SAME TIME I HEARD THE GUN GO OFF. HE HAS KILLED SO MANY DEER IN THE PAST 23-25 YRS. I CAN'T COUNT AND HE USES THE WALLY WORLD 100 GR. POINTED SOFT POINT BULLET IS ALL HE HAS EVER USED,BECAUSE IT'S THE CHEAPEST). HE'S ONE THAT COULD CARE LESS ABOUT DEER HUNTING, LIKE I SAID HE WENT TO TAKE ME WAS THE ONLY REASON. NOW I'M A TRUE BELIEVER ON THE .243 WITH DEER BECAUSE IVE SEEN A BUNCH SHOT WITH IT, AND I'D HAVE TO SAY THAT 3/4 HAVE FALLEN RIGHT IN THEIR TRACKS. BUT, ONE REASON FOR THIS IS HE IS A DEAD-EYE-DICK, NO MISSES WITH THIS MAN. HE MAKES PERFECT SHOTS. BUT, THASS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT RIGHT??? A QUICK, CLEAN KILL. THE .243 HAS LESS RECOIL AND WILL WORK FOR VARMINTS AS WELL AS DEER. TRUST ME I'VE ROLLED A GOOD NUMBER OF WOODCHUCKS AT 100-400 YRDS WITH IT AND THE 58 GR. BULLET. AND, DAD USES THE 100 GR. FOR DEER AND IT WORKS WELL. AND IN MY OPINION WITH A YOUNGSTER, THE LESS RECOIL WILL MAKE FOR A BETTER SHOT TOO. I OWN SEVERAL RIFLES AND LIKE I SAID I'M PROBABLY GONNA BUY A 25-06 NEXT OR THE .204 I DONT KNOW WHICH JUST YET. P.S.- BY THE WAY, SHOOT A COYOTE AT 200-250 WITH A 58 GR. BULLET AND THE .243 AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS, AND NONE OF MINE HAVE BEEN SHOT UP EITHER LIKE THE ABOVE RESPONSE SAID ABOUT THE 25-06....BUT BOTH ARE GREAT....THERE ARE A # OF RIFLES TO DO EVERY TYPE OF HUNTING TODAY, AND MORE AND MORE TYPE BULLETS COMING OUT ALL THE TIME. BUT IF I HAD TO BUY 1 FOR BOTH IT WOULD BE THE OLE .243. DAD'S REM. M788 IS LIKE NEW AND HAS A LEUPOLD 4-12 POWER SCOPE AND HE HAS SAID SEVERAL TIMES HE WOULD QUIT HUNTING B4 HE CHANGED RIFLES. HE HAS SAID QUOTE "WHEN I DIE, I WILL HAVE THIS SAME OLE GUN IF SOMEONE DON'T STEAL IT FIRST".....OH WELL THASS MY TALE OK, IM A FIRM BELIEVER OF THE OLE .243...AND REMEMBER IVE SEEN WHAT IT WILL DO NOT JUST HEARD TALES, AND ALSO HELPED PROCESS AND EAT WHAT THAT OLD GUN HAS BROUGHT IN......HOPE THIS HELPS YOU.....PAUL.
