I can't speak about Ireland ejg but I'm not so sure about shooting standards in the U.K. .
I've witnessed some pretty dreadful shooting when shooters are put to the test. The problem being that many never learned to shoot properly in the first place and many never practice. I've come across a few shooters who weren't confident or should that be competent to take a shot at 50 yards from any other position than on their bellies using a bipod.
Here are some that the OP could cite and which are freely accessible:
Performance of lead vs lead free bullets in ballistic soap http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0102015
Lead fragments in carcasses http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0005330
Efficacy of bullets on culling deer https://www.researchgate.net/public...on_Anonymous_Field_Records_from_Deer_Stalkers
He could also contact Mungo on here who is analysing data from SD members on terminal effects across species and calibres.
Perhaps even willingness to practice is an issue too JCS.
How often have you heard a shooter say something like - "I don't or I can't shoot targets, I just do it for real"?
Responses have been good and to satisfy the concerns of some its well balanced....
No 8
[TABLE="width: 517"]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 3"]Would you like to see the legal minimum ballistic energy requirements for stalking / culling Red Deer raised?[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Answer Options[/TD]
[TD]Response Percent[/TD]
[TD]Response Count[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Yes[/TD]
[TD]21.1%[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]No[/TD]
[TD]36.8%[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]No, we just need educate people through the shooting press and shooting organizations.[/TD]
[TD]36.8%[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]None of the above, I think...[/TD]
[TD]5.3%[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 2"]answered question[/TD]
[TD]19[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 2"]skipped question[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
There's also research ongoing into bowhunting as an option in the UK.
Lets not get our knickers too twisted just yet. 243 is plenty big enough. A badly placed 50 cal round will create a runner just as much as any other cal.
Perhaps even willingness to practice is an issue too JCS.
How often have you heard a shooter say something like - "I don't or I can't shoot targets, I just do it for real"?
Interetsingly, I was talking to my local RFD the other day - he said that they are getting more and more requests from people asking them to zero their rifles, often stating that they either don't have the ground, time or in some cases both to do it. I don't know whether it's me or not but I'm of the school of many years airgunning when it really proves dividends to practice a little more that shoot!
Practice makes perfect. I practice a fair amount, but still not enough. As a young lad with an air rifle, I used to hit everything I tried to. Great target practice was shooting wasps on the pears and plumbs on the trees in the garden (against a wall, I hasten to add!).
id never want to rely on a rifle somebody else had zeroed.