Scotland Lead Free Roe Load for .222/.223 Remington

They only appear to be concentrating on copper rounds for deer and it won't be long before all lead ammo is banned.
So, If they are struggling to find a 100g 243 copper round that stabilizes, What are they going to do with the 223, 222, 222-50, 22 hornet, 22 rim and 17hmr. or are all those calibres going to be obsolete?

.243 - 100gr Peregrine VRG3 stabilises , soon to be joined by 100gr Fox Classic Hunter
.222 - 50gr Fox Classic Hunter stabilises
.22-250 - Fox Classic Hunter stabilises
.22 Hornet - 40/45 gr Fox Classic hunter stabilises

.22LR and .17 HMR both have CCI Copper and Hornady NTX available
 
.22LR and .17 HMR both have CCI Copper and Hornady NTX available
Thanks for that, I was unaware of the CCI Copper. So, I did a Google search to look out the reviews and see what the scuttlebutt is.

The projectile would seem to be a mixture of copper dust and a polymer and weighs about 21 grains - so about half the weight of the usual lead projectile. The size of the projectile is about the same as the lead counterpart, so we might immediately suspect that it will not stabilise in a standard 16 inch twist barrel. To counteract this, it would appear that a bit more powder has been added to push the velocity up to around 1850 ft/sec. (from a rifle) at which point the bullet is stable - just.

That is, it is stable out to around 50 yards where most of the review pros comment on it good accuracy, lack of fouling and the fact that it does seem to work in semi-autos, but those who have tried it at longer distances claim instability at 75 yards plus....

And, this is not "lead free" ammunition. Lead free primer compound has been around for decades, but it seems CCI have chosen to use a primer compound with lead in it (lead styphnate is a classic primer compound)

So, is this a satisfactory lead free replacement for the venerable 22LR with its pure lead projectile.....?
 
Hi all! Joining the lead free .222R frenzy here from Denmark - troubling with my trusty old inherited wonderful Sako Vixen with 1:14 twist!

Lead ban just came to Denmark for all center-fire rifle bullets. effective 2023. However, it means almost certainly that legal bullet weight requirements will be reduced, for troublesome calibers, primarily 6.5x55 over here, but also .270 and .243. Studies from Sweden substantiate this, and it appears a given.
It probably also goes, that the legal requirement for .222R will drop to 45 grains (2.9 grams) or even less, to be legal for Roe.
This gives more options to find a bullet that will stabilize!

I have with great interest read about pulling tips from Barnes TTSX, and will have to try this!
I have tried everything else :(

Original Barnes Powerhead (TSX) in mid-90s didn't work.
Hand loaded Hornady GMX 45 grains didn't work.
Barnes TTSX 50 grains spread all over, up to 2 feet (!) from center...!!
Lapua Naturalis 50gr does shot, to around 2 inch groupings, perhaps a bit better.
Handloaded Barnes TSX 50gr we got down to around 1,5 inch in grouping.

In comparison, Sako Gamehead 55gr cloverleafs, so does RWS 50gr soft point. even Norma 62 grain soft point shoots well!

Next for me to try is the 45 grain FOX bullet - hydro shock.
Also, the DRT 39 grain is realiably rumoured to be a very effective killer for Roe, although illegal yet. Worth trying though!

Haven't tried terminal ballistics yet, but Naturalis works fine on a cat (!)

RWS just came with the HIT in .222R, but only a 35gr bullet, and the biggest problem seems to be the serious drop in energy beyond 100 yeards - regardless of bullet weight, it does need to have some energy I'd say.

Edinburgh rifles: any tips on pulling tips from TTSX? Can you speak to terminal ballistics on TTSX on Roe?

best,

Niels from Denmark
 
Hi all! Joining the lead free .222R frenzy here from Denmark - troubling with my trusty old inherited wonderful Sako Vixen with 1:14 twist!

Lead ban just came to Denmark for all center-fire rifle bullets. effective 2023. However, it means almost certainly that legal bullet weight requirements will be reduced, for troublesome calibers, primarily 6.5x55 over here, but also .270 and .243. Studies from Sweden substantiate this, and it appears a given.
It probably also goes, that the legal requirement for .222R will drop to 45 grains (2.9 grams) or even less, to be legal for Roe.
This gives more options to find a bullet that will stabilize!

I have with great interest read about pulling tips from Barnes TTSX, and will have to try this!
I have tried everything else :(

Original Barnes Powerhead (TSX) in mid-90s didn't work.
Hand loaded Hornady GMX 45 grains didn't work.
Barnes TTSX 50 grains spread all over, up to 2 feet (!) from center...!!
Lapua Naturalis 50gr does shot, to around 2 inch groupings, perhaps a bit better.
Handloaded Barnes TSX 50gr we got down to around 1,5 inch in grouping.

In comparison, Sako Gamehead 55gr cloverleafs, so does RWS 50gr soft point. even Norma 62 grain soft point shoots well!

Next for me to try is the 45 grain FOX bullet - hydro shock.
Also, the DRT 39 grain is realiably rumoured to be a very effective killer for Roe, although illegal yet. Worth trying though!

Haven't tried terminal ballistics yet, but Naturalis works fine on a cat (!)

RWS just came with the HIT in .222R, but only a 35gr bullet, and the biggest problem seems to be the serious drop in energy beyond 100 yeards - regardless of bullet weight, it does need to have some energy I'd say.

Edinburgh rifles: any tips on pulling tips from TTSX? Can you speak to terminal ballistics on TTSX on Roe?

best,

Niels from Denmark
Morning Niels, I think you’ll be pleased with the 45 grn fox bullets in .222.
I’m getting good accuracy and excellent expansion in my 1:14 twist tikka m590.
 
I am also try to find a 50 gr lead free bullet that shoot well in a 222 Rem. I am going to try Fox bullets. The dealer has two different types; Classic and Hydro shock. Anybody knows the difference between the two bullets?

Br
TFR
 
I am also try to find a 50 gr lead free bullet that shoot well in a 222 Rem. I am going to try Fox bullets. The dealer has two different types; Classic and Hydro shock. Anybody knows the difference between the two bullets?

Br
TFR
The official site doesn't show the hydro shock, does it?
 
Has anyone tried these? Certainly sako don’t seem to think 50g won’t stabilize. But whether that’s mirrored in the field we’ll see
 

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Has anyone tried these? Certainly sako don’t seem to think 50g won’t stabilize. But whether that’s mirrored in the field we’ll see
It is the Powerhead (perhaps II) - which is a Barnes TTSX - it doesn't work for me.

I hope they will make the new Sako Blade in a .222 version, perhaps slighly lighter than 50gr if necessary. After all, the Sako Vixen is a popular rifle, so there should be a market, and Sako should the the ones to make it work!
 
I just shot my first roe using Fox 45 grain Hydro Chock (not classic hunter) and it worked great! Roe ran 40 meters, normal with two lungs hit - exit wound some 3 cm - looks like good expansion. bullet should be just over 1000m/s, loaded in PPU brass from www.riffelpatroner-lolland-falster.dk in Denmark. It is a different bullet than the Classic hunter - rather large hollow point, but it the most precise lead free i have tried in my old Sako Vixen (which will not group satisfactorily with Barnes TSX 50 grain, and only acceptable with Naturalis).
 

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It also means it has a larger hollow point to accommodate the tip
That is the critical component to allow it to open on impact
But that was marketing the ballistic tip only aids bc , any claims otherwise are marketing startedcby nosler when they developed it ballistic however is the key the tips I have recovered at the exit wound or even under the skin atbfirst impact point , so if it does anything for expension it's not doing it that great.
The bc gains are not relivent at all to stalking as we know it in the UK where 300 is a long one ( and quite correctly as it is )
 
Excellent news
Any internal photos?
No, sorry, I should have taken. The entry hole was small but a bit bloody, so no real expansion started. the lower part of both lungs were shattered (not shredded) but damage appeared to be just around the bullet trajectory (nok like when I've seen all internals shredded by a .30-06 cone point!) - so, i'd say a 2-3 inch wound channel - lungs heavily damaged - and then the exit damaged 2 ribs, and were this 3-4 centimer (1,5") hole, and the ribs were "cut" more than shredded - it looked like when a good .30-06 passes out on a Red deer. On the exit side, a lot of fur was cut and found on the shot spot. the Roe didn't really show signs on impact and it initially worried me (afraid bullet might have exploded on outside) but again, this is normal, and 40 meter run and then just collapsing from shot in lungs is normal and perfectly acceptable. No doubt as to deadly effective shot. I have to say the impact was 5 cm further back than intended, it walked as a I shot - I would have liked to have set the shot at the top of the lungs where they connect to the heart (manifold) and it might have dropped on the spot or keeled forward. hope to place next shot there. I would say that the expansion of the Fox Hydro Chock is more/bigger than I would have thought, but it looked controlled and no debris/parts on the inside or in the wounds, so I think it did alright. With that exit wound I find it difficult to think it will not make a through shot, but then again - if it had hit bone/should on the way in, then what? But so far really impressed, bot at least because if looks very precise, and that is very important to me.
Did that help a bit?
 
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