HL-------I've also just got one of the last Tikka in LH. I love the action & the trigger is great. Mine was set a 2 1/2 pounds-----no need to change. I think you'll find those Federal 180 partition will group pretty well. Mine is also in a 30/06----thinking of retiring the Remington.
My thought on the 165 or 180 is that the 180 shoots almost as flat out to 300 yards. About 2" difference I think. I've never shot an animal (elk /deer) over 250 yards. Antelope is another story but I went down to 150 grains for that.
You are doing it the right way. Learn how to shoot the rifle. Practice off hand, kneeling.against a tree, prone etc. Get that confidence you can make the shot & that the rifle is an extension of you.
I like Hornady----if I were you I would try a box. Those new bonded bullets interest me. I see Hornady is now making them in 180 grain.
Bullets & ballistics are fun to talk about. But I've never got hung up on the word "Premium". No matter how you cut it---a 180 grain "Core-lokt" in the lungs is better than any "Premium" bullet in the paunch.
I honestly think the old 180 "Core-lokt" round nose is a pretty good choice
for a whitetail/moose combo bullet.
Uncle-----pretty sure that was satire. I've been barbeque more than once for using "core-lokts" on elk. Some folks think they wear kevlar vest these days.
Just reread the post------Sounds like I'm preaching the 180's. If your rifle likes the 165----sounds like it does---then shoot them. They will work just fine on moose, deer and elk. Back when I was doing what you are now doing---I compare 150 to 180's. My rifle like the 180 much better so I stuck with that load. I've used pointed sp & round nose. Not much difference. I used Win round nose on 2 black bears & then finished up the box on a couple cow elk. I'ved used mostly the pointed SP core-lokts for deer & elk. Hornady spire points on the bighorn, mtn goat & 2 elk. IMO----no a nickel's worth of difference.
Where I'm different than a lot of other hunters is I like to use the load that I'll be hunting with to practice with. So when there is a sale on--I buy 10 boxes. Practice with 8 then hunt with the last 2.
like you I like to keep it simple. My scope is sited in for 2" high at 100 yards. I don't change it or my ammo for my hunting.