I have an older Ruger M77 .35 Whelen with the tang safety. I've killed 71 head of deer using a 225 gr. Nosler Partition over 53.5 grs. IMR #4064, with a CCI Lg. Rifle primer. This combination has proved accurate and quite deadly. The Sierra 225 gr. SP is also accurate, but I prefer the Nosler. The load was originally worked up to be a "do everything" load and I'm confident anything in North America can be taken with it. Of the above 71 kills, all were one shot, and the animals dropped in their tracks. Most were shot in the head or neck to reduce meat spoilage. I did shoot one animal through both shoulders, which ruined them, so I learned from that mistake. The Nosler does not expand in soft neck tissue, but breaks the neck very well.