My first handgun deer was a spike in 1979 with a S&W model 29 8 3/8" and 240 gr. Sierra JHP handload. I hit him right on the shoulder and had to track him a long way with very little blood. Disappointed in bullet performance, I loaded some 200 gr Speer JHP and shot an 8 pointer about a week later. He dropped in his tracks. Of course that means very little in the overall scheme of bullet performance, but that day I was impressed with 200 gr 44s .