Scott,
We all are learing. I bought my Savage with the same ideas in mind as you did your Encore(shoot 200 yards, aero type head bullets--less cleaning). You really only get about and extra 25 yards with a higher BC bullet, and if we had just done the ballistics on the bullets we had, we could have done that. However it is fun to learn about these bullet design theories and why they do what the do. John Nosler when he invented the Nosler Partition started a whole new ballgame:




Note also the thinner structure at the top of the bullet, which is what Sabotloader said that our Nosler would expand on MEAT, not on bone. The SW takes bone to expand reliability (good hunters who know say they take high shoulder shots every time), that is why I didn't shoot them last year, even when they were the most accurate bullet in my Savage. So reread Al Marion's article again and see why he believes what he believes. Why does he shoot hard cast bullets with large frontal area?Why doesn't the SW expand realiability in meat (thru the lungs shots), therefore havinglittle splast effect because no mushroom or large frontal area of the bullet (many have said they have found SWs that they could "shoot again"--is that good?---NO, no splash effect).These are very interesting things in my opinion and trust me we all arelearning---even Dr. Powerbelt is learning.
Best Wishes,
Chap