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.
Nothing wrong with that philosophy if it makes you happy, & having any dangerous critters around as real possibility of running into certainly warrants bullet & caliber upgrades.
Today, & for the last 4-5 years, I've loaded more Barnes than anything else........this year I carried a 7-08 with 120 TSX's; except for the use of an occasional 120 BT in the 7-08 for WT deer, I have not loaded a non-premium bullet for hunting in 25 years or so. 270's, 280's & the 7-08 make up almost 100% of the cartridges I use.
But where no mean stuff lives & the game is smallish deer or antelope, for example, in calibers from .24 or so up, C&C bullets will suffice & in those circumstances I won't fault anyone for using them.
MM
