SJCbklyn,
Going through the posts, I see you haven't had any comments other than your thread starter here, so I'll relate some info you may find useful regarding your question.
I've killed quite a few deer for over 30 years with the 6mm Rem.(close enough for a .243 Winchester comparison). I've used the same hand-load for all those years, using the 87 grn. Hornady S.P. bullet, exclusively (works too good to change for me). I've found it works very well on deer, no matter what size they are (In My own field tested Opinion).
Depending on the shot, meat damage (I've found) will vary for sure. If shot through the ribs, of course there's blood shot meat, but you just butcher around it; no big deal whatsoever (IMO again). Last year, I killed a really nice 4x4 Whitetail with my 6mm, and it was a low, frontal shot, at around 65-70 yds. That deer was dead before it hit the ground. When field dressing, I found the heart and lungs pretty well messed up, but the bullet never touched anything paunch-wise. Lucky? Maybe, but that's what I like about that particular bullet; it generally comes apart, insuring a quick kill. To me, that's the most important thing.
Through the years, I have made some shots "a little too far back" using the 6mm, and yeah, there's a mess, but it cleans up, and since I do the butchering (my wife does the wrapping and grinding) she makes quite sure everything that I bring to her to package is quite clean, and smells good, too. Our system works quite well.
I'd like to relate one more little story here regarding my Ruger 77, 6mm Rem. that took place out on some BLM ground I hunt mulies on. My youngest son and I were out there looking for bucks, and were on our way home after the morning's hunt. We hadn't seen anything other than does, which was/still is, a bucks only area. My son had his new 700 ADL in '06 on this hunt, and hadn't shot it much since he got it. It was untried in the field at that point. I had my Ruger, which he had shot quite a bit, and like it quite well. Well, we crested this rise, and looked down in the draw there, and there was two 4x4 mulie bucks standing there feeding about 150 yds. from us. I told my son to take the first shot, which he did, and missed. The bucks looked at us and just stood there. I said it was my turn, and of course, I chose the one that looked like the bigger of the two. It dropped at the shot (kneeling), right where he stood. I told my son it was his turn and handed him the 6mm. He knelt, took the shot and dropped that buck where it stood. Both bucks lay there dead, not 10 feet apart. We high-fived, and the work began. That was a grand day, indeed. At that time, my 6mm had a M8, 4x Leupold scope on it.
BTW, I killed my first elk with that same rifle. I was using 100 grn. Rem. factory stuff for that one. I wasn't reloading ammo at that time. That was back in the very early '80's. That elk, a spike, was only around 50 yds. away, looking at me, frontal. I put the cross hairs just below his chin, and dropped him where he stood. I use the '06 for elk these days, but at that time, it was the only rifle I had to use for that particular hunt.
Once again, the .243 Win. or the 6mm Rem. is a very good hunting round for deer, and shot placement is all important, as with any legal caliber for deer. And that 87 grn. Hornady bullet? I got that suggestion from a very successful bench rest shooter/hunter who used a .243 to do most all of his hunting, back when he did hunt (got old and quit hunting). Whether it was elk, deer or antelope, he knew exactly where his bullets were going, and told me that the 87 grn. S.P. was a fine killer, as long as you knew your rifle and shot accordingly. I have found through the years, that he was right.