Copper and lead bullets

[Joseph28]

I’m from California so I am required to use all copper bullets. I also want to have a load for when I go out of state. I read somewhere that when you shoot cooper you need to stay with copper. I have been shooting the ttsx in both of my rifles would it be a bad idea to switch? I am also wanting a load to target shoot and possibly start doing prs and don’t want to buy a “competition gun”. On a side note has anyone had better luck with the etip or gmx than the Barnes.


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[DarylG619]

Some people say it's best to completely clean a barrel when switching between gilding metal and monolithic bullets. I only shoot monos and did that when I switched but not sure it was necessary. Id say shoot both and see. For your second question I've had great results from Barnes and havent felt a need to try the other brands.

 

[1shotgear]

Why not take advantage of high BC cup and core bullets when you get the chance? Berger Bullets are our go to for target shooting and hunting in states where lead bullets are legal!

 

[Rich M]

Can you even posses lead bullets?

 

[Joseph28]

Can you even posses lead bullets?

I can possess lead I just can’t hunt with lead. I can not even have lead shotgun shells in my truck while bird hunting but I can target shoot and plink with lead


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[SDHNTR]

I’m from CA too. There no reason why you theoretically can’t shoot both. It won’t do any harm, but you need to know the differences and treat them accordingly. With a thorough cleaning, you can change up between lead or any of the monos without any issues.

From an accuracy standpoint it is highly unlikely any different bullet will shoot the same, especially copper vs lead. I’ve seen 100 yard differences between the two that are an inch or so, and I’ve seen them 10”. So it’s pretty hard to sight in to hunt with copper and then practice with lead. Best to practice with what the gun is sighted in for.

Additionally, since you posted this in the reloading forum, I assume you handload. Pay VERY close attention to load manuals as work up slowly and carefully. NEVER substitute a copper mono bullet for a recipe that uses a lead bullet. Copper will show pressure much sooner in most cases, assuming same bullet weight. Another way to look at it is copper acts like a much heavier lead bullet. You can’t just swap them into recipes interchangeably.

As for Barnes v GMX v Etip. You just won’t ever know until you try them. I have guns that love a TTSX, yet hate a GMX, and vice versa. There’s no substitution for trying them out on your own. On game, I find them equally effective. No preference and I’ve shot them all, a lot. Put any one of em in the right place and they all work fine. Go with whatever is accurate.

 

[Rich M]

I can possess lead I just can’t hunt with lead. I can not even have lead shotgun shells in my truck while bird hunting but I can target shoot and plink with lead


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That opens up the possibilities. Then the answer is: work up some loads!

 

[Joseph28]

Why not take advantage of high BC cup and core bullets when you get the chance? Berger Bullets are our go to for target shooting and hunting in states where lead bullets are legal!

How do the Berger’s open up on animals compared to let’s say an accubond or partion


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[Joseph28]

I’m from CA too. There no reason why you theoretically can’t shoot both. It won’t do any harm, but you need to know the differences and treat them accordingly. With a thorough cleaning, you can change up between lead or any of the monos without any issues.

From an accuracy standpoint it is highly unlikely any different bullet will shoot the same, especially copper vs lead. I’ve seen 100 yard differences between the two that are an inch or so, and I’ve seen them 10”. So it’s pretty hard to sight in to hunt with copper and then practice with lead. Best to practice with what the gun is sighted in for.

Additionally, since you posted this in the reloading forum, I assume you handload. Pay VERY close attention to load manuals as work up slowly and carefully. NEVER substitute a copper mono bullet for a recipe that uses a lead bullet. Copper will show pressure much sooner in most cases, assuming same bullet weight. Another way to look at it is copper acts like a much heavier lead bullet. You can’t just swap them into recipes interchangeably.

As for Barnes v GMX v Etip. You just won’t ever know until you try them. I have guns that love a TTSX, yet hate a GMX, and vice versa. There’s no substitution for trying them out on your own. On game, I find them equally effective. No preference and I’ve shot them all, a lot. Put any one of em in the right place and they all work fine. Go with whatever is accurate.

I do understand that you cannot interchange load data. I also understand that they will group differently and I should sight in for what I will be using but I have also read that the copper bullets are not made for extreme long range accuracy and I want to start shooting out to 1000yds and don’t want to go buy another rifle in the same caliber but let’s say during the summer I can shoot lead because it’s cheaper and then I can just shoot copper for hunting


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[SDHNTR]

Barnes LRX

 

[cmahoney]

I shoot hammers and ELDM’s out of the same rifle with no issues. I don’t re-zero, just have dope for each load.


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[Muley Buck]

I shoot hammers and ELDM’s out of the same rifle with no issues. I don’t re-zero, just have dope for each load.


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I shoot Lehigh copper and ELD-X / ELD-M out of the same rifles and I have no issues either. I also have dope for my loads back and forth that I do trust. Though I do like to verify zero whenever possible.

 

[wyosam]

I also shoot multiple different loadings from several rifles. My 6.5cm gets 124 hammers and 130 ELDm regularly, likes both a lot. I’ll sometimes shoot both at the range the same trip, with no cleaning in between. Dope is different, but I don’t have to re-zero between the two- I just know that I have to dial the .75 MOA horizontal difference between the two, and account for the slightly different verticle. My .223 bolt gun gets 73 eldm and 53 vmax depending on what I’m doing. Those two are actually very close for 200 yard zero, which is surprising. If I shoot 5 of each into a target at two hundred, its one round group. Easy to tell them apart at 100 though. I would definitely work up some alternates for out of state/non-hunting use. I hunt with nothing but copper (hammer mostly), but other than verifying dope, I don’t shoot them much at the range.


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[1shotgear]

How do the Berger’s open up on animals compared to let’s say an accubond or partion


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Bergers preform different than the bonded Nosler bullets. Accubonds and partitions usually mushroom and retain most if their weight. Bergers violently fragment after 3-5" of penetration and shed all of their weight inside the animal causing massive wound channels. Most animals we have shot with Bergers die instantly.