Norma markets the Whitetail 150-grain as a hunting load. Its bullet is a pointed soft point, a jacketed bullet with lead exposed at the nose, rated at a G1 BC of .274. It leaves the muzzle at 2,887 fps, and zeroed at 100 yards it sits about 4 inches low at 200.

Compared with Federal's Fusion 150-grain, which Federal built for deer hunting, the Norma falls further behind as the range grows. At 300 yards, a steady 10 mph wind blowing across the range pushes the Norma about 12 inches sideways and the Fusion about 7. By 500 yards the Norma has dropped about 67 inches from a 100-yard zero and the Fusion about 53. Compared with Federal's PowerShok Copper 150-grain, a copper hollow point with no lead core, the Norma is almost a twin. At 500 yards the same wind pushes the Norma about 38 inches and the PowerShok Copper about 37, and the two kick nearly the same in the same rifle.

Buy the Norma if you want a conventional soft point for hunting at moderate range; it still carries 1,278 ft-lbs at 300 yards. Pick the Fusion if your shots can stretch past 300 yards in open, windy country, because it drops and drifts noticeably less. Pick the PowerShok Copper if you want the same path from a bullet with no lead core. For practice, Remington's UMC 150-grain FMJ is a full metal jacket load that Remington sells for target shooting, at nearly the same muzzle speed.