[JLA]

Anyone whos ever shot a deer knows that almost everything in overkill for deer. The .243 in my mind is as close to ideal as you can get because it shoots flat, has a goodly amount of energy transfer and the bullets are just light enough to stop inside the deer most of the time. Anything bigger and more powerful is going to pass clean thru and keep going.

Among the perfect deer rounds/rifles IMO are .357 mag levergun, .44 mag levergun, .45 colt levergun. .223 rifle with barnes TSX bullets 53 gr or heavier, .22-250 with same barnes bullets, .243 with bullet heavier than 80 gr., 6mm rem with same 80 gr or heavier, 7.62X39 with any SP bullet, .30-30 with any SP bullet.

If you shoot anything more powerful than these cartridges listed, bullet choice is not as important as shot placement as most any bullet from the more powerful rounds will pass right thru a deer.