re: For the rifle hunters here, what is your go to bullet type?

Conventional jacketed soft points on the heavy side of what's offered for that caliber.

Federal blue box is always the first thing I try. If the rifle likes them I shoot that. My .30-30 likes the 170gr blue box so that's what I use. The .30-06 doesnt like them in any weight so I've switched to 165 Sierra gamekings which it shoots extremely well. Have only shot one deer with them but it looks like they'll work as advertised. I would prefer to shoot 180's but my rifle doesn't seem to like heavy bullets.