Copper slugs: anyone used/like them?

[Ben Brewcat]

I'm considering trying copper slugs in my .30-06. I know the evidence is not clear and is not all in yet on the lead issue, but if performance is comparable it seems like a reasonable change to explore.

Anyone have experience with them: ballistics? terminal ballistics? Can you get nosler tips? I'd need something in around 150-160 grain and in 180 grainish. So far my Rem 700's favorite round has been Winchester Silvertips in the 168g and the bonded 180g red tip Winchester XP3.

[Ravenseye]

Ben, they seem to have mixed reviews. Overall, the ballistics seem good although some shooters have grouping and patterning problems. I would guess that they have rifling issues or older rifles if that's the case. A couple of the clubs I shoot at claim that they've seen expansion problems but most are fine with them. They do seem to be expensive though so it kind of depends on if your gun eats them well. I don't know about the nosler tips. Your 700 usually prefers the lighter loads unless it's the longer barrel so I'm not surprised to see the slivertips work well. My absolutely favorite all around round is a 165 grain bullet out of a .308. I've taken grouse to bear with that round. Part of it is confidence. I just KNOW I'm going to kill what I aim at when I shoot that gun!

[BJ]

What are you shooting with them?

I've used 180gr copper jackets that split on impact for moose and work great. But haven't heard of solid copper.....pretty hard i'd think.

[Ben Brewcat]

Muleys and elk. I just discovered that Winchester makes a cartridge with Nosler's E-tip, a lubalox-coated (just like the Silvertips) polymer-tipped copper bullet with a expansion channel. From the research I can find, it sounds like they're high weight-retention rounds that expand well, even comparable to lead, but very little fragmentation. Apparently the channel helps the harder round seal in the barrel and they're reviewed with good accuracy. Fouling naturally could be a concern, though the other coated bullets aren't bad that I've used. They're priced comparably to my regular rounds too, so I guess I'll have to see how they shoot from my meatmonger.

There are some interesting videos on YouTube including the Xrays that started this whole controversy; they did some decent trials with gelatin and water shots comparing traditional lead, bonded lead and non-lead bullets (they only used Barnes Triple-X, maybe the Noslers weren't out at the time).

"Green bullets", what next! The lead thing does give me a little pause time to time.

[Ravenseye]

I think that the seal is important. Even with lead. I've pushed reloads sometimes just to get a faster seal and increase accuracy. I've had times when I've added a measly 150 fps but tightened a group by 200%. On the other hand, I've had some hotter rounds cause a rifle to string that never had that problem before. Sometimes it's a bedding issue....most of the time it's just friction heat. For hunting, I barely worry about it. I hardly ever take a second shot and I walk on a lot of first shots nowadays.

[Michael Bush]

I've only used the Barnes "X" and not because it was or wasn't copper but because it's the most reliably performing bullet I've found. It expands the same amount regardless of the conditions, velocity, what it hits etc. In my experience it's been fail proof. It never explodes and never fails to expand by exactly the same amount regardless. The sectional density is slightly less than lead but not by enough to matter at hunting ranges and the accuracy is amazing which can easily negate those issues anyway.