Flatlander3
Active member
Curious to see people's use of lead and copper bullets.
Copper or Lead (Poll)
- Thread starter Flatlander3
- Start date
MThuntr
Well-known member
Switching to copper for hunting but have some lead core bonded bullets that still get used. I use lead for target shooting.
EDIT: I still hunt with lead birdshot where allowed.
EDIT: I still hunt with lead birdshot where allowed.
Last edited:
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Deleted member 38069
Guest
What about non-toxic BBs? I strictly use steel or bismuth!
I haven’t shot anything copper just because of what I already have and I have had really good experience with AccuBonds since making that move. I am considering trying out some e-tips or ttsx in my 260 since I don’t have anything for it yet.
MinnesotaHunter
Well-known member
I have rifles shooting both, but am migrating everything towards copper. I have had fantastic luck with Nosler E-tips and Barnes TTSX. Even if you aren't concerned about you/your family/carrion eaters ingesting lead, I have seen significantly less bloodshot meat; which I like.
rideold
Well-known member
I hunt with copper but use lead at the range.
Brian in Montana
Well-known member
I like bonded core bullets - Accubonds, Interbonds, Federal TBTs. I tend to use the one that shoots best in a given rifle. But, I've been experimenting with Barnes TTSX in my .270s and have been pretty impressed so far.
VikingsGuy
Well-known member
Have moved to all copper for food, but remain all lead for targets and varmints/predators.
Same here.
Lyfter1013
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2020
- Messages
- 605
Forced to switch to copper for hunting California. Not sure if I’ll use accubond for elk in Idaho or just use all copper so everything’s the same.
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Deleted member 28227
Guest
I started with coreloks (terrible), then bergers (did like not either), then Swift A-frames (loved), then partitions (meh...), now I'm using E-tips. I feel like I'm getting equivalent performance with Etips as A-frames.
I will probably switch over to all non-toxic for hunting (mostly), not sure about Turkey or upland.
what didn't you like about the partitions? A very loved bullet> sorta like the standard in the industry
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Deleted member 28227
Guest
I wasn't getting quite as tight of groups as I did with the A-frames or etips, (etips better than A-frames) and I wasn't getting as good of penetration.
Anecdotal with a tiny sample size; 1 bear 2 elk 2 muley 2 pronghorn 2 caribou in 2017-18. Felt like I had to take more follow up shots, when I did the necropsy the first shots seemed like they either should have done the job or would have if penetration had been better. eg I took 2 shots on the bear, the first hit the front shoulder and then I believe only hit one lung and stopped. I had an A-frame go through both shoulders of an elk. I switched to E-tips last year and I felt like they preformed better on a bear-elk- muley last season.
Like I said not scientific at all, 100% could have just been me sucking at shooting, and being an incompetent handloader. It was easier for me to get E-tips and A-frames to group well, which is not to say partitions in capable hands could not have been made to group just as well.
Plus like they have this cool little green tip thing and green is one of my top 10 favorite colors... so like I have that going for me now.
I've been using lead based bullets for the past decade, mostly Partitions and Scenars. Boys have used Fusions and Hornady XTP. All of done what I expected them to.
Might try some copper in the boys 243 for deer if I can locate the equipment and work up a load with the 70gr Hammers. Did flirt with some Barnes in the 30-06 some time back, shooting a couple of pronghorn with them. They worked too.
Upland I use lead except where non-toxic is mandated and there I use Bismuth.
Might try some copper in the boys 243 for deer if I can locate the equipment and work up a load with the 70gr Hammers. Did flirt with some Barnes in the 30-06 some time back, shooting a couple of pronghorn with them. They worked too.
Upland I use lead except where non-toxic is mandated and there I use Bismuth.
Brian in Montana
Well-known member
I really like the design of the Partition, but I can't get it to group that great either. Always a little over MOA. which is fine for a lot of hunting situations, but not what I handload for.
chuckchili
Well-known member
I am switching to e-tips...exclusively if my rifle likes them. I use steel shot for birds.
MLaird
Well-known member
I’m shooting Barnes for meat, lead for practice, all steel or nontox for birds.
thusby
Well-known member
I can't see myself ever getting away from lead. It has just been so lethal for me over the years. I feel like I would be doing myself a disservice to mess with the formula. I get tested for lead every year at my place of employment and my levels are in the healthy range and have not changed over the years.
MinnesotaHunter
Well-known member
I really need to get into handloading. Those Hammers really seem awesome.
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