Lead Free Bullets

blketer66 · May 18, 2014, 03:39 PM

With California DFW implementing the use of lead free bullets in the future. I was wondering if anyone had any experience and or reccomendations. I am shooting a 270 win, thanks.

tahunua001 · May 18, 2014, 03:52 PM

my only experience is with nosler E tips in 6.5. I loaded 120grs into 6.5 grendel. the grendel doesn't pack quite enough punch to open up enough for what I loaded them for but the expansion was perfectly uniform and would work excellently for deer hunting. a 270 would have more velocity and likely open even more and be an excellent deer round.

jmr40 · May 18, 2014, 06:22 PM

Copper bullets work differently, and are often an improvement. They do require SPEED to work properly and even very light bullets out penetrate much heavier conventional bullets. The key is to drop down at least 1, probably 2 bullet weights lighter than normal.

For deer or black bear I'd use 95gr and no heavier than 110 gr bullets in a 270. The copper bullets retain 100%, or darn close to it, of their weight after impact compared to 50% or less with conventional bullets. It takes a pretty stout bonded lead bullet to maintain even 80% of its weight.

That means a conventional 130 gr bullet fired @ 3000 fps from your 270 will probably weigh around 60-100 gr after impact. The 95-110 gr copper bullet started @ 3600-3700 fps will weigh more after impact and do more damage than a conventional 130 gr bullet. Shooting the same weights you would normally use results in impact speeds too slow and unsatisfactory expansion.

Lots of folks use them even in places where not required for the deep penetration they give. I'm loading 130's in my 308 @ between 3050 and 3100 fps and 150's in my 30-06 @ 3000-3050 fps. I'd expect complete penetration and a large exit hole on any black bear with that combo.

They are not a great choice for true long range hunting. At long range where speeds have dropped off they often do not expand. Most folks recommend at least 2000 fps at impact and feel better with 2200 fps. But that still gets me to 400 yards or a bit farther with those loads.

tahunua001 · May 18, 2014, 06:43 PM

Quote:

It takes a pretty stout bonded lead bullet to maintain even 80% of its weight.

with 30 cal speer deep curls I average about 80-90% weight retention.
I have a speer gold dot pulled from a deer that lost .7 of a grain.
I've seen one accubond from a 7mm that retained all but 2 grains of it's original 140gr.
this is completely beyond the point but I have also seen hard cast bullets from a 4570 that retained 100% of the weight, even came out a little heavier from some of the hair and bone that stuck in it.

I wont say that copper does not have good weight retention but claiming that 80% is about the best a lead bullet can hope for is seriously pushing the limits of credibility. not that any of this is helpful to the OP since he HAS to use copper projectiles.

May 18, 2014, 03:39 PM	#1
blketer66 Junior Member Join Date: May 4, 2008 Location: ca Posts: 6	Lead Free Bullets With California DFW implementing the use of lead free bullets in the future. I was wondering if anyone had any experience and or reccomendations. I am shooting a 270 win, thanks.

May 18, 2014, 03:52 PM	#2
tahunua001 Senior Member Join Date: July 21, 2011 Location: Idaho Posts: 7,839	my only experience is with nosler E tips in 6.5. I loaded 120grs into 6.5 grendel. the grendel doesn't pack quite enough punch to open up enough for what I loaded them for but the expansion was perfectly uniform and would work excellently for deer hunting. a 270 would have more velocity and likely open even more and be an excellent deer round. __________________ ignore my complete lack of capitalization. I still have no problem correcting your grammar. I never said half the stuff people said I did-Albert Einstein You can't believe everything you read on the internet-Benjamin Franklin

May 18, 2014, 06:22 PM	#3
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,805	Copper bullets work differently, and are often an improvement. They do require SPEED to work properly and even very light bullets out penetrate much heavier conventional bullets. The key is to drop down at least 1, probably 2 bullet weights lighter than normal. For deer or black bear I'd use 95gr and no heavier than 110 gr bullets in a 270. The copper bullets retain 100%, or darn close to it, of their weight after impact compared to 50% or less with conventional bullets. It takes a pretty stout bonded lead bullet to maintain even 80% of its weight. That means a conventional 130 gr bullet fired @ 3000 fps from your 270 will probably weigh around 60-100 gr after impact. The 95-110 gr copper bullet started @ 3600-3700 fps will weigh more after impact and do more damage than a conventional 130 gr bullet. Shooting the same weights you would normally use results in impact speeds too slow and unsatisfactory expansion. Lots of folks use them even in places where not required for the deep penetration they give. I'm loading 130's in my 308 @ between 3050 and 3100 fps and 150's in my 30-06 @ 3000-3050 fps. I'd expect complete penetration and a large exit hole on any black bear with that combo. They are not a great choice for true long range hunting. At long range where speeds have dropped off they often do not expand. Most folks recommend at least 2000 fps at impact and feel better with 2200 fps. But that still gets me to 400 yards or a bit farther with those loads.