I shot some jackrabbits with 158 grain XTPs from a Marlin 1894. The rabbits blew up leaving a giant hair cloud drifting in the breeze. I definitely would not go any lighter than 158s on deer and would prefer 180s. With 158s I would be tempted to download a bit to keep the velocity in a range where the bullets don't expand so much they want to come apart.

Personally, I cheat. I have a few boxes of the old, discontinued 180 grain handgun partitions cached away.

Tom

Anyone who thinks there's two sides to everything hasn't met a M�bius strip.

Here be dragons ...