I have taken (or witnessed) over a dozen deer with the 300 grain XTP. Always with 80-100 grains of powder.

Last year we recovered a bullet for the first time. I shot a big doe (130 lbs field dressed, big for my area) in the front right shoulder at about 90 yards, we found the bullet just under the skin of her left leg. Perfect expansion and the bullet held together, and that sucker went through about every bone that critter had.

All the others were complete pass through, although I admit in past years we have had mild winters and thus a lot of deer - so we could be selective with our shots. Last year the hunting was much harder - hence the 90 yard shot.

I don't really experiment with bullets anymore because I don't have to. None of these deer needed to be tracked.