Jeff,
Of course other factors have an effect as well, such as velocity. My guess would be that 185 VLD's at a typical .308 muzzle velocity just aren't going to do the amount of damage as when started at higher velocity.
The Berger kills in my notes are with bullets at higher muzzle velocities. Many are with the 185 .30 but only from the .30-06 at 2800 and the .300 Winchester at around 3050. The other Bergers have been started at velocities in the 2900-3000 fps range, whether 115's from the .257 Roberts, 140's from the 6.5-06, or 168's from the .30-06.
I've found Tipped TSX's (or other monos) to kill quickest when relatively light small-diameter bullets are started fast, and I don't mean 3000 fps but as much over that as possible. Eileen and I have had very good luck, for instance, with the 90 E-Tip at 3400 out of the .240 Weatherby and the 100 TTSX out of the .25-06 at 3350 or the .257 Weatherby at 3550.
At moderate velocities have also had good luck with big, heavy TSX's of at least .33 caliber, again probably because they make bigger holes. Even then, however, have had quicker lung-shot kills, on average, with bullets that lose some weight, say up to 20%. But 20% fragmentation from a bullet of 250 grains amounts to as much shrapnel as a 40% loss from a 125-grain bullet. Of course, big bullets are probably going to be used on game bigger than deer, too.
I need to emphasize that I LIKE Tipped TSX's, and have since they came out. A big percentage of the animals Eileen and I have taken this year were taken with them, though I've also used some Hornady Interlocks and Nosler Partitions. May use something else next month in South Texas. Dunno what it will be yet, but there's always something to learn.
