I really like my Norinco SKS too. It won't win any beauty contests, but it is 100% reliable and decently accurate (though the sights are terrible).
I've shot quite a few groundhogs with it- all with hollow-point bullets. Based on those experiences, I would recommend staying away from hollowpoints for deer. The bullets tend to expand excessively and fragment, even in a small animal like a ground hog. Several hogs were torn in half or turned inside out by the bullets. I would go with a good quality soft point - it should do just fine on deer.