There's no one perfect cartridge
I use a semi auto sks with soft points. Always takes down a buck in one shot.
Not really a fan of bolt action rifles.
I was going to point that out. An SKS or AK (or .30-30) is good for deer and hogs out to 200 yards if you do your part. That's why I asked about the range they planned on taking shots. If you're in brush and won't shoot farther than 150 yards, a .243 or .308 is money wasted, IMO.