When you start shooting light for caliber bullets bullet construction and performance becomes VERY important.

Not sure why you would do that. A basic understand of ballistics says you have not really done yourself any favors shooting small for caliber bullets.

If you are going to shoot a 120 grain from a .308 get a Barnes or Partition or something bonded.

If you want to shoot a 165 grain you can kill deer the same way they been dying since the 1940's. Millions of dead deer later.... it just takes a lot of guessing, questions, wishing, etc. out of the equation. It will just kill whatever you shoot with it.

I think the real question the OP should ask first is what grain bullet those on here like to shoot and let them try to justify why they shooting a pea shooter tiny bullet at a deer. You can't make a good argument for it other than talking about how your plumber's cousin said he kilt 2 deer with one neck shot offhand at 200 yards and it cut the first deer's head off like a lazer and that's the best dern bullet Billy Bob every said he seen.

There is no good reason to do that. If recoil is a problem... y'all know my thoughts on that... grow a pair. You shoot a 12ga shotgun don't you.