Copperplated vs. Non-Copperplated 22 Bullets?

jbunny said:
thanks. i'm really curious as to why they don't recomend
copper plated. i looked at the history of cooper and
i e-mailed them and asked why they don't recomend
copper plated bullets. will post when and if they do reply.
jb
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I'm curious about this too as copper washed bullets can be had at cheap prices which I like. :)
Anschutz also advises not to use it in their guns, but I have no reason why from them. Some how I cannot believe that it's going to ruin a .22 barrel, but I could be wrong.
 
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Brentn said:
I don't know why you guys say "plated" as it's more like "coated". I think even on most of the boxes for ammo it says "copper washed".
Not to nit pick or anything, but it gives the impression that they have a thick plating on them that helps with penetration like a full metal jacket.
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i don't want to be nit picky either but on the dynapoint
target box it states copper plated.
BTW the black box dynapoint target are way more acurate
than the white box dynapoints.
 
Copper

The reason copper wash .22's are not recommended by high end rifle makers is because the bores have to be conditioned to the target ammo they like best and copper destroys that conditioning (which takes between 5 and 300 rds. to do.)
This is also one of the reasons why you dont clean the bore with solvents.The other is the lack of pronounced rifling which is vulnerable to wear from a cleaning rod.
There is no super accurate copper .22 ammo , rifle bores are designed for a slight build up of lead not copper.
The build up of lead and associated lube tightens the bore and increases accuracy - until you remove it by cleaning,or shooting copper wash.
This has all been proven by the Ohio bench rest ass'c. and many others using 700 lb.+ 22 rimfire rail guns.
It was shown that a slight improvement can be had with a run through of a dry bore mop between shots,and a major improvement with a removal of the lead chamber ring just before the lands and grooves that forms every 3 to 10 shots.
Copper for casual shooting with a cheap P.O.S. 22 is ok but not for a quality gun.
 
I do not beleive that anyone on this site owns a"P.O.S." gun. The one we have suits what we do with it and can be a very accurate varmint getter or fun plinker. I never have and never will have the inclination to spend huge amounts of money on a gun that will only have one purpose and that being for it to shoot a wee hole in a piece of paper at 50 yards if that is the distance they shoot.

I have Mossberg .22s that have been used since the 30s and still provide a great deal of pleasure when they are with me in the field. I sight in the scopes at our range using paper at 100 yards and shoot beyond that in the fields.

i have nothing against the target shooters nor thier choice of big name guns, but do not like the fact that my choice of gun ( which handles almost every brand of ammo without complaint) being downgraded because of its name. Some of the guns owned by people on this site have been around since thier great grandfathers time and still to this day operate fine and hit what they are pointed at. They enjoy taking them out, going to the local hardware store , buying a few boxes of ammo ( depending whats on sale as first choice) and not have to worry about the cross winds and humidity to enjoy them.
 
this is the answer that i got from cooper firearms
jb
From: "Greg Sheller" <GSheller@cooperfirearms.com>
To: <jbunny@goldcity.net>
----- Original Cc: "Dan Pickett" <dpickett@cooperfirearms.com>
Sent: Wednesday, March 04, 2009 8:50 AM
Subject: RE: cooper m57 22 lr


Louis,

The main reason we do not recommend copper jacketed bullets is due to
the copper fouling that will occur which can lead to accuracy issues.
The copper jacketed bullets are not match grade ammo. The chambers on
our rifles are match grade and so are the barrels. This is why we use
lead bullets which are match grade and are of a softer metal that helps
lube the barrel which promotes accuracy.

Hopefully this helps,

Greg


-----Original Message-----
From: Louis Pelletier [mailto:jbunny@goldcity.net]
Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2009 7:25 PM
To: info
Subject: cooper m57 22 lr

sir/madam; what is the reason you do not recomend
copper plated bullets in your 22 rimfire rifles??
thanks in advance
Louis in central BC
 
canuckhunter said:
Cooper Arms is strictly talking about copper jacketed like centre-fire type bullets and I understand that completely.
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i don't think so. look at the e-mail i sent them and there
answer talking about target ammo about lead. i have never
seen any copper jacket bullets except for the 22 magnum.
 
Yes and they recommend lead bullets, not copper jacketed ones. Jacketed bullets are centerfire type bullets and the others are commonly referred to as copper washed/coated/plated.
The question was supposed to be about copper washed/coated/plated bullets to Cooper and somehow the meaning to the original question is lost or in between there. I'm still not sure Cooper got the right question. I have heard of people pulling the lead bullets out and reloading jacketed bullets in to clean their leaded bores.

In any case, if they are exactly referring to copper washed/coated/plated rimfire lead bullets, then great! It's detrimental to rimfire accuracy. I got that part real easy.

Code: 
The main reason we do not recommend copper jacketed bullets is due to
the copper fouling that will occur which can lead to accuracy issues.
The copper jacketed bullets are not match grade ammo. The chambers on
our rifles are match grade and so are the barrels. This is why we use
lead bullets which are match grade and are of a softer metal that helps
lube the barrel which promotes accuracy.

I agree with chopper1 with his post.
 
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My guess is the wash or plating is tougher , and cleaner to handle for hunting and plinking,
Waxed lead is better for getting into the rifling , and moving along at 1000 or so fps it makes for a great target bullet.

So
Lead waxed. target
Copper coat- hunting plinking
 
You cannot even chamber a CCI Stinger in a match chamber without using way too much force. You will actually engrave the shellcasing slightly if you manage to close the bolt of a match chambered 22 rimfire on a Stinger. And BTW, I have not ever done this!! :rolleyes: :D
Saw someone else do it though. :eek: Regards, Eagleye.
 
While everyone is on this topic I have a somewhat different question. Is there such a thing as a steel or something other than lead based bullet for a .22lr. Some may laugh but I find it weird to shoot lead around at gophers in a horse hay/grazing field.
 
For the amount of accuracy difference there might be between lead and copper washed bullets for non competition use, I will go with the copper washed just so that I don't have to handle lead.
 
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