Non Lead Rifle Ammo Experience Question- fragments in meat?

[Walkathon]

For those of you who use Barnes, Hornady GMX, Federal Trophy Copper or Nosler E-Tips; do you have issues with finding broken off petals, in the meat? I bought some .270 win and 7MM Rem mag ammo to try this year (loaded with the mentioned bullets) and I'm curious as to what everyone has experienced. Big game that I've shot makes up probably 90% of the meat that I eat, and I'm trying to go lead free this year but have zero experience with non-lead bullets. Thanks

 

[p_ham]

I havent had any yet. I shot a deer at 30yds with my 308 last year and still didnt get any fragments. That was with barnes. Not saying they werent there, just didnt find any. Same with elk.

 

[JLS]

With Barnes I don't recall having more than a couple of instances in 18 years.. I now shoot Hammers, which are designed to shear off the petals. No big deal.

 

[Jeremyc_1999]

I'm interested in this as well. After listening to the birds of prey podcast, I'm seriously considering going all non toxic for big game as well as upland game birds

 

[6mm Remington]

My sons shot a deer, a couple antelope, and a nice cow elk with a 6mm Remington using 90 gr. E-tips. We haven't found any chunks of bullet and have not recovered any either. All have went in one side and out the other, even on the cow broadside at 350 yards.

 

[406LIFE]

I have had zero issues like this with Nosler Etips. I have shot 30+ animals with them. On antelope, I am getting pass throughs, so no data there.

 

[mtmuley]

It's really not a big deal if a copper bullet sheds or not. Some are designed to. mtmuley

 

[homers]

None

 

[RemingtonRules]

Never with Barnes. They will let you know the meat that is not edible.

 

[VikingsGuy]

Not a problem with my TTSX

 

[brnsvllyjohn]

Not a problem with Barnes or Federal Trophy Copper. Been using it in Ca. for a few years.

 

[Brian in Montana]

A guy I hunt with is a big fan of Barnes TTXS. Hes shot several elk with them and a caribou. I was with him with the most recent elk and helped him process and pack it out, that one just had a good expanded exit wound and no petals or fragments that I saw. It was shot through the lungs and didn't go far.

Chris has recovered a couple bullets from elk, he showed them to me. Its pretty impressive what those things do. Petals were peeled back nicely without breaking off. He uses a .300WM.

 

[mtmuley]

QUOTE="Walkathon, post: 2854980, member: 23521"]
For those of you who use Barnes, Hornady GMX, Federal Trophy Copper or Nosler E-Tips; do you have issues with finding broken off petals, in the meat? I bought some .270 win and 7MM Rem mag ammo to try this year (loaded with the mentioned bullets) and I'm curious as to what everyone has experienced. Big game that I've shot makes up probably 90% of the meat that I eat, and I'm trying to go lead free this year but have zero experience with non-lead bullets. Thanks
[/QUOTE] You worried about eating the petals, or the actual in game performance? mtmuley

 

[Walkathon]

QUOTE="Walkathon, post: 2854980, member: 23521"]
For those of you who use Barnes, Hornady GMX, Federal Trophy Copper or Nosler E-Tips; do you have issues with finding broken off petals, in the meat? I bought some .270 win and 7MM Rem mag ammo to try this year (loaded with the mentioned bullets) and I'm curious as to what everyone has experienced. Big game that I've shot makes up probably 90% of the meat that I eat, and I'm trying to go lead free this year but have zero experience with non-lead bullets. Thanks

You worried about eating the petals, or the actual in game performance? mtmuley
[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the clarifying question- Not worried at all about the performance of the bullets. Just wondering if it was common to find shed petals after hitting shoulder bone for example.

 

[mtmuley]

You worried about eating the petals, or the actual in game performance? mtmuley

Thanks for the clarifying question- Not worried at all about the performance of the bullets. Just wondering if it was common to find shed petals after hitting shoulder bone for example.
[/QUOTE]
Not common with some monos. Very common with others. Depends on how they are designed to work. Pick one that shoots and use it. mtmuley

 

[Slick307]

My family has been using Barnes for 10 plus years and never had a problem.

 

[Walkathon]

Thanks for the responses !

 

[Tikka06]

I chewed on a sheared off petal of a Barnes tsx from a 270 few years back. It was a front on shot at a mature whitetail buck and at about 75 yds entering into the chest and was found under the hide on the rear quarter. I cannot recall if it was a 140gr or a 130gr. Anyway, I believe it was the only petal that sheared off and the bullet kept 90% intact after mushrooming. Just my luck in how it was found.

 

[NVDesertHunter]

Ive shot animals with the Barnes LRX at 4, 30, 300 and 330 yards and haven't found any fragments while processing my own meat and actively looking. Also haven't found any with the E-tips either. The only time I've found petals in the meat was a pig I shot at 135yds with a 135gn Cutting Edge Raptor bullet from a 7mm RM but those bullets are suppose to sear off from the shank of the bullet. Good Luck

 

[Don Fischer]

Don't worry about the sheared off petals from monolithic bullet's. It's not like eating lead,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,yet!