California - Copper

[Tiny Tim]

Monos are long for caliber and need a faster twist to stabilize for any given weight. Most, it seems, do better with a little more jump. As others have stated, make certain your bore is completely free of guilding metal or copper from any other bullets you have tried. About to try the Hammer line, but I've had great luck with the Barnes TTSX with .050-.070 jump. Some more specifics will help the members assist you... Cartridge, bullet weight, powder, barrel twist, velocity, etc...

 

[BEEMAN]

The 124 HH is great out of my 6.5x47. Load development consisted of eight shots. Very accurate and on game performance has been incredible.

 

[Elkeater]

I don't even live in or hunt in CA and I have switched over to copper bullets because they do what I want them to do. I use mostly hammers but I have one rifle that loves Barnes tsx. As others have said a little more jump is often necessary compared to lead core bullets. The hammers are deadly on game.

 

[GW Hunter]

You need to be sure that your bore is completely clean of any jacketed bullets fouling before starting load development with copper bullets. It should be down to bare metal before you start.

 

[iclick]

I have been experimenting with non lead here in California for the past 6 years. Found that Cutting Edge Lasers or MTH perform the best overall for accuracy. However for game rounds I mostly use the Lehigh Defense Chaos bullets. They are less expensive and nearly equal to the CE bullets for accuracy. With lead free twist rates and case volume are what dictates load data. We have tested most of the non lead available in approximately 40 different cartridges and we found that most of the mainstream bullets punch through but expell most of their energy after exiting the animal. Which even with very good kill shots many animals would run sometimes long distances before collapsing. The designs from CE and Lehigh are designed to have similar wounding to the old lead standby Nosler's Partition bullets. There is an excellent artical here: https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/Homogenous+copper+bullets+can+be+inhumane.html

 

[Backcountry sports]

Barnes
E-Tip
GMX

Tsx is more accurate

 

[Shadowwalker]

I can not get California required copper bullet loads to group up. I can get 1.5 MoA grouping but get sub 1 MOA has proved elusive with full copper bullets.

Anyone else having this issue?

I'm having the same issue regardless of the caliber
300 weatherby, 30-06, 6.5x284, and 243...

Lead I can throw 3 and all three will be touching, copper bullets string out all over place.

Move out of California.

 

[19elkhunter51]

I started shooting Barnes TTSX, LRX and have had excellent groups from them. They are different than cup and core bullets that I have used for years. Typically the Barnes bullets require a larger jump from the case to the lands of the barrel. Once you sort out the correct "set back", don't know what else to call it, Barnes bullets will shoot itty bitty groups.

 

[Christensen 7mag]

I live in ca also when I switched to lead free I was surprised how well Barnes lrx shot. I load them in a 7mm rem mag 300 win mag 300 rum 264 win mag and 25-06 all are at or under 1/2" at 100 yds. I've found best accuracy jumping them 50 and pushing them as fast as possible. Good luck

 

[memtb]

TinyTim offered good advice. I don't know about the other brands mentioned, but generally, the Barnes Bullets ( the "only" bullet we've used since the early '90's) are happiest with a lot of "jump". Assuming that your rifle will shoot other bullets with acceptable accuracy..... you should have good success with the Barnes Bullets! We are not shooting high dollar, specialized long range equipment, (these are relatively lightweight [for caliber] "hunting" rifles") and yet can get sub-2", three shot groups @ 300 yards....with pretty good regularity!

I don't think that it is as important as with the original Barnes X Bullets......but, I suggest when shooting the Barnes Bullets, you thoroughly clean all traces of "gilded " metal remnants from your bore. Many years ago, it was suggested that when shooting the original Barnes X Bullets, treat them as though they were cast bullets. Use them in a bore cleaned of "any" copper / gilded metal fouling! We've always had good success with the Barnes Mono bullets.....even when other folks were terribly dissatisfied with their accuracy! The original Barnes Mono bullets were good, the new Barnes Bullets...... exponentially better! memtb

 

[Quintus]

I also only have used the TSX and TTSX monos, but in several rifle brands and models and a dozen cartridges they have given fabulous accuracy, at least to 500 yards. They do like to jump and really seem to love the Weatherby free-bore. I have gotten .5 inch groups in the 300, 270, 257, and 240 Weatherby with them. They also run pretty fast in those chamberings and while they don't have the highest BC, from 400 and in they are absolute mashers. I have run the 120s in the 6.5x284N and with about any suitable powder if you run Barnes recommended OACL you will probably find clovers.

 

[JASmith]

Check the rifling twist and use bullets that are short enough to stabilize. Remember that 120 gr copper bullets will kill about as well as 180 gr lead core bullets.

 

[Glenn Tullius]

My Remington 300 Ultra Mag shoots the 180 grain Barnes TTSX lights out! Under 2 inches ctc at 200 yards! Took the bottom 1/4th of a elk heart off at 374 yards. He jumped a little and went 10 yards and keeled over dead. They work!

 

[dougduey]

Welcome from a CA native that no longer lives there!!
I switched to Hammer Bullets for all of my hunting rifles a couple years ago and haven't looked back. I load them in 8 different cartridges. Easy to load develop, and absolutely devastating terminal performance. My avatar has the mountain goat I shot will a Hammer bullet.
In the 6.5-284, you'll love the 124 gr. I used H4831 to get a great load at 3140 fps. RL23 is also a great powder. I have a hotter load at 3220, but the lower node is just tighter.
In the 30-06, look at the 166 gr. I used W760. Cant remember off the top of my head what the velocity was.
Call or email Steve Davis at Hammer Bullets. Customer service is fantastic. He'll give you powder suggestions and expected velocities, plus advice on how to get the best accuracy out of them. Honestly, they aren't finicky, and it usually only takes me about 10-15 rounds to find my final load.
Good luck.
Doug