IME:
139gr Hornady Interlock, handloaded down to 2400 f/sec in my kiddoes' 7-08 Ruger Frontier ....... 4 1/2 year old whitetail buck, over 200 lbs on the hoof, 75 yards, quartering away. Bullet struck last full rib on the near side, traversed the top of the lungs, hit a rib on the far side under the shoulder blade, broke it and stopped under the shoulder ..... deer ran 50 yards or so and piled up. The recovered bullet retained most of it's weight, and the core did not separate from the jacket.
I've never used any of the bonded bullets on deer, nor any of the all copper/guilding metal ones. The one time I did use a bullet designed for penetration (170 gr Nosler Partition RN in .30/30) did not turn out so well, making a real mess out of what should have been a very tasty button buck.
My reasoning against these "modern controlled expansion" bullets is that many of my shots are short range with the deer facing me. If you have ever field dressed a deer that has a had a bullet pass through his guts, you will understand why I am not interested in them.
I have settled on Sierra's 150gr GameKing BTSP launched @ 2900f/sec from my .270WIN ...... It is a relatively fragile conventional cup and core bullet with no cannelure ("Interlock") ...... on those close (50 yards or less) frontal shots, the bullet has always entered the chest and come apart, making hash out of the heart and lungs, with no bullet fragments getting past the diaphram ..... yet at distance, has always held together well enough to pass through on broadside shots, leaving an exit wound that makes a blood trail a blind man with frozen hands could follow ......
had planned to use Barnes TSX for deer this year in my 7mm08 but now I can't find any, don't reload yet,
Why do you not reload yet?
The very best reason to reload is that you will shoot your rifle so much more- competenc comes with familiarity, and having a couple hundred loaded rounds laying about begging to be shot is conducive to that......