Good of you to do that but my money is even If you sent him any they would sit and gather dust.
Good luck with the sales.
Virtus Precision Copper Bullets
- Thread starter Too Deer
- Start date
Good luck with the sales.
paul o'
Well-Known Member
Sharpie what cal do you shoot and have you tried any type of copper bullet? Only as we are considering crown funding you , Now the BC's are there to help you just may be you can get your own results and tell us all your results , In any event it should put pay to drivel slating your giving this chap trying to build a business . 
Just as I have pencilled one quite large Fallow with a a 6.5x55 factory lead load that was supposed to be reliable. Estate rifle. At only 100 yards. A straightforward broadside shot. It did expire reasonably quickly though, luckily I did actually shoot it straight through the heart (which was not actually what I was intending to do) A combination of circumstances, but mostly luck. I like to think that I can shoot rather more accurately than that, but it was a borrowed rifle and no opportunity to check zero. Excuses I know, but fundamentally that bullet did not perform. If I had actually hit it somewhere in the traditional top of heart and lungs region, where I intended to, and it had pencilled through, I don't know what might have been the outcome. I rather think that a Merlin would have seen to it nicely. As I think it might put down any deer, possibly with a bit more damage than some might like.Give the guy a break, I have pencilled Fallow right through H/L with tried and tested deer rounds with the .243 95gn (factory) .270 150's Seria game king home loads way off in the distance where no lap top stalker could reach....
As I said, I am most interested in these. And have made it quite clear that I neither have the experience nor opportunity to do any significant in the field evaluation, nor in any way cast judgement, nor am I trying to blag some samples. The only thing that I might have to offer some time in the future is accuracy and drop testing on a range, but I don't think that that the accuracy is in doubt, and I don't even know when I might next get some range time.
Meanwhile I am observing with great interest and enthusiasm
Since you ask, .223, .308 as well as .303 and 30-30 those last two mostly being downloaded with cast lead bullets, for amusement at short distances, rather than anything serious. They are neither of them one MOA rifles at the best of times. Target shooting only. I have not yet asked for a deer condition on any of these. Besides I think that both the .223 and .308 would be unsuitable, being very much target oriented. For my occasional recreational guided stalking I use the estate rifle. So far none of my guides use copper bullets. So I have absolutely no experience with them. Nor any experience of killing hundreds of deer. I'm only up to to 25 at last count. But am very interested in what others are actually doing, and how progress is being made with the non lead stuff. Which, if I do go for a deer specific rifle, I shall be using.Sharpie what cal do you shoot and have you tried any type of copper bullet? Only as we are considering crown funding you , Now the BC's are there to help you just may be you can get your own results and tell us all your results , In any event it should put pay todrivelslating your giving this chap trying to build a business .
I hope that makes this clear.
paul o'
Well-Known Member
Ahh yes it do's ! thanks for letting us know .
Now anyone wish to try the 6.5 110 Merlin's ! with a G1.365 BC / G7.187 BC, I got them to test in my pals Gaymoor and he loves them so much so he got a few boxes of his own .
As I only use a 270 they are sitting here and I feel they would benefit from some real exercise .
PM me . Iv got 14 left.
Now anyone wish to try the 6.5 110 Merlin's ! with a G1.365 BC / G7.187 BC, I got them to test in my pals Gaymoor and he loves them so much so he got a few boxes of his own .
As I only use a 270 they are sitting here and I feel they would benefit from some real exercise .
PM me . Iv got 14 left.
Thank you very much for that.
Brave Echo Niner
Well-Known Member
I have just shot a Roe Doe this morning with the Merlins at 155m, it dropped on the spot. The shot went high (shot was off quad sticks and I wobbled slightly up as well as it being downhill) so it entered just below spine, hitting a rib on the way in and exited between 1/2-2/3 of the way up the chest. There was no massive exit as seen on the previous example.
I haven't photographed this particular example due to the shot placement, however I will post more examples with these bullets going forwards.
My view so far is that these bullets will fill a purpose for me of hill/clearfell stalking, where typical shots are around 200M on average. Anything within 100M is generally a head or neck shot, hence the damage seen previously was not a concern and was taken as reassurance they would perform at further ranges, despite the slower velocity than I am used to when shooting my normal copper loads.
Ben
Are you running them in your 300 WSM ben?
Brave Echo Niner
Well-Known Member
No, out of my .308 Win, they're only going a fairly sedate 2790 FPS using N140 behind it.
I am using 150 TTSX with excellent results out of my WSM, which is pushing them at 3342FPS.
Ben
They would be pretty devastating in the WSM then
I've got some 110TTSX to try in my 270, they should be doing circa 3200+, but haven't as yet loaded any.
Brave Echo Niner
Well-Known Member
Yep definitely! I would certainly be interested in a 200 grain or so .30 cal option for the magnums with an better BC though.They would be pretty devastating in the WSM then
I've got some 110TTSX to try in my 270, they should be doing circa 3200+, but haven't as yet loaded any.
Those will work well I’m sure, the TTSX at 3200+ is a proven recipe for good performance out to 300m or so, maybe more depending on BC etc.
Depending on which powder you use, you may have a struggle getting them to trundle along that slowlyThey would be pretty devastating in the WSM then
I've got some 110TTSX to try in my 270, they should be doing circa 3200+, but haven't as yet loaded any.
Free range rob
Well-Known Member
I have a box of these to try, what load are you running and any picture evidence of the type of expansion that can be expected.17 deer culled this weekend with the 110 grain merlin in my 6.5mm , very impressed with the expansion, Muntjac and fallow , Happy to continue to use these this season. support uk products !
As above I have a box so no use to me, but, as I will soon be looking for a 6.5cm load for the merlin, I would be very interested to hear more about what load he settled on and the type of results he is getting from themAhh yes it do's ! thanks for letting us know .
Now anyone wish to try the 6.5 110 Merlin's ! with a G1.365 BC / G7.187 BC, I got them to test in my pals Gaymoor and he loves them so much so he got a few boxes of his own .
As I only use a 270 they are sitting here and I feel they would benefit from some real exercise .
PM me . Iv got 14 left.
As someone fortunate enough to undertake both deer management and competitive shooting professionally, I take a keen interest in the development of lead-free projectiles; whether we like it or not, the change is coming so we have to get on board sooner or later.
I have tried a number of different copper projectiles for stalking, mostly Barnes and Peregrine. Both delivered adequate accuracy and terminal performance. However, sourcing a regular supply in the variety of calibres that I use has proved almost impossible...... even through a few very good friends in the US.
As such, I was on the hunt for something produced in the UK and bumped into one of the guys at Virtus on a range day. He offered up a small number of projectiles for me to trial and I gladly took him up on the offer...... the results of which are at the start of this thread.
Convinced by the terminal performance and apparent availability of the 110gr Merlin over that of the Barnes or even Peregrine, I ordered 50 online and set about using them for a cull that I undertook a few weeks/months later. Whilst many of the shots taken were head/neck (the ethics of which is an entirely separate topic), I shot several Fallow deer with heart/lung shots at distances between 30m and 110m and the performance was excellent.
I went back to the Virtus online shop and figured that since they had dropped their prices so I would splash out on some 140gr Eagles in .30 cal and some 70gr Ospreys in 6mm, for my 300BLK and .243 Win respectively. Having finally made it out again this week, I thought I'd share my experiences so far.
110gr Merlin in 6.5CM - 2800fps
Frighteningly accurate. Utterly deadly. Ideal for larger deer at average stalking ranges but perhaps a little too much for smaller deer at close range if carcass damage is an issue. These things are the most accurate projectile that my Tikka has ever spat out; even more so than the Sierra Gamechangers that they will replace. With regards to terminal performance, I would say that they are very similar to the Gamechangers launched at around 2750fps (not to be confused with the same Sierra projectile fired at higher velocities, which I have previously found to be a bit violent!) although they result in a touch less carcass damage than the Sierra. I have attached a few photos of Fallow shot with the 110gr Merlin below. I've now shot over 40 deer with these at ranges of 30m - 170m and (touch wood) have had nothing get further than 15m.
140gr Eagle in 300BLK - 2000fps (for anyone who's enough of a pest, that's around 1200ft/lbs so no need to call the internet rozzers!)
Excellent expansion. As accurate as anything else I have tried so far. It appears that the key to optimal terminal performance (maximum effect with minimal carcass damage) appears to be lower velocity. This can be achieved through reducing the muzzle energy or by extending the range; the latter being what the bullet is reportedly designed for. Anyway, in the 300BLK they're fine for smaller deer but in .308, it would be a bit much for such deer at short distances.
The CWD and Muntjac that I have shot expired instantly and carcass damage has not been excessive. To illustrate the point, there's a photo below of a CWD hit at 70 yards, quartering away and with its head down; hence the slightly odd path of travel taken by the bullet. It is worth considering that given the reduced MV of the 300AAC, this projectile struck at the same approximate velocity (and thus energy) as it might if fired from a .308 at a distance of around 325m. The photo perhaps makes the damage look worse than it is but I would say it was equivalent to the damage done by a lead-based projectile from my .222 Rem.
70gr Osprey in .243 Win - 3350fps
Very accurate. I cannot comment categorically on their terminal performance as I have only shot 1 animal with these, at a range of around 40m and the shot landed further back than intended due to an equipment issue; it shouldn't happen but sometimes it just does. Nonetheless, the animal dropped on the spot and expired very quickly. Due to the shot placement, I have not added any photos as it doesn't really illustrate how effective the projectile is when placed where they are designed to be placed. That said, there was clearly plenty of energy imparted upon the animal and there was minimal damage to the tissue surrounding the wound channel. Overall, it behaved in a similar manner to how a Barnes TSX might.
Photos
Exit wound on a Fallow shot with 110gr Merlins at around 60 yds.
Pluck of a Fallow shot at a similar distance with the same projectile. Entry on one side of the heart and the other side shown
1 x Muntjac shot with the same projectile. Entry high on the left shoulder and exit just behind the right shoulder.
I hope the above is of some use to people and if you have any questions, ask away!
I have tried a number of different copper projectiles for stalking, mostly Barnes and Peregrine. Both delivered adequate accuracy and terminal performance. However, sourcing a regular supply in the variety of calibres that I use has proved almost impossible...... even through a few very good friends in the US.
As such, I was on the hunt for something produced in the UK and bumped into one of the guys at Virtus on a range day. He offered up a small number of projectiles for me to trial and I gladly took him up on the offer...... the results of which are at the start of this thread.
Convinced by the terminal performance and apparent availability of the 110gr Merlin over that of the Barnes or even Peregrine, I ordered 50 online and set about using them for a cull that I undertook a few weeks/months later. Whilst many of the shots taken were head/neck (the ethics of which is an entirely separate topic), I shot several Fallow deer with heart/lung shots at distances between 30m and 110m and the performance was excellent.
I went back to the Virtus online shop and figured that since they had dropped their prices so I would splash out on some 140gr Eagles in .30 cal and some 70gr Ospreys in 6mm, for my 300BLK and .243 Win respectively. Having finally made it out again this week, I thought I'd share my experiences so far.
110gr Merlin in 6.5CM - 2800fps
Frighteningly accurate. Utterly deadly. Ideal for larger deer at average stalking ranges but perhaps a little too much for smaller deer at close range if carcass damage is an issue. These things are the most accurate projectile that my Tikka has ever spat out; even more so than the Sierra Gamechangers that they will replace. With regards to terminal performance, I would say that they are very similar to the Gamechangers launched at around 2750fps (not to be confused with the same Sierra projectile fired at higher velocities, which I have previously found to be a bit violent!) although they result in a touch less carcass damage than the Sierra. I have attached a few photos of Fallow shot with the 110gr Merlin below. I've now shot over 40 deer with these at ranges of 30m - 170m and (touch wood) have had nothing get further than 15m.
140gr Eagle in 300BLK - 2000fps (for anyone who's enough of a pest, that's around 1200ft/lbs so no need to call the internet rozzers!)
Excellent expansion. As accurate as anything else I have tried so far. It appears that the key to optimal terminal performance (maximum effect with minimal carcass damage) appears to be lower velocity. This can be achieved through reducing the muzzle energy or by extending the range; the latter being what the bullet is reportedly designed for. Anyway, in the 300BLK they're fine for smaller deer but in .308, it would be a bit much for such deer at short distances.
The CWD and Muntjac that I have shot expired instantly and carcass damage has not been excessive. To illustrate the point, there's a photo below of a CWD hit at 70 yards, quartering away and with its head down; hence the slightly odd path of travel taken by the bullet. It is worth considering that given the reduced MV of the 300AAC, this projectile struck at the same approximate velocity (and thus energy) as it might if fired from a .308 at a distance of around 325m. The photo perhaps makes the damage look worse than it is but I would say it was equivalent to the damage done by a lead-based projectile from my .222 Rem.
70gr Osprey in .243 Win - 3350fps
Very accurate. I cannot comment categorically on their terminal performance as I have only shot 1 animal with these, at a range of around 40m and the shot landed further back than intended due to an equipment issue; it shouldn't happen but sometimes it just does. Nonetheless, the animal dropped on the spot and expired very quickly. Due to the shot placement, I have not added any photos as it doesn't really illustrate how effective the projectile is when placed where they are designed to be placed. That said, there was clearly plenty of energy imparted upon the animal and there was minimal damage to the tissue surrounding the wound channel. Overall, it behaved in a similar manner to how a Barnes TSX might.
Photos
Exit wound on a Fallow shot with 110gr Merlins at around 60 yds.
Pluck of a Fallow shot at a similar distance with the same projectile. Entry on one side of the heart and the other side shown
1 x Muntjac shot with the same projectile. Entry high on the left shoulder and exit just behind the right shoulder.
I hope the above is of some use to people and if you have any questions, ask away!
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