There is NO WAY I would shoot a deer with a ballistic tip round. It is designed for varmints and NOT designed for big game. Federal Premium offers a 55 grain trophy bonded bear claw and it will get the job done. My daughter killed her 1st deer with that very caliber and round this past season. It was a quartering away shot at about 50 yards. She put it in the 2nd rib on the entrance and it exited the opposite shoulder breaking it in the process.