Hornady markets American Whitetail for deer, and the 6.5 Creedmoor load gives deer hunters a traditional soft point with modest recoil. Its 129-grain InterLock is a soft point with a ring inside the jacket that locks it to the lead core. It is rated at a G1 BC of .445 and leaves the muzzle at 2,820 fps. At 300 yards it still carries 1,429 ft-lbs of energy.

Compared with Norma's Whitetail 140-grain soft point, the American Whitetail handles wind better. At 300 yards, a steady 10 mph wind blowing across the range pushes the American Whitetail about 7 inches sideways and the Norma about 9. The heavier Norma also kicks about 10 percent harder in the same rifle. Compared with Hornady's Superformance 129 SST, a polymer-tipped load from the same maker, the American Whitetail is slower and drops more. The Superformance leaves the muzzle 130 fps faster, and zeroed at 100 yards it drops about 11 inches at 300 against about 13 for the American Whitetail. The Superformance kicks about 5 percent harder in the same rifle.

Buy the American Whitetail if you hunt deer and want a soft point that drifts less than the Norma without the added recoil of the Superformance. Pick the Norma if you prefer a heavier 140-grain bullet and don't mind the extra kick. Pick the Superformance if you want more speed and a flatter path and accept a little more recoil. For practice, Winchester USA 125-grain Open Tip Range is a range load with slightly less recoil.