Deer hunting, on purpose, for a good buck? I want more rifle, because I might get one or two opportunities all season for a good shooter, and he might give me 3 seconds to make it happen and get a bullet in a vital area.
In those situations, it’s not more rifle that I want but more bullet. I’ve driven a fair number of .243 bullets lengthwise through large deer, smashing large bone in the process, and the 80 TTSX and 85 X/TSX have gotten the job done with aplomb.
I've never used TSX's and probably won't. I see no reason when the cheap cup/cores I use in my .30 cals. have been working fine for decades and dozens upon dozens of deer. I've also heard from many people who say that they produce narrower wound channels and can be slow killers with lung shots so you need to shoot bone for quick kills. In fact, I hear the "shoot bone" mantra from TSX users over and over again right here on these forums. Makes sense since a given bullet at a given velocity can ony do just so much damage. You have a choice of a longer narrower wound channel or a shallower, wider channel. I don't always have the option to "shoot bone" due to obstructions and since I don't do ass shots {ain't been that desperate} and as stated before, I get full penetration on hard quartering shots with what I use now, I see no reason for a longer, narrower wound channel and more penetration. Unlike many here apparently, I have no problem and make no apologies for shooting bullets bigger than .24 cal. at deer.
That works, too. Variety is the spice of life.
Having said that, I've not seen one run further than about 100 yards after a good lung shot, and most been much shorter, which is not too different from what you've mentioned using other calibers.
