# non lead bullets



## hnt4food (Oct 28, 2009)

A few months ago i got a letter from the DWR that was encouraging huntres in the southern region to use non lead bullets and that next year you could get a free box of ammo if you would be hunting in an area that has condors around. after looking at some info on condors i found this video that showed this experiament that showed that copper bullets performed better thatn lead and were safer for wild life and people. what they showed seemed convincing. this video is accurate? the link to watch it is http://www.nps.gov/pinn/naturescience/leadvid.htm


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## legacy (Sep 30, 2007)

Not for any environmental reason, I shoot Barnes Triple Shock bullets, which are unleaded. I have really liked them.


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## 10yearquest (Oct 15, 2009)

anyone ever check out the barnes bullets web site and view the high speed vidios of thier bullets in action? Way cool especially the ballistics gel.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

I used XBullets for a few years, you couldnt pay me to go back to them. Very unhappy with preformance / accuracy.


-DallanC


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## lunkerhunter2 (Nov 3, 2007)

DallanC said:


> I used XBullets for a few years, you couldnt pay me to go back to them. Very unhappy with preformance / accuracy.
> 
> -DallanC


My experience is a complete 180* from yours. I loved them as well as my gun. I will shoot them for the near future.


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## Blue Steel (Sep 29, 2007)

Does anybody have any experience with E-tips or hornady GMX bullets? I was thinking about loading some of the GMX's but I am a little concerned about their performance at long ranges. They're claiming you need at least 2000fps for reliable expansion. May limit range for some.


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## lunkerhunter2 (Nov 3, 2007)

Blue Steel said:



> Does anybody have any experience with E-tips or hornady GMX bullets? I was thinking about loading some of the GMX's but I am a little concerned about their performance at long ranges. They're claiming you need at least 2000fps for reliable expansion. May limit range for some.


This is what they told me with the Triple Shocks, but they said your BC/expansion will have no issues until you get out around 450-500 yards. My buck this year was around 420 yds and the bullet vaporized 14 inches of spine and backstraps and caused tremendous damage to the front shoulder tops and some other stuff. I think they did pretty well at quite a long range.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

So far this year I've used TSXs on two antelope, two muledeer, two whitetails and two coyotes. I have never recovered a bullet. I wonder if they are even expanding at all. They seem to just zip right through. If they were'nt so accurate in my 257Wby, I'd go back to leaded bullets.


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## Blue Steel (Sep 29, 2007)

My understanding is solid copper bullets such as Barnes are supposed to expand at velocities as low as 1600 fps. The new Gilding metal type are made of a harder alloy and require more velocity (2000 fps or so ) for proper expansion. I don't like throwing bullets any farther than I have to, but It would be nice to know it was going to do it's job when it got there. It's been my experience that bone initiates expansion on almost every type of bullet.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

With X bullets I had pin-holes going in, pin-holes going out. I shot well over 150 handloaded rounds using 5 different powders trying to get them to shoot well... I could barely break 1.5" with them in a gun that would shoot around .5" with factory coreloks.

I have a full box of 7mm 140grn TripleShocks if anyone handloads and wants a deal.


-DallanC


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## ripndrag (Mar 16, 2009)

DallanC said:


> With X bullets I had pin-holes going in, pin-holes going out. I shot well over 150 handloaded rounds using 5 different powders trying to get them to shoot well... I could barely break 1.5" with them in a gun that would shoot around .5" with factory coreloks.
> 
> I have a full box of 7mm 140grn TripleShocks if anyone handloads and wants a deal.
> 
> -DallanC


i have some in 270 i couldnt get beter than 1.4 inch groups i will sell the rest fo 3 bucks i have 9 left


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## Hunt1Fish2 (Dec 19, 2007)

My experience with Barnes Bullets has been great. I shoot a 30-06 and use 165 grain boat tail. I have killed several animals with them including, deer, elk, antelope, mountain goat, and moose. (Yes, I am about out of bonus points.) I have recovered two of the bullets. They both had a perfect mushroom expansion and still weighted 165 grains even with hitting bone.

I will never go back to a lead based bullet. I have had several of these bullets brake up and leave fragments all over the meat. I have never had a fragment left from my Barnes Bullets.


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## Iron Bear (Nov 19, 2008)

I shoot Barnes in my muzzy with sabot's. I have recovered or seen about 1/2 doz bullets and allways great expansion. They look like little palm trees.


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## Steveb (Sep 11, 2007)

Would you always use saboted bullets with the muzzleloader? What about barrel wear for either kind of rifle?


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Steveb said:


> Would you always use saboted bullets with the muzzleloader? What about barrel wear for either kind of rifle?


Sabots simply allow you to shoot a smaller diameter projectile in a barrel, ie: 45 caliber bullet in a .50 cal barrel. Wear should be less with sabots as they are generally plastic vs a full bore Lead Conical. Patched roundballs probably have the least amount of barrel wear, unless you are overcharging anyway and stripping the balls.

-DallanC


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