RE: 125 Grain 30/06 load well suited to deer?
Its a sectional density thing when you compare a 130 grain 30 caliber bullet to a 130 grain 270 bullet. A deer bullet should have a sectional density of at least 210. The 270 130 grain is well over that where the 30 caliber is less than that. 188 for the 30 caliber bullet and 242 for the 270 bullet. The 150 grain 30 caliber has about the same SD. as the 130 grain 270 bullet. Thus those two weights are amoung the most effective in their respective calibers for deer. Bigger game would tend to requre a higher SD yet. Say the 150 for the 277 and 180 for the 30 caliber. Its true that Sectional density is not the all important factor but its important and a good begining when picking bullet weights. The only 130 grain bullet I would use in the 30-06 is the Barnes 130 X bullet. In hand guns with less velocity the 125 and 130's work pretty well. However in rifles they are intended for varmit hunting.