Lead vs lead free - what did you use last?

What did you most recently hunt big game with, lead or lead free bullets?


  • Total voters
    94
I always thought bismuth would make a great lead free non toxic bullet core it certainly hammers waterfowl as good if not slightly better than lead did.
I dont know.....1 7/8 oz of lead #4 knocked the gee wiz out of ducks, even geese. Go down to some #2's and geese folded at some good distances. I have only tried 1.25oz bizmuth reloads....not so much better than steel to even come close to justify the extra cost. On the positive side I have some awesome home defense shotgun loads of lead now.
 
I always thought bismuth would make a great lead free non toxic bullet core it certainly hammers waterfowl as good if not slightly better than lead did.
I still have some of the original Tungsten core Barnes Max Range X bullets in 30 cal. I think they were just waaaay to expensive to produce, and consequently - when they were available - nobody bought them for the high dollar price tag.

These days, I think they'd sell.

Edit - I'm a doof. I didn't realize you guys were already talking about these above. Lol. 😜
 
I still have some of the original Tungsten core Barnes Max Range X bullets in 30 cal. I think they were just waaaay to expensive to produce, and consequently - when they were available - nobody bought them for the high dollar price tag.

These days, I think they'd sell.
So long as the tips aren't melting in flight 🤣
 
Last kills were with 168gr Berger Hybrid, 140gr Accubond (not using it again) and 139gr SST.

Haven't tried lead free, maybe one day.
Only lead I've bit on is bird shot from ducks, dove and quail, but nothing to even worry a tiny bit about.
Hahahaha....I have bitten steel in duck and goose. Only used steel on quail and huns so I can see pretty much everything with a bright light. Yep is actually harder and more of a shock to the teeth than lead.....though both suck a dirty butt when you don't get them all out before eating.
 
Just curious for no good reason. What did you most recently hunt big game with (and if you feel like sharing, how did it go?) - a lead free bullet or a lead core bullet of some kind? This isn't a "if you had to choose" thread…this is a "what are people actually doing right now" thread! God bless!
I've been hunting with the 6.5mm Berger 156gr EOL for 3 years now in a 6.5 PRC. I chose it because it far exceeds everything else I tried ballistically in the 400yard-1000yard region and shoots 1/2 MOA or better if I do my job. It has killed 22 head of big game so far from about 80 yards to 743 yards.
 
In the past I have used leaded Accubond bullets and Ballistic Tips but this coming year I will be going to Hammer's for 308,30-06,300 win mag and 300 weatherby mag.
When I start shooting the 270 again I will use Hammers for it also.
358 winchester will be switched also in the coming years.
 
Top