Guess I'm always the odd guy out!!!! I've used ballistic tips on 3 or 4 deer and I finally decided to quit using them. I was using them out of a 700 Police Remington .308, with 165 grain Remington Ballistic Tip factory fodder.
As I recall the original use of ballistic tips was for violent expansion on varmits. Now this is a pretty neat show to watch through a scope for those of us sick minded to oohh and aahh over it, (myself included), but for deer I'd stick with the plain ol' soft point.
The deer I shot were at ranges from 20 yards to 125 yards. Each deer took multiple shots to put down, even though each had been heart and/or lung shot. (I try not to shoot through the shoulder but directly behind it to save some meat). Seemed to me, that at extremely close ranges, the bullet slowed down enough after it passed through the innards to expand on the off side. Making for a messy carcass. One spike buck I shot at 20 yards, ran 25 yards parallell to me. As soon as he stopped I squeezed off a second shot, he ran about 10 yards and fell over dead. The one place he stopped had a puddle of blood like you'd sloshed it out with a paint bucket.
The other deer showed similar wound cavities. While I realize that eventually they would die, I much prefer the one shot one kill theory, and I would rather save the off side shoulders from getting blown up. In my own personal opinion, ballistic tips are better reserved for critters you want a light show effect from,not something you're going to consume for food.
