School me on copper bullets

[rrseahorse]

Been reloading Barnes TTSX 180 gn. For a few years now. NO PROBLEMS, very happ with them.

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

Go with a lighter bullet in copper than you would in lead and push them fast they are very tough but need the speed to reliably open.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

Mr Steve,

I would like to ask you a question somewhat related to this topic. I will be doing a Vancouver Island Black Bear Hunt in May of 2020. I'm shooting a 300WM with a 26" barrel with a 1:10 twist. The distance is typically 200 yards or less. I'm thinking about using your 199gr Sledge Hammer. Do you feel this would an adequate bullet for boars potentially reaching 700lbs? Thank you.

Yes that would be a great choice. With 90% weight retention you will have no trouble getting through the hair and fat to the pump house.

 

[Dakotakidd61]

Yes that would be a great choice. With 90% weight retention you will have no trouble getting through the hair and fat to the pump house.

Thank you. I'm hoping you will have some load data available, when I start load development.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

Thank you. I'm hoping you will have some load data available, when I start load development.

Well be happy to help with load data.

If you look at Nosler data for like weight bullets it matches up pretty well. Nosler data is on the hot side and works well with our bullets since they Generally create less pressure than lead core bullets. Look for a powder that does not show a compressed load since the pure copper bullets are a bit longer and may need the case space.

 

[floyd kittrell]

Mr. Steve , do we seat the first test loads at the L & G's ?

 

[Varminator 911]

Yes. We want the front of the bullet to shed. This keeps the bullet from slowing down to rapidly inside the animal reducing the wound channel. Also ensuring a wound channel all the way through the vital tissue or through a tough angle to reach the vitals.

I'll post a before and after pic with a recovered bullet from game When I can get to my computer.

So you think a caliper size bullet will make a bigger wound channel than double caliper just because it retains more speed? I'm aware of the advantages of flat nose solids. They penetrate in a staight line. But Barnes expand to double caliper and still make two holes nearly every time.

 

[stx]

Tagging in

 

[RockyMtnMT]

So you think a caliper size bullet will make a bigger wound channel than double caliper just because it retains more speed? I'm aware of the advantages of flat nose solids. They penetrate in a staight line. But Barnes expand to double caliper and still make two holes nearly every time.

I guess the short answer is yes. Comes down to elasticity of the tissue and the permanent wound channel.

 

[Varminator 911]

I guess the short answer is yes. Comes down to elasticity of the tissue and the permanent wound channel.

Thank you for your reply. Still think I'd rather have a double caliper expansion, high weight retention, and an exit hole. Maybe some large exit holes with Hammers would change my mind.

If that were the case I don't see why they'd ever use expanding bullets on things like cape buffalo. Hell just shoot solids and make a bigger wound channel. Doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Swamplord]

Just got 100 of these babies in and working on having a hunting hp aluminum tip bullet made next, also coming are the .408 cal and .308 cal high bc bullets in target and hunting form, some really cool stuff happening this year

 

[adam32]

Mr Steve,

I would like to ask you a question somewhat related to this topic. I will be doing a Vancouver Island Black Bear Hunt in May of 2020. I'm shooting a 300WM with a 26" barrel with a 1:10 twist. The distance is typically 200 yards or less. I'm thinking about using your 199gr Sledge Hammer. Do you feel this would an adequate bullet for boars potentially reaching 700lbs? Thank you.

Swift A-FRAME

 

[HARPERC]

[QUOTE="Dakotakidd61, post: 1581371, member: 109163..........I'm thinking about using your 199gr Sledge Hammer. Do you feel this would an adequate bullet for boars potentially reaching 700lbs? Thank you.[/QUOTE]

It would be my first choice.

 

[HARPERC]

....I'd rather have a double caliper expansion, high weight retention, and an exit hole. Maybe some large exit holes with Hammers would change my mind.........If that were the case I don't see why they'd ever use expanding bullets on things like cape buffalo.....

I took a bit to come around from retaining the large frontal diameter, to losing the petals. What changed my thinking, was finding the petals travel farther than I would have thought. At times creating multiple exit holes. In a whitetail shot this year, the heart had a major laceration that could only have been made by one of the petals.

All I know of Cape Buffalo is what I read, but understand, as better bullets in that class have emerged, the trend is towards a first shot with a "soft", and follow up with "solids".