Printable View
Hey guys. So in the infinite wisdom of Sacramento we are no longer able to shoot lead for hunting on Ca. I’m getting ready to switch and am working on building a 6.5 CM. Love to hear some favorite bullets I figured I’d be in the Barnes neighborhood but possibly the Hornady GMX or Noslers
A friend of mine is hand loading Nosler copper in 6.5 and is getting just under an inch. Granted he runs them hot too.
Barnes I've had mixed success with. 180 copper for the 300 Win shot well, but 150 was terrible. My 308 shoots Federal PowerShok Copper Hollow points at an inch.
I have not shot Nosler myself but I've read nothing but good things and a good review from my friend. If you're hand loading, I believe Nosler is a safe bet. Otherwise factory ammo like Federal Copper isn't bad. Expect a couple inches of impact higher than lead. I'm going to try copper out of my 270 for this black bear and see where it goes.
Good luck and happy hunting
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I’m a hand loader I was brought up behind a press. It’s gonna be a hard switch from the old school to the new all solids for me!
I've had great luck with Barnes 140gr TSX in a 7-08. Will shoot sub 1/2 MOA.
By coincidence I was just reading an article in a Conservation magazine put out by New York State and it was stating the concerns about the lead left in game meat (another warning bell for the "for your own good" lawmakers). How have we survived the past 400 years? But I can see the writing on the wall for NY hunters.
Happily bullet makers have taken solids down from dangerous game slammers to more expandable versions for medium animals. I will likely give them a try in the not to distant future. The Barnes TSX looks like a good first stop.
Barnes tsx have done me right. Bullet company called Hammer bullets is making supposedly expanding copper bullets.
The Barnes line sounds like the first stop!!! Good luck New York. You can have our condors! That’s what killed us
Texas. I’ll look them up!
I've had very good luck down loading the 130GR TTSX in .308 for the grandkids nieces and nephews. They seem to do a fine job even only running about 2300-2400FPS in a youth load from a 16" carbine. I had never really had very good luck with that light of a .308 bullet before giving decent accuracy but I guess since they're not as dense and a little longer comparable to the same weight lead bullet they seem to do okay in the accuracy dept, and they're pretty good on deer too :) These loads were not tuned for accuracy, just downloaded to reduce recoil using H4895 and the Hodgdon 60% of Max charge formula for this powder, Also they're not at the bottom charge because they are hunting loads but still recoil softly with little muzzle blast.
Attachment 5363
Attachment 5362 This was one of my nephews first time with a centerfire rifle and he shot pretty well :) Couldn't get the grin off his face with sandpaper.
They are all good but I like the GMX and so does my gun !!!
Thanks for all the info fellas. It’s gonna be a fun process figuring out what she’s gonna like to eat. Keep the info coming!
Just note that solid coppers are typically much longer than a traditional lead/jacketed bullet of the same weight due to copper being lighter than lead. This is also why the solid copper bullets generally tend to have higher BC's than traditional bullets of the same weight and style.
Here's a side-by-side comparison of a Barnes 7mm 140gr TTSX and a Nosler 7mm 140gr Partition just as an example.
Attachment 5370
Are they long enough to really impair case volume? I don’t chase high velocity when I reload but I was curious how much they would intrude
I've tried the 127 lrx in my 6.5x55. They shot about half moa. Haven't had the chance to try them in the 6.5 creed yet. You mentioned not chasing velocity, but if you go barnes, they like to be pushed fast with lots of jump (0.050" or more).
Also note that the Barnes solids use Tamisier Grooves (multiple "cannelures") because a solid copper bullet doesn't crush/upset/obturate into the rifling like a lead cored bullet can and will when fired.
You might want to start using a copper fouling remover product or anti-copper formulation powder (according to Hodgdon, anyway) if you don't already if you go with copper solids.
Now admit it - who knew what Tamisier Grooves were by name before this?
Attachment 5371
Tamiser sounds like a little monkey in the amazon
Killer ------ Did you make that up :confused:
Nope. 'Sall true. Francois Tamisier obtained a patent in 1841 for multiple cannelures in bullets that Etinie Minie later used in the Minie Ball of our Civil War fame; though he made them for the Crimean War initially.
And Barnes uses multiple cannelures to allow the bullet to fit the bore better because copper solids don't compress like lead cored. If the bearing surface was straight parallel of standard diameters the pressure would spike when fired. Ask them. Though they don't give credit to the inventor. It's not like he's going to sue for patent infringement.
https://www.americanrifleman.org/art...ooved-bullets/
One of my nephews harvested a 4x5 Bull elk in the Bozeman MT area on opening day this year with his 300 RUM. The shot was 400 yards and he shot the elk broadside thru the heart.
The heart was grenaded and the slug stopped against the hide on the far side.
The slug was a Barnes TTSX.
He had tried a Nosler 180 Partition at 100+ but it angled into the front opposite quarter on a cow elk three seasons ago (handloads I helped him assemble). He used a Nosler 200 or 200+ accu bond last year and was not thrilled with .........
...... but it sounds like he is a Barnes bullet “guy” now!
Three44s
Three thanks for the info. Good to hear about the lethality of these guys. Sounds like the Barnes are doing good things