Pennsylvania Game News - November 2022 - 60

For example, a solid copper bullet
weighing 150 grains penetrates just as
deeply as a 190-grain lead bullet - while
producing more kinetic energy - because
the latter will often shed up to 40% of its
weight due to fragmentation. That means
hunters can " step down " in bullet weight
yet achieve similar results.
Those same factors mean copper bullets
sometimes pass through thin-skinned
animals, like white-tailed deer, without
fully expanding.
But they are lethal on them, too.
What's more, copper bullets are
nontoxic. That's a big draw for some, as
using them eliminates concerns about
lead particles or dust sticking to meat that
will ultimately be consumed by people or
scavengers.
Research indicates that bald eagles
afflicted with lead toxicity, for example,
might ingest it by scavenging on gutpiles
and carcasses left or lost in the field. With
copper bullets, these issues disappear.
Copper bullets not only perform differently
than lead bullets, they also look
different, with grooves incorporated into
their back half. The design improves the
bullet's ballistic coefficient - it's more
resistant to drag because friction between
the bullet and bore is reduced, which also
reduces fouling.
Many copper bullets also are polymertipped.
The tip's cone protects the bullet
while loading and in flight. Its stem,
meanwhile, extends into the core of the
bullet. Upon impact, it's driven into the
bullet and accelerates expansion.
The expansion rate of copper bullets is
close to double the diameter of the actual
bullet. Add that to the bullet's lack of
fragmentation and weight retention and
you have a bullet capable of doing its
60
intended work.
Then there are copper bullets featuring
a hollow point. With some, a special tool
is used during manufacturing to score
the inside of the bullet's nose cavity,
producing seams. When the round fills
with tissue, hydraulic pressure forces the
bullet's seams to fracture, creating petals
of copper that inflict additional damage
within the body cavity. That adds to the
bullet's efficiency.
You can buy copper ammunition more
commonly now than in years past. That's
true not only of centerfire ammunition, but
of blackpowder ammunition, too. With
inline rifles, I like the Barnes Expander
MZ 250-grain hollow cavity copper
bullet, delivered using a sabot. I've used
them to record one-shot harvests out to 80
yards and beyond.
You can also reload your own copper
ammunition. That provides opportunity,
especially when fine-tuning a round to a
specific firearm.
But that also calls for care. Copper
bullets differ from their lead-based
cousins, even jacketed lead core rounds,
in a number of ways. That makes using
reloading manuals a must. Check bullet
manufacturer websites, too, as they provide
a wealth of up-to-date information.
In short, now more than ever, hunters
and shooters have many of options when
it comes to copper-based ammunition and
reloading components. Companies producing
nontoxic copper ammunition are
continually growing their product lines.
That's a good development, especially
if you're concerned about whether the
round leaving your barrel is environmentally
friendly and whether the meat
brought home from the field is free from
lead contamination.
Pennsylvania Game News - November 2022

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