Copper bullets?

CZ_Brno

CZ_Brno

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Sorry if this has been posted somewhere here before.

But I'm wondering what the thoughts are on copper bullets from anyone that has tried them? My understanding is that they are less toxic than lead but have expansion and humane killing issues?
 
I use Hornady GMX in most of my guns. Violent and humane finishes every time. Similar results with hunting buddies. TTSX bullets are also in rotation on my bench. Killed a big black bear in Sept using TTSX in a .308 win. Spectacular kill. DRT.
 
The monometal copper or gilding metal bullets are superb........most of the time.
They kill well when they expand, but failures to expand do occur, even with the most
advanced designs. They are, of course, non toxic when compared to lead.

I have 2 in my possession, both ttsx, that failed to expand but tipped
in the animal, and thus were stopped against the hide on the far side. Both animals were
recovered, obviously, but required additional shots to anchor.
It appears that as long as velocity is high, expansion is more likely, but at longer ranges,
where speed has dropped off, they may not reliably expand. Eagleye.
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Awesome performance if you have the velocity at impact. I hunt with a .257 weatherby so velocity is never a issue. Gmx bullet stops deer like they're hit by lightning. Zero worry of the bullet exploding on impact or bone.
 
I use the TTSX exclusively in my 7mmstw, and they have always expanded and provided clean kills. I used the TSX in my 300RUM, also with great results. Don't go too heavy in weight, keep on the lighter side to provide a higher impact velocity.
 
My hunting buddy and I have been using them (Barnes TSX) exclusively for about 13 years now, so far they worked very well (20 + animals, mostly mulies) on all of them. We don't normally stretch the distance out too far, so impact velocity hasn't been an issue for us. We have both been shooting .277 130 gr, his 270 Win, my 270 WSM.
 
I have had excellent results using barnes copper bullets. My understanding is that they need to be going faster than 2000 FPS to open. However, I've shot two moose with my .358 win using 225 gr. TSX. The bullets I recovered had expanded perfectly. I've used them in .270 and 30-06 and usually have complete pass through. One bullet I did recover was from an Eland at 250 yards shot with a 165 TTSX from a 30-06. Again perfect expansion. They penetrate further than lead bullets and many people say you should use a lighter bullet than you would lead. I believe the bullet failure that Eagleye has shown was in early Barnes bullets manufactured in the 80's? ( I am curious to know.)
When I was hunting in Africa , our PH culled about a 100 animals a year off his property. He only used barnes 165 gr. TSX in his 30-06. That was good enough endorsement for me!
 
Powdermaker, what do you think the starting and impact velocities were of your 2 - .358 225grain bullets? Did the bullets impact any tough bone in the moose? I am pondering using the same bullets in a 35 Whelen. Thank you, WK
 
In my experience TSX bullets work great in .358, .416 and .458 calibers. Here's a 300gr TSX recovered from a Bull Moose I shot with my .416 Ruger. Impact speed was about 2500 fps. Upon impact the Moose hit the deck so hard it bounced. 1 shot DRT kill. :cool:

35903912964_e34e388fea_z.jpg
35903899164_42c6be7419.jpg
 
CZ_Brno said:
Sorry if this has been posted somewhere here before.

But I'm wondering what the thoughts are on copper bullets from anyone that has tried them? My understanding is that they are less toxic than lead but have expansion and humane killing issues?
Click to expand...

do yourself a favor and don't buy them. I lost a moose last year and almost lost a mule 2 years ago. They simply don't expand properly.
 
Duck_Hunter said:
Go with a lighter bullet for calibre than the lead comparison with them to ensure greater velocity and expansion
Click to expand...

I think that's the biggest mistake people make when choosing a copper bullet. I use a 150gr in my 300 wsm. The retained weight equals a 180 partition plus it shoots faster and flatter for (in my opinion) more hydrostatic shock resulting in a faster kill.
 
powdermaker said:
I have had excellent results using barnes copper bullets. My understanding is that they need to be going faster than 2000 FPS to open. However, I've shot two moose with my .358 win using 225 gr. TSX. The bullets I recovered had expanded perfectly. I've used them in .270 and 30-06 and usually have complete pass through. One bullet I did recover was from an Eland at 250 yards shot with a 165 TTSX from a 30-06. Again perfect expansion. They penetrate further than lead bullets and many people say you should use a lighter bullet than you would lead. I believe the bullet failure that Eagleye has shown was in early Barnes bullets manufactured in the 80's? ( I am curious to know.)
When I was hunting in Africa , our PH culled about a 100 animals a year off his property. He only used barnes 165 gr. TSX in his 30-06. That was good enough endorsement for me!
Click to expand...


Probably 100 head and neck shots.
 
I've only ever used the 350 X Bullet (Not a triple) in my 416 Rigby on plains game. Worked well enough. I couldn't get enough velocity out of the 286 TSX in my 366 Wagner to make me feel like they would expand. Maybe the 250 TSX would have been a better choice in that rifle but I'm a bit set in my ways about heavier bullets. Tried them in my 300 WM and got decent accuracy and speed but didn't ever use them on game and then rebuilt that rifle after the barrel wore out.
 
Used barnes x in 300winmag to shoot a doe at 45 yards on the run.. hit in the heart still ran bout 20yards and dropped.
-decent expansion and not too much damage to the meat. If it was a lead bullet, i think iit would be too much for deer

Was an elderado factory bullet
 
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