I have loaned my Ruger M77/357 rifle to two young hunters, the 10 year old son of one friend and the 11 year old grandson of another, to take their first deer. I provided them with handloads using the 158 gr. XTP-HP over 15.0 grs. of H110. One boy took a spikehorn buck at 60 yards and the other took a nice doe at 90 yards. Both deer were hit tight behind the shoulder, both were pass throughs with exit holes about an inch across, and both deer were found dead within 50 yards. This particular rifle/bullet combination seems quite adequate for deer out to 100 yards. I would expect it to work fine out of a revolver to at least 50 yards as well.
