re: .308 ammo for deer...what would you use?

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The good thing about the .308 is the velocities are moderate and you don't really need a premium bullet to get good consistent results on deer. Just about every regular ol 150gr cup and core bullet out there will expand well and hold together.

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Point well taken. The 308 is very popular and has benefitted from 60 years of bullet evolution. Today's 308 loads generally perform well for their intended purpose.

Bullet performance is largely dependent on two things: 1. Bullet construction and 2. Impact velocity. Generally, 180 gr 30 caliber bullets are intended for game bigger than deer so will be more stoutly constructed than will a lighter bullet. The 180 gr Partition in 30-06 Win is a good choice for you because of the way you're using it. The same bullet that enters between the ribs won't expand like a 150 gr bullet would and may not leave much of an exit wound.

OTOH, a lightly constructed bullet (including some varmint bullets) may perform well on deer when shot at lower velocities. Two years ago I killed a whitetail doe w/ an XP-100 chambered in 7 IHMSA (basically 300 Savage brass necked down to 7mm) using a Hornady 120 gr V-Max (varmint) bullet. At 3000 fps, it's a varmint bullet, but at 2500 fps it performed like a deer bullet.