Blackwater,
I agree with your basic premise that standard bullets at standard velocities (3,000 and below -- except for the 25-06 and 270 which have standard bullets designed for their greater velocitiy) kill deer more quickly than premium bullets at standard velocities. With magnums I would simply go to a premium bullet or go up in traditional softpoint weight to obtain a similar result.
I think the following points can be made beyond reasonable debate:
1. The only sure kill comes from a sufficient "permanent" wound channel.
2. If you can obtain more bullet expansion and still have sufficient penetration (traditional softpoints) the deer kills will usually be much quicker.
3. Hydraulic shock and the temporary wound cavity are a bit unpredictable in their results and hard to quantify, but they are more likely to occur with more rapidly expanding bullets.
4. When a bullet ceases to expand (like a premium with a bulkhead) and shed a certain amount of weight, the wound channel also starts to narrow down.
5. The difference in wound channels of traditional softpoints and premiums on deer are similar to the differences between big game soft points and varmint bullets on small game.
Anyway that is the way I see it based upon my experience.
