If you get a pass through using a 125 gr in a 30-06 for deer, it must be a close shot or the deer are not that big in the body. As stated earlier, a 125 gr does not have thesectional densityrecommeded for deer sized game. A 168 gr bullet will give you the best ballistic coefficient in a 30-06 and 308 Win - This is why a lot of the match bullets in .308 diameter are 168 gr.