Switching to Non-toxic
- Thread starter Ali Pasha
- Start date
This is a common misconception that people get the wrong way around!
If you want to shoot cast lead for best accuracy you must scrub the copper out of barrel.
If you want to shoot copper carry on as normal, because the only part of normal cup and core bullets that contacts the barrel is the, um, copper jacket……. So it’s copper on copper.
See post above, you don’t have lead fouling in your barrel as you shoot copper coated bullets already.Thanks for the heads up - will do
Best guide i can give you is forget the weight and embrace the speed and follow what the law says 80 - 95 copper , I guess a 308 win might do the best a bit more to get a good length of bullet that feeds and shoots accuracy in your rifle .
Thank you
Norfolk Deer Search
Well-Known Member
First rule of shooting copper-
Take no bloody notice of what everyone on the SD does!
Pick a bullet, weight for calibre, none of this go light drive fast b@locks and find your way yourself is the best way to learn.
You will get opinions from people who have not even shot 100 copper rounds at living creatures, you need the opinions from those with experience and who have served their apprenticeship with copper like I did 15 years or more years ago!
For 308 I would go 150gn, the fox factory are a good choice, if your rolling your own with a 308 the world is your oyster
Take no bloody notice of what everyone on the SD does!
Pick a bullet, weight for calibre, none of this go light drive fast b@locks and find your way yourself is the best way to learn.
You will get opinions from people who have not even shot 100 copper rounds at living creatures, you need the opinions from those with experience and who have served their apprenticeship with copper like I did 15 years or more years ago!
For 308 I would go 150gn, the fox factory are a good choice, if your rolling your own with a 308 the world is your oyster
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I've always shot 150 grain lead. I'm not into reloading so would be buying ready meals mades. 150 grain copper is probably a good starting point. I'm anxious not to have to shell out on 10 different boxes to find the best option
I moved from 140 grain lead to 120 grain copper in the 6.5 Creed and was getting sub MOA groups. Copper kills deer if you do your bit so hopefully you can find some good factory ammo that works well in your rifleI've always shot 150 grain lead. I'm not into reloading so would be buying ready meals mades. 150 grain copper is probably a good starting point. I'm anxious not to have to shell out on 10 different boxes to find the best option
Norfolk Deer Search
Well-Known Member
I've always shot 150 grain lead. I'm not into reloading so would be buying ready meals mades. 150 grain copper is probably a good starting point. I'm anxious not to have to shell out on 10 different boxes to find the best option
Get the fox
and clean the barrel before shooting copper rounds
Norfolk Deer Search
Well-Known Member
I've always shot 150 grain lead. I'm not into reloading so would be buying ready meals mades. 150 grain copper is probably a good starting point. I'm anxious not to have to shell out on 10 different boxes to find the best option
Get the fox
I’ll be bloody surprised if it doesn’t shoot! 1” or less is plenty good enough
clean the barrel before shooting copper rounds
ThanksI moved from 140 grain lead to 120 grain copper in the 6.5 Creed and was getting sub MOA groups. Copper kills deer if you do your bit so hopefully you can find some good factory ammo that works well in your rifle
Will certainly give them a goGet the fox
1” or less is plenty good enough
clean the barrel before shooting copper rounds
I’ve been using these in .30.06 to good effect also, not had anything run yet and I’m also just about to move over to them in .308. Shame about the price though!A mate of mine was using sako blades yesterday (162 grn) I think???? They were rolling roe over no bother at 220 yards!! I was rather impressed with the little fat/slow round I must say
Yes and it will be expensive
jI feel your pain. Unfortunately, I don't have the same rifle but I do use .308
How much ammo can you hold because I bought a lot of different ammo and ended up with lots of odds and sods? It's easy to get carried away and to get close to your limit.
S&B blue was highly recommended to me but turned my rifle into a spandau. Shame, because it's quite cheap
Fox is a good shout. Try the Sako Powerblade? It seems to shoot well enough in most rifles, though often not the absolute best. There's 162gr, 150 and I think 130gr. It's relatively easy to find anywhere in 162gr and isn't ridiculous money. Settling on something you can actually source is the key consideration after accuracy, in my view.
I am in the clean your barrel camp. Seemed to work for me.
Are you in BDS and attend range days?
How much ammo can you hold because I bought a lot of different ammo and ended up with lots of odds and sods? It's easy to get carried away and to get close to your limit.
S&B blue was highly recommended to me but turned my rifle into a spandau. Shame, because it's quite cheap
Fox is a good shout. Try the Sako Powerblade? It seems to shoot well enough in most rifles, though often not the absolute best. There's 162gr, 150 and I think 130gr. It's relatively easy to find anywhere in 162gr and isn't ridiculous money. Settling on something you can actually source is the key consideration after accuracy, in my view.
I am in the clean your barrel camp. Seemed to work for me.
Are you in BDS and attend range days?
Thanks for the detailed answer. No am not in the BDS
When I started out I ended up buying 5 different boxes of 20 before I settled on the Federal Fusions. I've still got some rws from then that I run through the barrel after cleaning to recoat. As you say it is a combination of what works and what you can source easily locally.
The responses I've had have given me some good suggestions as starting points. I'm aware that the rifle was quite ammo fussy with lead - shoots beautifully when it likes what you feed it but can throw stuff all over the place if it doesn't - I suspect copper will be the same .......
When I started out I ended up buying 5 different boxes of 20 before I settled on the Federal Fusions. I've still got some rws from then that I run through the barrel after cleaning to recoat. As you say it is a combination of what works and what you can source easily locally.
The responses I've had have given me some good suggestions as starting points. I'm aware that the rifle was quite ammo fussy with lead - shoots beautifully when it likes what you feed it but can throw stuff all over the place if it doesn't - I suspect copper will be the same .......
Koenig
Well-Known Member
I do feel your pain cost wise. If you are part of a wider group (I note you’re not in BDS) you could try swapping brands from bit boxes. If you attend the Stalking Show you might get some bargains especially on the Sunday. I think there is something to say for matching rifle to ammo nationally i.e. Finnish Rifle and Finnish ammo etc but only have my gut feeling to base this on, no hard evidence. Also don’t be fixated with premium high cost: RWS (green?) was only mediocre in my rifle. Cheap S&B cloverleafed all day long. Equally my mate bought some US TTSX copper: instant Spandau effect (I like that phrase) from memory they were comparatively costly. So, you could start cheap and pick some US offerings to begin with. You’ll know when you pick a match, I literally got 1” MOA / 1” MOA 1” MOA (which is good enough for normal deer stalking) then as I said above three round cloverleafs time after time = decision made if you can source it locally of course.
That's a sound point about expensive not always correlating to accuracy in a particular barrel. I certainly seem to remember checking out American forums when I first got the rifle to see what they were using. I don't think it always follows about eg American for American - it hated Federal Power Shok and wasn't keen on Hornady Whitetail but loved the Fusions. Go figure.
Willing to dispute that claim about fast and light copper ! It works just great for me and many more part timers and full time guys . Of course we all have our own preferences
A big factor that many miss is unlike lead the copper bullet tends to weigh in pretty much the same as it started weight wise ( unless it breaks off a petal or two ) but those can help by opening up extra wound channels .
Taking no bloody notice of others you say ? Well that's just one mans ego getting in the way of hard fact . "Take no ~~~~~~ notice on what folks on SD , this you admit
being a person on SD of which you are one .
Inside 200 yards a .308 is a great killer of big stags no doubt with most of the copper bullets Generally , though i have never bothered with Fox factory . I personally use TTSX and LRX in Various loads and calibers LRX 80gr in 243, LRX90grain in 243 , 100grn tTSX 120 tTSXgrain, . Realistically Barnes are doing so good Globally on sales and to ignore the brand that realistically has the longest history in making and improving copper .
No way am i knocking the 308 , its a good solid choice for those stuck with factory loaded ammo . I did use one in my f class days to good use if there is such a thing as an accurate caliber it would have a place on the list . Its also got a massive amount of different ammo , even subsonic factory . Though if pushed for another 308 i would want to get another 7-08 its got a better BC and we now have more available bullet choices / components .
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