Need help with non-lead solid copper bullets

[feelinducky]

I have shot barnes for the past 7-8 years. It was the only bullet that I would hunt with. We never lost an animal all were recovered. I'm sure the bullets expands but they don't shed off their petals very easily. Now i have decided to make the change over to the hammer bullet. I have been looking for a bullet that will shed the petals to give a little more collateral damage. Hammer bullets seem to so that. In my rifle 270wsm the LRX did not shoot well. Low velocity and very high pressure. I switched over to the 130ttsx and the velocity went way up around 3350. I like barnes but I am also looking for something that sheds off a little mass that is why I'm going with the hammers. I still shoot the barnes 180ttsx in my 300rum because it shoots well. But as new rifles come on line for me I'll be working up loads with hammer bullets. Plus hammer is a small business and I would rather buy there anyway. Just my opinion.

 

[Lpart]

I too have tried the Hammers this year in my 6.5 CM. Easy to tune and I am getting much better than .5 moa accuracy. Have only shot to 600 yards but that was just over .5 moa. Shot a mature white tail buck at 80 yards and terminal performance was excellent.

 

[Deleted member 46119]

Sorry to hear it when people buy into the lead BS

It's not BS.

If you want to eat lead and leave lead poisoned pluck or bloodshot meat around to kill raptors there is nothing I can do about it.

There is a reason we live longer now than way back. of course it's not the only reason.

 

[elkaholic]

I think more people die from worrying about lead than from consuming it! IMO

 

[Deleted member 46119]

I hate laws that "ban lead". Stupid, just makes hate. However, I don't use lead. What you use is up to you if you are not in Kommiefornia. Family is important. If family wants you to use lead free...

I vowed to use only lead free for killing critters when I was 14. A long a complicated history. I've kept to it.

The only "disadvantage" to lead free is the lower sectional density and how it affects ballistics. Accuracy is there from many bullet makes. Hammer, Cutting Edge, Barnes are the only ones I would use. I have killed critters with the Barnes. Have not yet had the chance to kill critters with Hammer or Cutting Edge.

I've done a lot of testing and I see a lot of lead free in the URSA. The key is to trade SD and BC for speed and watch your twist rate. More speed and twist is better than more weight.

If it were me, start with the Hammer Hunter 181. @RockyMntMT can speak to it more but I think you will get 3100fps with an effective range of 700 yards for larger game and maybe more for deer.

If you can not find 1/2 MOA with this bullet I believe there is something else wrong.

My next would be the Barnes LRX 175. I've loaded and shot it but not killed any critters. Of course you would be able to go a little faster.

Next is the Cutting Edge. There are multiple offerings there Lazer, MTH should appeal to you most.

After that the 180 TTSX. I load for a friend and we both shoot this in our 300 RUM. I have seen what this will do at 500+ yards. As normal, devastating.

 

[elkaholic]

I guess we all do what works for us! My grandfather and seven aunts and uncles all lived to be 95-100. They just spit out the bullets and went to their safe rooms for an hour or so until they recovered sufficently.

 

[Deleted member 46119]

They just spit out the bullets and went to their safe rooms for an hour or so until they recovered sufficently.

ROFLH.

@elkaholic, dude. Did you really say that. So, you think I or people who don't want to use lead because we know what really happens need a safe room? My goodness but you show how superior you feel to others (it's a tongue in cheek joke son).

Try not to be seriously insulting. Just because

My grandfather and seven aunts and uncles all lived to be 95-100.

does not mean that eating lead is OK. Of course it is a much more complicated issue than that.

Remember you are a respected member. Less internet savvy members will believe what you write.

Lead is poison, EOS. If you don't believe it, make a milkshake with 2 grams of lead and drink it. Video and proof. We will visit you in the hospital.

I'm just poking fun at you because it seems like you are saying there is nothing wrong with eating lead and nothing wrong with leaving lead in the "wilds" for animals to eat.

 

[Deleted member 46119]

Just because we did it 100 years ago and more, does not mean it is the best thing to do now.

 

[Deleted member 46119]

Also, saying lead is not a problem does not solve the OPs challenge. He has a family. A happy family and hunting is what he is after.

Helping the OP understand what lead free options work and any limits does help him maintain a happy family. If anyone things making negative remarks or saying lead is ok helps the OP in his relationship with his family, carry on.

 

[elkaholic]

I suspect there are a lot more "respected members" that see through the attitude you call "Kommiefornia"! I rest my case! Do you seriously believe that shooing an animal with a lead bullet will hurt your family!!! Or is it really more about raptors?

 

[elkaholic]

You ARE entitled to shoot whatever you want so I apologise if anyone, including you, takes what I said the wrong way! I just don't want the next generation to end up where we are headed; so I speak up!

 

[Pdvdh]

I'm rotating into copper bullets. Not because of concern I may eat some lead, or that lead bullet use for hunting rifles will poison the wilds to the point they need to be regulated out of use. The concern is at the gun range, and even that area of impact is small compared to the USA land mass. Our military training and use of leaded bullets is likely the greater offender of the environment.
I finally got to the point that I dislike the carnage to the animal caused by thin copper jackets with lead core style bullets. That's my primary motive for the conversion. Their are some other issues to, but explosive meat damage is not my preference.
We're finally getting some high quality, relatively high BC, reliable performance, and accurate copper bullets. If my opportunities and/or focus lay beyond 1000yds, then the lead core frangible bullets would have the high BC advantages. My focus is out to 1000yds. Not beginning at 1000yds.
I prefer tipped bullets, because I think the tip enables more reliable bullet expansion. One company is now offering aluminum tipped copper bullets. So I'll test some for accuracy and terminal performance. If they shoot, I'm confident they'll kill game effectively, and in a manner that leaves most of the meat edible.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

I am absolutely humbled buy the kind words to me and our company. THANK YOU!

We try very hard and never quite looking for better material and designs.

Our repeat business is symply amazing. We will buy back your box of bullets if you are not happy for any reason. So far we have exchanged bullets for a few guys that did not get the right bullets for the twist of their rifle.

We have two driving principles for our bullets. Accuracy and terminal performance. These are equal and everything else comes in secondary to these.

I can go on but it is not my thread. Give us a go, we guarantee you will like our bullets or we will refund your money.

Steve

 

[Pdvdh]

However, my wife and kids refuse to eat meat shot with lead bullets.

For those concerned about ingestion of lead from any and all sources, the human health concern is predominantly lead toxicity to the forming/developing human brain. The most susceptible are infants and young children. It impairs healthy brain development.
I still won't knowingly consume lead as an adult. But the impact on adults (brain fully developed) is MUCH reduced. Some lead toxicity trivia... and I won't speak to what I don't know.