Choosing The Perfect Bullet For Deer 

In 1948, John Nosler came back from a moose hunting trip and developed the Partition. I bought my first 270 35 years ago, have used the partition every year with many different 270s and I have always found my dear within 50 yards of the impact. My point is that great hunting bullets have been available for many decades and the 270 cartridge is plenty for any deer if you've got a good hunting bullet. And the partition A-frame bullet is all I have ever needed. But I am not going to take a shot on a deer past 250 yd. I'm going to close the gap and I have never shot one past 200. I am very happy within those applications. Thanks, Tom!

I could sit and listen to him talk all day

I learned more from this video than any I’ve watched before. Thanks for putting it together.

Yes, Accubonds are boat-tails. I think they are one of the best all around, various range bullets. Bonded is the way to prevent failures. Good video.

Years ago I bought a .270 pre '64 model 70 Winchester (Jack O'Conner's gun) I was so proud to have it. The 1st deer I ever shot that didn't drop dead in it's track's, before or since was with that cartridge. Remington core-locked 130gr. ammo & the deer stood back up after a shot from 100yds. I sold the rifle after that & have used .30cal. rifle's ever since, just my experience.

I only have one rifle. I bought it (used) from someone during 1995. I've loaded it with all kinds of makes and grains of 30 cal bullets over the years and also wasted alot of money doing so. I now shoot 150gr. Accubonds loaded to a mild 2750 at the muzzle of my Aught Six. Close range up to 300m, I bring em all home. Springbuck, Impala, Kudu, Eland, they all come home with a shot (anywhere) on or around the shoulder, bone or not bone, this load works for me. I've taken a Springbuck, in the eye, during a Karoo hunt at a distance of 230m during typical windy Karoo conditions. Soft on my shoulder, clover leafs at 100m. This load is awesome!

This video is extremely informative. I really like the way you deliver your points in a very easy to understand method. 5 Stars !

Tom. I have saved yr videos. And I can watch them over and over again. I'll agree with you 💯. Yr Information is point on. Thanks again

Great video and this guy seems to know his stuff. You get information from him from his experience. I am a former gun shop owner and hunter and I have shared the same type of information with my customers.

I know where you are coming from on the 270. Back in the 70's the name I gave the 270 was track um down. I have tracked so many deer shot with this caliber then all other calibers combined. Funny, because now I have one and it's my go to deer rifle. It literally smokes them. The bullet technology has come a long way since then. I'm also a big fan of the 243. This caliber is a little different. I'm very selective on the bullets I use and of my shot placement. Of course I apply the same theory to the 270. I've learned over time that it is not the caliber that matters. It's bullets and shot placement. Tom, keep the videos coming. Even us old guys can still learn. Be blessed!!!

I used to reload a few different calibers years ago before my children came along and I enjoyed the research part of reloading. Now, my kids are grown and doing their thing and I am preparing to retire and look forward to reloading my own ammo again. Watching your videos has been an excellent source of information that has refreshed my memory and taught me a lot that I just didn't know back when I was young. Thank you for taking the time to share your excellent experience about " bullets " .

Thank you Tom for sharing ,I did learn much and have been using flat base for our 308 .but target boat tail and am working on what you have brought up,I have much to evaluate ,thanks for the heads up GODBLESS.

I now hunt with a .270. I shoot factory ammo. 130gr Accubond Nosler Trophy Grade. My shots could stretch out to 200 to 300 yards possibly in some situations. I shot my first deer with it this year at 50 yards off a ledge at a downward angle. I shot high shoulder and that buck didn't move an inch. It was like lightning hit it. The bullet itself passed through completely. The lungs were destroyed. The exit wound was not large but it did the job well. At around 3,000fps I was impressed that this bullet could hold together so well at that short distance. High velocity rifles are a new thing for me as I've hunted mostly with .30-30 and 12ga slug guns. I have done a lot of reading on bullet design etc recently and I think for high velocity rifles, as you said, bonded bullets are a must. I've not tried any other bonded bullets from my rifle but that accubond really did very very well for me and the controlled expansion meant nowhere near as much meat damage as a soft point as well. Thank you for the great video. You have an extensive knowledge and I think it will help many new hunters more easily sort through the many rifles we have avaliable for hunting.

Hello Tom, Great video! And a very easy to follow talk on a complicated subject. I ain't the fastest thinker so make things as simple as I can, I just load the 30-06 and 308 with a 150 gr Partition and shoot just about anything with it haha. Your 270 with the Accubond is a very elegant solution to just about any problem too.

Just found your page. I love your videos. Keep up the good work!

I have been a bow hunter for 30 years and never hunt a certain stand unless the wind is right , so 30 30 within 50 yards is my choice and with standard cup and core bullets is deadli , god bless thank you!!

The only bullets I haven’t had problems with are plain Jane soft points. When hornady came out with the lever revolution I was a young man just getting into ballistics. I assumed (yes I know) the external ballistics would carry over terminally. I was probably around 16 and all of a sudden I started experiencing a wounded deer problem. This was after me and my marlin 336 had shot 4 or 5 deer so I was mortified. Years later I read all the articles about the inefficiency of those rounds and I can tell you first hand it’s true. There’s three or four deer that had those rounds blow up on their shoulders requiring tracking and/or follow up shots. I returned to regular old soft point ammo of various manufacturers and sure enough she started dropping deer. That’s my horror story! Thanks so much for the content.

Been using .270 since late 60's, never lost an animal. Reloaded from the beginning so used best bullets of the day, Speer and Sierra, which weren't as good as now

I’ve been hunting with a 257 Roberts for 30 years. It never let me down

Learning so much from your channel ! Tnx !

Was reluctant to watch a 40 minute video. Glad I did! Getting back into hunting at 27 years old and haven't shot a deer or an animal in 10 years since I was 17. Trying to pick a rifle calibre. Thanks a ton! Really helps me make my mind up. It's tough because I have a neck injury that restricts me to lower recoil rifle rounds. Appreciate the info for my search for the perfect round! Take care.

I just subscribed a little while ago, and your channel has a lot of amazing information that other channels don't talk about. Amazing video., Stay Safe .

I used to look at BCS and velocity, balancing both with recoil. Then I switched to 3006 with a round nose and it just plain works.

I think it would be beneficial if you did a video explaining how to set up a rifle/bullet combo for different shooting scenarios. for instance a 308 shot from a stand or where the max distance might be 50ish yards, versus a 308 where the shot might be 100-150 yds. Bullet selection, barrel length etc. that would be a nice part 2 to this discussion

You talk about an ol' grandpa truck. My favorite engine is the Ford 300 straight six. Clifford Performance had or may still have some great parts for inline motors. Turbos on these motors really live'n them up as well! But parts are not only hard to find for the 4.9, but expensive.

I thank you . Your info was as if i was talking to older seasoned uncle or grandfather talking about ....back in the day... thank you again sir........ god bless......

Love your videos you're the real deal

Wow now I understand why some people say they can't ever hit anything with my old Bushmaster 30-06 model. She just needs a little understanding as to what she likes run through her. I was using Federal's 180grain @ 150 yds. and she was 1" low and to the right. I would adjust for drop and couldn't group closer than 2". I think I'll put on new scope and try 150 grain cart. She might like that better. The old scope is a Bushnell 3x9 that was beat up. I learned so much, thank you for sharing your knowledge.

Got caught up in the 6.5 excitement but after using it with 140’s for a few years I am back at 140’s in my Remington 700BDL 270Win…it just works.

This is a amazing video, you can see his experience is immense. The only thing to me is if you are hunting game that is known for long range shots such as big horn sheep and you anticipate shooting the animal at a long range, you would probably have a boat tail bullet. But, what if your hunting and one runs up to you at close range. There is another old saying “ it’s better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it” so with that being said you never know at what range you might see your trophy. So I guess just carry the long range bullet and focus on perfect shot placement if a close shot is available.

Such good common sense. Thank you 😊

The 47th Lyman reloading manual has what they call the Optimum Game Weight table. This advises what the maximum weight of a target animal should be according to the firearm, bullet weight, velocity and distance. When reading their table it will surprise most people at how under gunned they are when they shoot at long distance. For instance looking at a 7mm mag. using a 140 gr. bullet at 3175 fps shouldn't be used for any game weighing more than 332 lbs. at 400 yards or more according to the Lyman Optimum Game Weight.

Great information. Thanks for sharing.

I did not learn anything because I am a smartelic know it all but I like to hear Tom talk.

Good video. I find the terminal ballistics research site quite informative myself.

Great explanation Tom. I can truthfully say that I have a much better understanding bullet performance and a much higher respect for bullet manufacturers. Happy hunting sir!

I have found that the 140gr nosler accubond is one of the best bullets for the .270. Try it out, I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Very informative video thanks for sharing

Very interesting presentation. Stuff I hadn't thought about. Like a lot of hand loaders, I get hung up on B.C. since I shoot paper at 300 yds more often than deer.

This is an old video now, but it just made me think about how certain bullets are made softer than others to shine in certain cartridges over others. I find it funny that most 130 grainers seem to be too soft for the 270 win velocities, yet the 270 win was the reason most of these 130 gr bullets were originally made. Seems to me like the 130s should have been made a little more stout right from the get go.

He’s spot on about expectations. When it comes to quality factory rifles even our budget stuff is coming sub MOMA guaranteed for the most part. When people are sport arising those World War One and two surplus rifles they were always getting the consistent CNC craftsmanship we have these days

I don't have the brain to think about all those variables and hunt at the same time. SOOOO the good old 30-06 and a 150 grain Nosler partition is as good of an all around cartridge I was able to come up with in my situation here in east Tennessee

25:40 "Son, you are gonna drive me to drinkin if you don't quit drivin' that hot rod Lincoln..." Loved that song as a kid. I have fished since 1970. But I was not able to hunt until recently and now I am all et up with it. But I came to choosing the .308 Win from a different line of reasoning. During the 70's it was SOP to train Marine Scout Snipers and even Army DM and Ranger snipers on a version of the Remington 700 short action .308 Win. The Army was the M24 and the Marines was the M40. The reasoning was that a short action and barrel length of 22 inches or less was a light rifle with a weight around 175 gr that would knock down a 200 pound target at 600 yards. Why is that? Well, even today, most snipers are engaging at 800 yards and less. In urban settings, much less, more like police SWAT distances of 100 yards. So, I surmised, that it might be slight overkill but a definite solid hit to choose this round because in my use for deer hunting, I would be hitting a 140 pound buck at about 100 yards or less. So, I am thinking, besides energy, trajectory performance might be a key issue. Is the trajectory flat? Flat trajectories work well for changing fields of fire at unknown distances. So, a varmint hunter does with with a .22-250 and a tactical scope. There is a youtube channel called woodchuckin and that is what he does, rid farm fields of the pests known as woodchucks. He posts on a slightly raised spot, dials for distance and holds over in the reticle for windage. There is some arc you can see in the bullet trace but it allows him to dial with confidence because he knows the bullet is only rising a few inches. If he aims at the main part of the body, he will hit. My Mossberg MVP Long Range 308 Thunder Ranch is 1/3 MOA at 100 yards with Federal Nontypical Whitetail .308 Win 180 grain. At 2570 fps. A slow fat bullet that will go right through heart and longs expanding on impact (it has the "ballistic tip.") I have known others to hunt deer with .270 Win. Even elk. I would think that you should hunt elk with no less than a .308 Win 180 grain. Maybe a .300 Win Mag. Now there is a useful round. Back to the sniper training thing. Often, a military sniper will change to a .300 Win Mag because it has a higher BC. You can dial elevation for distance and if the wind is 4 mph or less, you can hold left or right edge of target into the wind and you will make a hit. Back to accuracy. To many movies show a sniper piercing someone's earlobe. It does not work that way. The intention of a sniper is to put somewhere between 175 grains and 220 grains into center of mass of a target at distance. That is considered a successful hit. So, as much as accuracy is a worthy pursuit, our intention should be to put somewhere between 147 and 220 grain within an 8 inch area at medium distance (I think long range starts past 300 yards.)

The 160 grain Nosler 270 caliber semi Spitzer partition was the one that the guys used on elk caribou and even moose, in the 270 Winchester. It puts the 270 Weatherby Magnum in another dimension.

Great information- this is needed for setting up for a great outcome when shooting or hunting. I most say that the 270 Winchester is the only one that I have done my best not to have anything to do with! The long range insiders of my time could not explain why, but when you looked at bench rest rifles they were 6mm, 6.5 mm, 7mm and .308”s they felt that it had to do with the bore of the 270 Of course that was back in the 80’s

I once heard a guide in West Texas said the only bullet they didn't have to track was the Weatherby 300 Magnum, but that's a massive cartridge

That's what I call a quality video

This video would be a good one for the new shooters that have gotten in to long range shooting. The small calibers they use in an attempt to get a high BC might not have enough speed left at long distance for their bullet to expand. I do know the .308 has had problems with this.

Great video. I enjoyed it very much. Thank you for sharing. Not enough emphasis is placed upon bullet selection. It seems to me somebody could put together a program or app that would be a huge aid for bullet selection. for various calibers, velocities, distances, ect. Thanks again. MH

I've had good luck with Federal premium 150 grain Nosler Partion in the 270

Thanks for sharing your wisdom Tom, I find it very interesting all the different types of bullets and how they work as you explain it. I draw from your video as one that is not going to shoot game and therefore not concerned with bullet expansion, but rather long range target shooting, if I learned correctly I would want to choose a hard, sharp tipped boat-tail solid bullet with a great B.C. and traveling at high velocity for the .270 Win at say 300 yards max. What type of .270 Win commercial cartridge would you grab 1st if limited to factory loads for my mentioned application? Thanks again Tom for another great video. God bless my friend 😎👍

Excellent... Well said.. Personally The things mentioned here is why I normally go with Nosler Partition n now there Accubonds.. 270 I wouldn't use any 130 in them even the above..Seen 1st hand Deer lost to them.. 140gr Non issue same for. 150.

I like SST's. They blow up quick and jelly the entrails. They don't always exit but they don't need to.

I’m sooo glad I found your channel. I have already sent links to my friends.... you may have covered this in another video but, You said you rifle liked boat tail bullets. Does the twist rate and barrel length play a big roll in what your rifle will prefer? If so, what twist goes well with which bullet type?

I agree with about 95% of your videos, except for the one on choosing the perfect bullet for deer! Like you, I've also shot a lot of deer, being on crop damage, red tags, & mostly hunting. I use to be a .270 user, along with a variey of other calibers also. Not partial to any caliber until it's proven to me. I killed 3 bucks, with a 130gr. .270 custom Mauser G-3340 with a 26" med hvy bbl, using Nosler Partitions. Each deer, double lung shot, ranges from 35yds, to 154yds., each deer traveled a good distance before expiring due to not enough expansion. Shot deer with 130 Sierra BT's, 130gr Remington Bronze point (reloads), 140 Sierra HPBT, & 140GR Nosler BT. Those bullets had great expansion & dropped deer, usually within sight. I also shot deer (3), with 110gr Sierra Spire Pt, 57grs IMR4350, DOA. So when you say the hi - performance 130gr bullet in .270 is unreliable, I & Jack O'Connors would have to disagree (LOL)!! I really like your videos, not boring, & a very professional & business like, down to earth advice to everyone l Keep up the good work!👍

In my 30s i have always been told u want spitzer flat base soft points. Remington, hornady interlock, sierra spitzer pro hunter, ect. My dad preffers sierra pro hunter for most but used flat based interlocksfor 270!

I'm a Salty 30-06 Fan 😁

Heavy, and I mean heavy, for caliber bullets that shoot slow but are soft-👍

Me too,I just bought a savage axis in .270 just to play with

Good stuff

Back in the day I shot 150 gr. Speer bullets out of my 270 Weatherby Magnum. Never had a failure.

I chose the .300 Savage foe my all around deer rifle. I only take shots out to 200 yds. ( maybe 250 max in certain situations) I use 150 grain bullets that seem to do well at 250yds and closer.( Nosler partition, Hornady sst or Sierra Gameking.)

Most bullet manufacturers have either on there website or loading manual.Recomended Use ,Type of game, IMPACT Velocity Range. Its important to check that out for the Game your hunting,Velocity range of the bullet at Impact ,n see what suits your rifle n use.

I had a couple of boxes of Norma 180 grain .308 plastic tipped bullets made in approximately 1973. Out of those two boxes, 3 fragmented in mid flight. Unfortunately the first that fragmented was at 60 yards aiming at the shoulder of a young doe. I had a gun rest against a tree and the doe was standing still with no brush in between so I knew it should have been a killing shot. I suspected the cartridges and sure enough I was able to make two more fragment out of the two boxes. Norma being such a good brand I was disappointed, but they were over 20 years old at the time so maybe the plastic tips had degraded..

In 30 cal projectiles, the heavier weight projectiles are actually tailored to the magnum calibres. Typically 180grn and up will have thicker jackets to dealer with higher impact velocities when fired from the magnums.

New boattails can be really tough like Hornady sst, Barnes all copppers, even Ballistic tips. most are soft point or hollow but do have fast yet controlled expansion over traditional bullet technology. Even Nosler is adding harder alloy to core and jacket and tapering.

How do you feel about a 44mag for woods hunting?

So informative! Thanks for taking the time to talk in depth on this issue. Very overlooked by most hunters imo. In your opinion, what would be an ideal 7mm-08 load (for whitetails mostly) between 75-300 yards??

Nice gun

alittle boring but GREAT info. I hunt with mostly 3 rifle, Winchester 94AE30/30), Savage 10(308 Win) and a custom Armalite AR-10B in 308 Win. The 30/30, I use 170gr. SP Core-lock within 100 yds, The Savage 10, I use a 150 gr. SP Core-Lock between 75 to 300 yds, and for the custom Armalite AR-10B 308, I use 168gr. polymer tip rounds between 250 to 500 yds. I have other rifles but these are my go to trusted rifles. Alot of good info here.

I’m a reloader also, when I started reloading I really learned the importance of bullet, projectiles that is. I’ve also hunted with a 270 for probably 30 or 40 years and I’ve not had problems with losing deer. That being said, I’ve only been reloading for a couple of years and I’ve really learned the importance of bullet selection, but that goes for all calibers, a bullet that’s too hard it’s not going to expand at slower velocities, say at longer distances. I see that you’ve loading Acura bonds, I am a big Nosler fan but Accu bonds or not the best bullet for a 270 especially out to say 300 yards are better, because the Accu bond needs a lot of speed to mushroom. Accu bonds are very accurate though, but ballistic silvertip‘s are a better choice for the 270, In my opinion, because they expand much easier even at a slower speed’s and longer distances.

so If u can give me advise? Best bullet or load for shooting within 200 yrds. with Ruger Gunsight scout. 16.5 in barrel.308 win.

The Nosler Partition was and is the standard all around bullet.

Perhaps the reason 30 06, 308 and 303 British work well because they were the result of a lot of trials over time (tried and true) so this makes them an easy choice.

My thought on your .308 friend when he had his rifle. If with shooting his short 20" barreled rifle, if he had used a 150gr. bullet to increase speed, he may not have experienced the near penciling effect of the slower non-expanding pushed 180gr. bullet.

Fragmentation can be a very good thing or a very bad thing depending on how it is done, my first Alabama buck I shot with a 120gr ballistic tip out of my 6.5x55 that caused massive fragmentation damage to the heart and lungs, I mean chunky soup level damage yet the heel of the bullet remained intact enough to leave a nice 3/4" exit wound not that I had to track him, jumped once and hit the ground limp as a dish rag. It did not ruin a bunch of meat as the fragments stopped at the rib cage and I could not imagine a more ethical kill so I have to question weather or not that was a perfect bullet performance even with all the bullet fragments lodged on the far side rib cage.

I love old Tom he's a heck of a honest American

I shoot a lot and it always amuses me when other shooters speak of how their rifle shoots 1 MOA right out of the box. Well I would like to suggest that most firearms will shoot much better than the user is capable of. I can shoot 1 moa with most of my rifles but it requires a good bench rest and a very steady trigger pull. Only when I get real serious do I do well.

I have been pretty fortunate over the years. I never lost a deer that I shot. My first rifle was a 'boring old"30-30. I later "upgraded" to a 300 win mag. and I finished out my deer hunting "career" with a 45-70. Yes, I KNOW that the only one of those rifles that were strictly adequet for deer, was the 30-30. but i NEVER had to track a deer after upgrading to a more powerful rifle either. they all dropped in their tracks.

I wish the ammo manufactures would publish recomended impact velocities on the ammo box.

All of my deer have been taken with either a 30-30 or .308. I have bought other calibers but I haven't taken a deer with them yet.

You set your 30-30 up for 300 yd PBR? Or you meant .270?

I like fragmenting bullets over hard bullets, whitetail are pretty easy to kill.

Like your videos and all. But man the 270 deal and losing deer is bugging me. Do u think maybe it had more to do with bullet and placement kinda what your video was all about. With the right bullet 270 is a good deer cartridge. Definitely has its limits tho.

What’s your opinion on the rem core lock 130gr 270.

A 308 20"barrel should do right around 2500fps with 180gr bullets. Factory and handloads. How is that very slow? Boat tail bullets are perfect for rifles that like them best. Some don't. Beautiful Ruger. How many cartriges did it take to find your load?

IMO... The reason that sub MOA is now the standard expectation from factory rifles is the modern bullet. The large improvements in rifle accuracy began with the invention of the Nosler Partition bullet in the late 1940's. This ushered in an era of commercial competition and research that produced bullets of exceptional accuracy and performance at various ranges and velocities. Old John Nosler changed the world when he questioned why a perfect shot from his 300 H&H Magnum on a big moose did not bring the animal down! Really enjoy your videos.

I have never been overly impressed with boat tail bullets. I read somewhere that they were introduced towards the end of the 1800's, particularly for machine guns. The idea was to give the bullet a lower drag coefficient to increase retained velocity (thus energy) at extended range. In WWI, that range was often up to 3500-4000 yards. Accuracy was essentially ignored. All that mattered was harassing the enemy at extreme distance (indirect, plunging fire). (Note; drag coefficient is not the same as ballistic coefficient.) However, modern analysis using (for example) the Schlieren photography system to see what actually happens at the muzzle of a modern rifle, boat tails become problematic. Gas from burned propellant escapes ahead of the boat tail and exits before the bullet. This can actually deform boat tails and cut into the jacket by flame-cutting. Boat tails simply don't seal in the bore as well as flat based bullets. The muzzle blast after the bullet leaves travels much faster than the bullet. This blast hitting a boat tail (reverse flow) can cause an uplift to the boat-tail, causing yaw and thus wobble. This happens only for an extremely short time but it's not insignificant on resulting accuracy. An ex-military friend once told me that boat tails also cause greater barrel erosion, although the average hunting rifle will never shoot the number of rounds needed to erode a barrel. (You're more likely to do that with a cleaning rod.) For hunting, you don't need ultra low drag and ultra high ballistic coefficient. You need accuracy. I have yet to find a good, dependable properly made hunting bullet that consistently gives better results than a simple, inexpensive Hornady InterLock flat base spire point. And they have a decent ballistic coefficient. For example, my go to .270 Win bullet, the Hornady Interlock flat base spire point, 150 Gr. bullet has a B.C. of .462 (G1). Compare that to a Nosler Accubond .270 150 Gr at a B.C. (G1) of .496. Out to 500 yards, the difference in velocity and energy is trivial. If you're unhappy with the groups you're getting with hand loaded boat-tails, try a few flat based bullets. You just might be pleasantly surprised. Full disclosure; I cribbed a lot of this from www.gunsandammo.com/editorial/boattail-vs-flat-base-projectiles/375628

The years they cam out: Weatherby 1944 Partion 1948 Hornady 1944 Remington Core-Lokt 1939 So maybe Mr. Roy used Hornady n Rem Core-Lokts in the beginning???

What is strange to me is to hear so many not like the 270 but love the 6.5 cm for deer. Any thoughts to why.

The mono copper type of bullets will not fail so now you can use a smaller caliber at higher velocity flattening the trajectory delivering higher shock and still get adequate killing power.

Tom talks so slow. BUT...he doesn't skip vital aspects of issues other people do in trade of trying to move on. All of these considerations matter.

I wonder what bullets Roy Weatherby first used? I would think he had fragmentation Issues with the higher speeds. Weatherby n Nosler = Peanut Butter n Jelly or Hammer n Nails

Nice video! Used 280Rem TTSX 140gr bullet while pig hunting in TX expecting to see decent sized boars... Only saw pigs up to 60-65lb range and when I shot one at 50 yds it "penciled" and the pig walked away like nothing hit him...it would have worked better if it was a bigger pig or I had aimed for the shoulder bone w TTSX bullet... switched to 150gr partitions and dropped the next 2 pigs in the similar weight... thanks for the video

I think solid copper bullets like Barnes TTSX are the best all around option.

I learned that long ago the 150 grain is the best for 270 win

20moa vs 30moa base mounts I have 300wsm which oneci need

I've used 30-06 for 3 decades and I only had one deer run away and I couldn't find him. It always happens at least once to every hunter.

I love all the cartridges also, this really comes into play with pistol hunting

I dont use thin jacket bullets on game i eat they tend to fragment.