While I myself would not care to hunt deer sized game with an 85 grain bullet, I have nowhere near the experience you do, and it is important to remember that shot placement is probably the single most important factor in humanely taking game. Experience, lots of it, is the best teacher. W.D.M. "Karamojo" bell took literally hundreds of elephants in his time, and many of them were felled with single shots from 7x57 and 6.5x55 rifles. He placed his shots exactly wherethey needed to be. A buddy of mine routinely takes his deer every year with a .22-250, something he can drive nails with. I wouldn't care to risk this, but he is routinely successful. He can hunt and shoot much more often than I can by virtue of the way he makes his living.
Many of us don't get to hunt as much as you do, and while I would in no way care to hunt deer with such a light load, you obviously know what you are doing and your record speaks for itself.
ORIGINAL: nchawkeye
According to Sierra...the people that make the bullet...They get calls every week on how well this bullet is for deer...Look up their 800 number on the net, and give them a call on Monday...I guess the 21 deer that we have killed with this bullet over the past few years will just open up the freezer door and walk out...As I reported in "Need Advice for .243 Bullet" post...I have killed at least 125 deer with my .243 since 1980...never lost a one...One of my buddies in Eastern NC is a farmer...He has killed 3 black bears with this bullet...one went over 350 pounds...Pretty good for a varmit bullet...I didn't believe it either...until I tried it...As far as me being ethical....Do you have a rifle that has never failed you in 24 years of deer hunting???? It doesn't take a 300 Mag to kill deer...Not if you know how to shoot in the field...One of the worst hunters I know keeps buying bigger guns...He can't admit that he flinches...
Like I said in my original post on this bullet...If ranges over 200 yards are anticipated...this is The Bullet...If ranges are under 200....Any good factory loading in 100 gr are fine....