I have had no problems with thin skinned game when using ballistic tips. I have seem problems with bullets that are supposed to be for "controlled" expansion. The deer was shot in the neck, laid motionless for 15 to 20 minutes while waiting to see if anything else would show, then got up and took off. I helped look for the deer, but never found it. I found a small blood spot on the ground, which led me to the bullet. The bullet never expanded. Part of the copper jacket had flaked off, but the bullet never mushroomed
I would say the neck shot missed any thing vital. and cam close enought to the spine to stun the deer. one reasion i dont like neck shots.
but the "ce" bullet may have some blame also. the "CE" are disined to hold together through a tuffshot and a lot of meat. a neck on a WT ant that big or tuff so it not expending is actualy understandible. i was not disine to open under the little pressuer the neck offerd.
A bt would probly have been better at that shot.
I dont like the bt myself on deer unless you are using a larg cal. above 7mm. I have sean a deer lost with a shoulder shot with a 7mm using BT. But with my 338 a bt will go through both shoulders. but there is quite abit of meat dammage.