The Bitterroots, like Woodleighs, didn't penetrate super-deeply because, again, they expanded widely.
Bob Hagel explained that in his book, GAME LOADS AND PRACTICAL BALLISTICS, which probably made more hunters aware of the advantages of controlled-expansion bullets than any other single source. It was published in 1978, back when Bitterroots and Nosler Partitions were the only reasonably available premium bullets in America, and Hagel had done considerable testing of both bullets in media and big game. He firmly stated Partitions would out-penetrate Bitterroots of the same weight and caliber, because Partitions opened into a narrower mushroom.
In fact, I'd rather use 286 Partitions when desiring deep penetration from my 9.3x62 than 250 TSX's. Heavier, larger-caliber Partitions are designed to retain at least 75% of their weight, even if they lose all the front core, and usually retain 85-90%. As a result 286 Partitions penetrate somewhere between the depth of 250 and 286 TSX's.
