From KentuckyHunting.net

DixieBoy22
which 30-06 bullet?
What 30-06 bullet do you like best for deer? I'm thinking about 165 gr. nosler partitions this year, even though it is probably overkill. What will yall be shooting?

I shoot 165 grain Hornady SP in all my .308 caliber rifles. It is absolutely devastating. I'm quite certain that it's overkill on a whitetail, but then I shot a 180 grainer for years. It finally dawned on me that deer are not all that hard to kill.

My advice is to shoot the bullet that shoots the best out of your rifle, and don't be afraid to reduce your load somewhat to make it easy on your shoulder. All of my '06, 308 WIN, and 7.62X54R loads are loaded with H4895 at least 5% off the published max. They give me plenty of punch and good accuracy without a lot of recoil. The 308 Winnie is deliberately downloaded to be more like a 300 Savage.

If I had to do it all over again, I would probably start developing loads in 150 grain. However, 165 shoots well in my rifles, and the cost of starting all over just is not worth it at this point in my career. Nosler Partitions are great, but believe me that Winnie PP's, Hornadys or Corelokts kill them just as dead. For what you save, you can load and shoot more. Practical practice, like shooting stumps offhand from your treestand, is a better guarantee of Opening Day performance than any premium bullet.