My thoughts on solid copper bullets and in comparison to other bullet types.

@Petey308, being a military guy, what is your opinion about the M855A1 on deer size game at short range. They shoot real well for GI ammo, much better than the M855s. They are solids behind that penetrator tip. And, higher velocity than the green tips, while both being 62 grains
Honestly, without going on a tangent, I'm not a fan of that bullet at all and hated that that's what they gave me on my 2018 deployment to Kandahar. Strangely, I got regular green tips on last year's trip to Bagram 🤷🏼‍♂️

You're sure welcome to try it, and if you do, be sure to share your results with me. I personally wouldn't recommend it, but it may work great for you.
 
Military loads don't always have the same job as hunting rounds. Different tool for different job. Probably better off using a 77 gr SMK with the tip cleared. My 2 cents worth from the peanut gallery.
 
Military loads don't always have the same job as hunting rounds. Different tool for different job. Probably better off using a 77 gr SMK with the tip cleared. My 2 cents worth from the peanut gallery.
The 77gr TMK has proven for me person and several customers abd friends to perform emphatically. It's one I would highly recommend. It's killed numerous deer so far and I'm unaware of any "failures" thus far.
 
Military loads don't always have the same job as hunting rounds. Different tool for different job. Probably better off using a 77 gr SMK with the tip cleared. My 2 cents worth from the peanut gallery.
The Geneva Convention has really limited the usefulness of military rounds for hunting....unless deer begin wearing body armor.
 
The Geneva Convention has really limited the usefulness of military rounds for hunting....unless deer begin wearing body armor.
Bullet manufacturers with defense contracts have to be really careful too how they classify and market certain bullets too due to that. They could lose contracts if they say a certain bullet is designed to expand it recommend certain bullets for hunting.
 
In all sincerity, please let me know if you need a box of ammo for hunting and I will send it to you.

I have some 62 gr Gold Dots that would work in your 223, if that's what you're running.
Thank you. I appreciate the offer.

Sorry, I do not need any hunting ammo. I am well stocked for 300WM, 30 Nosler, 7 RM, 280A1, 30-06, 308, and 223.

With handloads, I've put a few whitetails on the ground with 77 TMKs. That's the same ammo I use in service rifle shortline competition. 200 yards standing, 200 and 300 rapids.

The question was just that, a question for someone who is a student of bullets, their characteristics, and construction.

The A1 ammo shoot real well
 
Last edited:
I have been running Badlands's Bulldozers since last year and I'm thoroughly impressed with them so far shoots well and consistent. I have a few deer claimed by them and the farthest was 648 yards, wasn't the best shot on her with a misread on the wind but she dropped in her tracks. No meat ruined and if I had been using a cup core bullet I'd had one H3LL of a mess.

The thing I like most about the lathe turned copper bullets like hammer, badlands and whoever else makes them lathe turned is they are all uniform in every way!! No variations whatsoever. Will still use cup and core bullets but I like where copper bullets are headed. I shoot Barnes in my 30-06 but is a short range/brush gun anymore and they do well. With reloading, consistency is key and with that you can't get any more consistent than copper/lathe turned bullets!! At 794 yards my load with the Badlands's are .3 moa 3 shot group, I did it twice with them.



Thanks for the very civil bullet discussions!! @Petey308
What's your secrete for getting them to shoot good? None of my rifles liked them so well. Just tried the 70's in a 22 Creed and groups were 1 - 1.5 MOA.
 
Yes, lighter with less sectional density is the best course of action, in general with solids. Speed as well. So there also has to be a balance there with not going too light and losing too much BC and thus not enough retained velocity. You might start with a great deal of MV, but if you don't have enough BC, that velocity will bleed off very rapidly before impact, which isn't ideal with solids.
We shoot 150's from our 300wsm's. My buddy's son took a elk at 560yd with a 150ttsx and he took a buck this year at 710yd with the same load.
 
I noticed when I shot the 90 ah's out of the 25-06 at 540 yards, the drop was less than expected. This could be the same discrepancy.
I think the terrific speeds mess with the BC's. Running 150 BD-2's from a 7 Allen Mag at around 3,700 fps required changing the G7 (yes, G7) BC to 1.00 out to 400 yds to get it to hold out with real drops. Only shot it to 400 so far with this load, so the rest is just estimated. Crazy stuff. Or what did we do wrong?
 

Attachments

  • 7 Allen Ballistic Preliminary Profile for 150 BD-2 .jpg
    7 Allen Ballistic Preliminary Profile for 150 BD-2 .jpg
    130.3 KB · Views: 37
I think the terrific speeds mess with the BC's. Running 150 BD-2's from a 7 Allen Mag at around 3,700 fps required changing the G7 (yes, G7) BC to 1.00 out to 400 yds to get it to hold out with real drops. Only shot it to 400 so far with this load, so the rest is just estimated. Crazy stuff. Or what did we do wrong?
@ButterBean was taking some heat on a different thread where he was being called out over the drop on his 300 RUM shooting a light hammer. He was saying that he holds hair at 500 yards and the guys were not having it. Maybe there is something too this.
 
@ButterBean was taking some heat on a different thread where he was being called out over the drop on his 300 RUM shooting a light hammer. He was saying that he holds hair at 500 yards and the guys were not having it. Maybe there is something too this.
It was this thread, and it wasn't that he was holding on hair at 500 yards and it not hitting right where desired. He was saying his hold at 500 yards with his load is 1.1 mils, and even provided his ballistics chart, and that 1.1 mils is 3.7" at 500 yards. It's not. It is at 100 yards, but it's 20.3" at 500 yards. That was all that was being corrected. If his load is defying math and physics, I'd love to see that proven. Not calling him a liar at all, but perhaps mistaken. Something is not right at least. We could be the ones mistaken too, I suppose. I can admit when I'm wrong.
 
Last edited:

Recent Posts

Top