I'm not the guy that works up 15 different loads for a rifle.
One load for deer under 125 pounds shot in eastern woodlots
One load for deer shot in Montana at higher elevations, not to exceed 250 pounds
One load for Key deer, should the season ever open.
When it doubt I'll ALWAYS go on the side of penetration. I also made the switch to Barnes bullets in Alaska. Sure I don't need a premium bullet to kill 180 pound blacktails, but it don't hurt to have when you're hunting around 500 pound animals that can eat you.
Never felt the need to switch, have yet to see little deer die slowly because of Barnes bullets. I haven't shot a deer with a Barnes the previous 2 years but have killed 2 with Barnes this year. As always, the deer died quicker and there wasn't much wasted meat in the shoulder when shot with one.
I know, don't shoot them in the shoulder, only shoot them in the ribs, with the sun at your back.
Again, the cost of premium bullets MIGHT be a consideration if I was shooting 650 animals a year, but I ain't.
