You know, this sounds wild, but its the truth. My 300 Win Mag with a factory 150gr Core Lokt, gives clean quick kills on whitetails, many times over in the last 20 years that I have had it. And, with a good boiler room hit, does less damage than deer hit the same with my 243, 25-06 and even 22-250.
GOB, you are correct, and I dont go slingin a 300 piece of lead accross open pastures, when I dont know whats back there. But, I do like to shoot it and it does sweep em off their feet, in almost all cases. And, in a situation I had a few years back, it got me a GOOD buck, I may or may not have gotten with any other gun I own. Not lack of marksmanship, but it was a shot that I wouldnt have tried at that angle with anything else, knowing it was going to knock him down for good, where it may or may not have with a 243. Now, before I get attacked for being a slob hunter, I was sure of the shot and had a rest with plenty of time, he was dead before I pulled the trigger. After the recoil and I got the scope back on him, all I could see was horns sticking up. But, I wouldnt have even thought of doing it with a smaller round. His horns are on my den wall and the sausage was good too.
I will have to say, that was the only time on a whitetail, that I think I NEEDED that gun. But, theres lots of times that I LIKE having that gun.
Andy