I'd try 129 gr' bullets and under for white tails or mulies. Either the SST or a 'Traditional' hunting bullet by Hornady at 100 to 129 gr's would be my starting point. The ballistic co-efficient (bc') of the 129 gr' spire point is .445 which is plenty enough for me for long-range deer hunting. The SST has a bc' of .485 with the 129 grainer, but will cost you more money. I would go with the standard spire point, not the SSt, for white tails.
The 129 gr' spire point (.445= bc') will hit the 350 yd' line with 2100 fps velocity and 1270 ft/lbs energy when started at 2800 fps at the muzzle. That's enough velocity to open up the bullet at that yardage, and enough energy to take a whitetail decently if it's hit properly. I consider 350 yd' shots on whitetail to probably be far enough for most of us. All this is per the Lee Shooter program. I like the cartridge already!
Go a good deal lighter for varmints, such as in the 100 gr' or less range of projectiles.
A decent black bear bullet might be the 129 gr' SST by Hornady, but I haven't used it. The 140 grainer in a traditional spire point might work better, however, due to the penetration it should afford. The greater weight of lead, and the lowered impact velocity should help the penetration.....with the 140 grainer.
Excellent long-range competition cartridges could include the 140 gr' A-Max by Hornady, if your rifle likes 'em. The bc' is .550! Not bad for a bullet that is not custom manufactured.
I hope you love the rifle, and the results you get with it.
Take care,
SS'
