Lead free .243 bullet comparisons

[monarman]

Headshots and lead free are dictated by the contract..... all parks who supply them have to comply... we get a top price per kg.
The park covers 160 acres and is a mixture of woodland and valleys and flat ground... so its not a simple job and needs a good team to acheive the cull.. 40 deer within 3 days per cull ( knocked 10 off the last cull as the job was very difficult to acheive the number in the alloted time frame)...

 

[Stalker Steve]

Thank you guys, lots to think about there, & would seem to raise as many questions as it gives answers. Crack on with my own , I think & see how it goes.

 

[ShootyBang]

Comparing Terminal Performance of Non-lead/Copper Bullets on UK Deer

Hi all, Since some are facing the mandatory use of copper/non-lead bullets on deer, I thought a thread inspired by Nathan Foster's site (Terminal Ballistics Research,click on wound research tab) would be of use to stalkers who are concerned about deer welfare, efficient carcass recovery and...

www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk

Maybe not the statistical analysis you seek, but I think real life examples of deer being hit, not doctored ballistic gel/water jug tests are what is needed. Theory does not trump practise.

Seems my thread isn't too popular, not many contributors. Some members of this forum seems to do more talking than stalking... and they just happen to be some of the biggest non-lead bullet advocates...

This is precisely what I am interested in! Thanks.

 

[samdk]

Out of interest.... I found a .308 130 grain (I assume 130 due to length) fox bullet and put it next to the .243 80 grain fox.......
This shows the deeper and wider cavity on the larger bullet which one would assume makes for better initial expansion and a better wound channel. Which gives the "larger caliber but lighter leadfree" advice a bit more credibility perhaps..
View attachment 211010

This could be down to the higher velocity of the .243 bullets than the .30, the velocity will aid the expansion and may not require as larger cavity.

Sam

 

[Edinburgh Rifles]

3 deer needed a follow up shot due to shot placement (angle of the head and bullet not expanding and passing through).....

If the placement is correct you could head shoot with stainless steel ball bearings!
No expansion is required for a head shot.
It may be seen as advantageous to mitigate exit velocity, ricochet or secondary target strike, but it is not required to kill a cervid

 

[jon15]

Interesting thread, as I (and suspect a lot of others) looking for a new toxic free 243 round. I don’t homeload so need factory ammunition. Currently shooting the 80g fox copper, find it is effective with very good penetration but gives very little margin for error when head/neck shooting (had a few pencil) had several that have gone down and needed a second shot, something I very rarely had with the Geco 105g. The thing I find most off putting is the number of ricochets I get, to the point that I will not use them for shooting foxes at night, have reverted back to a lead BT round for that. Basically I am looking for a quick expanding non lead 243 round for head and neck shooting that can also do the job safely on foxes, would greatly appreciate other peoples opinions and any ideas. HNY

 

[308tikka]

seems to me that an ideal would be a 70 grain 6mm bullet in lead free....
not too long a bullet length... it would give the best of everything in theory, speed.. expansion... stabilisation in a normal .243 twist...
Eiropean manufacturers shoud look at this as it has potential to be the ideal small deer and foxing bullet... it would be good for park culls too..... the past favourite for park culls used to be the .243 70 grain ballistic tip ammo...

If only rws/geco did an 80 grain HIT factory ammo .....

Virtus produce exactly that.

Ill be loading some up and when I shoot something Ill be sure to post pics.