If the bullet holds together in a typical mushroom like most bonded bullets do, you won't normally get massive exit holes in the offside hide. I'm guessing because the bullet is traveling straight ahead and not coming apart like and unbonded or cup and core bullet ( this is a good thing ). But If you do a post mortem inspection under that offside skeletal muscular tissue will be a complete mess with a bonded bullet like any other one. The smaller hole will deceive you a little. The hide can play tricks on you, i've done post mortems on small exit holes to find out the hole wasn't so small.

Gentlemen deer aren't ballistic gel. That's why this happens along with 11 kabillon other reasons. Even to 6.5 creedmores.

Fusions are a crime scene out of a 300 magnum but out of a 308 its a different story. Velocity will cause all kinds of hydrostatic damage that a slower bonded bullet won't. Generally speaking a Cor lok at medium velocities will start to come undone about the time it's ready to exit and they can really rip one apart. It's impressive but not really necessary.

Bonded bullets are predicable and that's not always dramatic, but good.

I witnessed 6 kills last season all with Fusions. Three with 30-06 165 Fusions, two with 308 165 Fusions and one 7mm08 140 Fusion. From 7 to about 100 yards, all ran 50-100 yards with spotty blood trails. Results were dead deer each time with plenty of internal damage but entrance and exits on all 6 we're about the same size. The 7 yarder was a 170lb 9 point I shot with a 30-06 tight behind the shoulder, dime size in dime size out, ran close to a hundred yards with very little blood trail. In these steep hills, hollars and rocks of Jackson county I want the most damage and the biggest hole to bleed from we can get (within reason) preferably DRT's. I've killed close to a hundred before with cup and core bullets in the past and then jumped on the bonded bullet high BC train. Results have been dead animals just the same but with less damage, smaller exit wounds, more spotty blood trails and less DRT kills. Two years ago I killed a doe with a 165 SST at about 80 yards from a 16" 308. Caught the point of the shoulder on a quartering to shot, DRT and MASSSSSSIVE damage along huge amounts of wasted meat. That's on the other end of the spectrum. I'm back this year to standard cup and core in everything except 300 Wby and expect it to be just like old times. IMO, less than 3000fps in .264-.358 a bonded is just too tough for the results I WANT TO SEE for Alabama deer.

Hornady 150 grain

I really like the 150gr SST. I can only think of one deer that didn’t drop. Most all had good size exit holes. My kimber will put the first two in the same hole if I can do my part. I wouldn’t hesitate to shoot BT’s at 308 velocity’s either.

I've had the same experience you have except when shooting fusions out of a 300 Winchester mag. The hydro shock basically blows em up.

If I want DRT every time I get out the 45 70. It's like lightning came down.

Yea it's quite amazing what a few hundred extra fps does on the hydra static side of things. I've shot a couple with a 300WSM and 300WM at less than a hundred yards with Winchester Peer Points and it's nasty. I'll stick to bonded bullets in my 300WBY because of this.

I don’t typically shoot deer or hogs with bonded bullets in anything above 25 cal. In 22/24 mostly bonded or mono. In 25….depends on speed/weight. Outlier is the accubond…..never found them to be too tough, all the way down to starting alt 2500fps in a 6.8 and over 3k in other stuff.

I've only lost one deer when finding blood with 308 and I've used a vast variety hunting and match bullets...the one I lost was a shot I shouldn't have taken 340yards and hit him in front shoulder facing me...
That being said nosler partitions do most damage inside

My son and I are shooting 125gr ballistic tips out our 308s. He killed a monster 11 pointer last year. DRT.

core lockt 150 is my round of choice. I shoot them in a Bergara

165 Sierra Gameking is the gold standard for .308/30-06 on whitetails. Been dropping deer since 1947. Don't make things too hard and they won't be.

Go to Midway USA look up the bullet and read the reviews. Let them speak for their self.

150 GRAIN FEDERAL NOSLER

There just aren't a lot of bad choices when it comes to a 308 bullet. The 30 cal at that velocity is just really predictable, and in a good way.

If I were shopping for some I'd listen to the Game King recomendations. The performance I've seen from them is right on par with what everyone is saying. Also, I'd second the ballistic tips as well. 308 velocity is what they were designed to perform in.

I’ve shot a few with the Federal Premium .30-06 165 SGK. Did its job well.

My .308 likes Federal Power Shocks 150gr PSP. Very effective on deer.

My Tikka Lite likes the Hornady Precision Hunter 178 grain ELD-X. Have not shot a deer with them, but I sure hope to this season. Got to try and make myself get off my fat butt and get in the woods.

I load Nosler Combined Technologies 150gn which is a Ballistic Silvertip for my Weatherby, BAR and step son's Steyr. It shoots great groups out of all of them and has put down many, many deer. In fact, we have never lost one. There have been some DRT's, some runs but usually no more than 50-60 yards. We have had pass through's and buried up in hide on exit side. Bottom line, never lost one. I would say most important thing is what shoots best in your gun and gives you confidence in making a good shot at distances you are likely to experience.

This is the what I shoot. Federal blue box have been very effective for me and extremely accurate and consistent. As a plus they are very inexpensive