sure you can kill deer with ballistic tips,but when you lose that buck of a lifetime because one didn't expand well, don't say i didn't tell you it would happen. i just don't see why anyone would hunt with a hollow point bullet for deer,thats all a ballistic tip is. but then again i know one guy that uses 87grn hp's in his 243 for deer and swears they work great,but i think he's stupid.