Best copper projectile?

[nhenry]

I just got myself a 280 AI and I'm starting to reload for it. While most of the animals I've harvested have been with traditional bullets, I'm not satisfied with penetration, I do not like fragmentation too much, and I like to use all the meat I can. So the easy answer is to switch to the monos entirely. Namely, Barnes TSX/TTSX, Hornady GMX, Nosler E-Tip, etc. Please vote for your favorite mono and explain in the thread why that is. Thanks in advance, as this will help me decide on what to try.

 

[nhenry]

I have only used the Barnes, so my opinion isn't worth much . I have used 210 and 225 grain TTSX out of my 338 on moose . They have performed flawlessly and most are found right under the hide on the off side . Shot maybe 10 moose with them and the 225s are my favorite .

I appreciate any experience, even if it is just with one option. Thanks!

 

[MThuntr]

I've transitioned to almost exclusively Hammer Bullets for hunting though I still have and use E-tips because I have loads already developed. I can push the Hammers faster and their performance at impact seem to be superior to the Etip. My sample size isn't huge (maybe a dozen animals each using Etips and Hammers).


276gr 4570 Hammer

I do load some Barnes TTSX for a friend and he is quite happy with their performance.

 

[midwesthunter]

Mines not on the list, badland precision bulldozer

 

[winmag]

I've used all of those and Hammer is hands down the best. The Hunters are so easy to get accuracy out of, they're fast, load them as you would any other projectile, and their terminal performance blends the best of copper and cup and core projectiles.

The absolute hammers are great too but require you to really know what you're doing and be comfortable experimenting with your handloads. I've moved to them in most of my rifles because they really do give a huge increase in velocity (depending on the cartridge).

The rest of the brands have been hit or miss for me. Some rifles like them and some I do full load development and they never give me the accuracy I was looking for. I've never had that issue with Hammer; every gun I've shot them in loves them.

Hammers are pricey but who cares for a big game hunting rifle. They're never out of stock, even through all the COVID shortages every other manufacturer has experienced.

No I do not get free bullets or anything else from Hammer to post this here.

 

[JLS]

^^^^this.

I’ve shot a lot of stuff with Barnes. I like Hammers better for the reasons stated above.

 

[jryoung]

I've shot over 30 animals with a mix of TSX, LRX and etips in various 284/7mm calibers. I've been over and undergunned for species (according to the internets), but they have all worked every time.

Currently moving a few rifles over to Hammers, I have no doubt they'll perform as well.

I'd focus on a) what you can buy right now and b) what your rifle ends up liking.

 

[rtraverdavis]

@winmag nailed it on Hammers. They almost make it hard to find a load that doesn’t shoot. Plus if you have questions about even the silliest minutiae of loading them, you can call Hammer and talk to the owner of the company, who’ll spend serious time brainstorming with you. For hunting, I’m shooting Hammers from here on out.

 

[Don Fischer]

There is no best in anything! There's only what different people like. They like different things and swear by those things so that is what they call best. Want to know what's best for you? Try them all. Then when you get what you like you can call it the best. If I were to give my feeling on the Best bullet in a 280 AI I'd say a 160gr Speer Hot Core but what do I know!

If your getting to much damage with your present bullet and not enough penetration then I strongly suspect your using to light a bullet at to much velocity and tearing to bullet up as it penetrates. Monolithic bullet should fix that then you won't be required to think!

 

[nhenry]

There is no best in anything! There's only what different people like. They like different things and swear by those things so that is what they call best. Want to know what's best for you? Try them all. Then when you get what you like you can call it the best. If I were to give my feeling on the Best bullet in a 280 AI I'd say a 160gr Speer Hot Core but what do I know!

If your getting to much damage with your present bullet and not enough penetration then I strongly suspect your using to light a bullet at to much velocity and tearing to bullet up as it penetrates. Monolithic bullet should fix that then you won't be required to think!

Okay lemme rephrase that because I know I was not too clear. In past rifles that I've had, the penetration and fragmentation has been iffy, at least for my taste. I used a 30-30 for a long time, with many different loads and the fragmentation was always there, especially with FTXs, which had jacket separations. Though I did mostly get pass throughs with the core (but that still doesn't solve my lust for as much meat as I can get). Again in my 25-06 using 120gr Nosler Partitions, I got decent penetration, but I broke a tooth on a fragment in some venison I cooked up. I'm looking for a way to get the best penetration I can, while keeping most of the meat intact (not ruining a whole shoulder), while simultaneously not breaking another tooth. I have not used my 280ai yet, but I doubt I'll send many lead bullets out of the tube

 

[jryoung]

143 hammer hunters and 73.2 gr of H1000 is a winning combo.

 

[MThuntr]

143 hammer hunters and 73.2 gr of H1000 is a winning combo.

Dang...what's the speed on those?

 

[Mountain Man]

My uncles have hand loaded Barnes TSX for decades so that is what I have used my whole hunting career. The bullets have killed dozens of big game animals. I have never invested any time or energy thinking of switching. I’m considering checking out the Hammers though.

 

[winmag]

Is 3584fps with a 140gr fast enough?

 

[JT88]

Curious if there are any companies loading factory ammo with Hammers? I need to try these in my 7 mag when I run out of VLDs. Maybe I'll just load some this winter

 

[jryoung]

Dang...what's the speed on those?

3,050

 

[std7mag]

Of the ones listed, i would load the Hammers first.
The Hammers are a softer copper alloy than the Barnes.
Also the Hammers have petals that are designed to break off & radiate outward, while the base keeps going. Making for massive internal damage!

My preference for monos is actually Cutting Edge. But after them i'd use the Hammers.

I've chased a few deer a loooong way after good hits with a Barnes.

 

[stevejfarms]

Hammer...nuff said.

 

[nhenry]

Of the ones listed, i would load the Hammers first.
The Hammers are a softer copper alloy than the Barnes.
Also the Hammers have petals that are designed to break off & radiate outward, while the base keeps going. Making for massive internal damage!

My preference for monos is actually Cutting Edge. But after them i'd use the Hammers.

I've chased a few deer a loooong way after good hits with a Barnes.

The petals are the thing that keeps my from them. They provide great accuracy for me in my other rifles, but the fragmentation is my problem

 

[JLS]

The petals are the thing that keeps my from them. They provide great accuracy for me in my other rifles, but the fragmentation is my problem

Why is it a problem?