re: Small caliber deer rifle recommendations?

It all goes back to exit holes for me.

I refuse to deer hunt with a load which does not consistently exit.

That's why everybody who wants to kill deer should really be hunting with a 6.5x55 swede



All BS aside though, my .25-06 with 117gr superformance acted like what you shoot. Killed deer in nasty ways, but the only time I got an exit was when I shot a 3 point in the neck while he was flopping around on the ground after hitting the dreaded shoulder knuckle.

Ended up killing my biggest deer with it at 185 on the best shot I've ever made, but still sold it. My swede is a much better performer IMO. I've yet to keep one of those in a deer.