I've killed quite a few deer with 44 mag lever guns, and a bunch with a 30/30.
Broadside rib shots, they seem to run a little further using the 44 mag and 240 soft points or the Hornady 240 XTP. They're very dead, and great blood trails.
The 30/30, with either 150 or 170 grain FP, seems to shorten up the blood trails a little.
Huh, I could have written that myself. My experience is exactly the same.
