Alternatives to Lead Bullets

 

A New Approach: Use Non-lead Ammo

Hunters are continuing their proud tradition of wildlife conservation by using non-leaded alternatives.

The health and survival of condors and other wildlife depend on everyone reducing the level of lead in the environment. Bullet and ammo manufacturers have developed numerous premium non-lead options for shotguns and rifles. Hunters are helping by buying and using the alternatives.

Lead vs. Non-lead Bullet Alternatives
L E A D N O N - L E A D

        
Traditional Bullet Barnes Triple Shock Barnes MRX® Nosler eTip®
Traditional lead bullets are all lead. Some have a thin copper jacket. The Triple Shock, loaded by Federal, CorBon, Weatherby, and others, is a 100% copper bullet The MRX, loaded by Federal, CorBon, Weatherby, and others, is copper with a tungsten alloy core and a polymer tip. The eTip, loaded by Winchester, is made of a copper alloy with a polycarbonite tip.

This photo shows two non-lead copper rifle bullets that have been retrieved, flanked by two lead rifle bullets.

The copper bullets have mushroomed out and retained 98% of their original weight, while the lead bullets have lost a substantial portion to fragmentation.

The greater weight retention by the copper bullets results in more effective stopping power and greater penetration.

Advantages of Non-lead Bullets 

All-copper bullets were initially developed in the 1980s as a premium, high performance bullet. Further improvements have resulted in an extremely effective and versatile bullet for hunters. 93% of surveyed hunters said that non-lead bullets performed as well as or better than lead bullets on game they shot.

  

  • Little to no fragmentation

  • Better penetration and a longer wound channel means greater killing power

  • Much less toxicity for humans and wildlife

  • Equal or greater accuracy

 

 

Common Misconceptions of Copper Bullets

MYTH

FACT

Pass though without expanding in thin-skinned game

Expand within three inches of entry and don't fragment like lead, resulting in greater penetration

Damage barrel like steel shot once did

No different than copper jacketed bullets

Create excess fouling in bores

No different than copper jacketed bullets

Are longer than lead bullets

Very similar lengths, sometimes even shorter

Not as accurate as lead

As with lead, try different brands and different grain weights to see which shoots best in a given gun

 

Bullet Trial Comparisons
To compare fragmentation between a premium bonded bullet and a non-lead alternative, bullets were fired into ballistic gelatin at 50 yards.

The ballistic gelatin was radiographed. Penetration depth was then measured, and bullets were retrieved and weighed.

The non-lead bullets showed very little to no fragmentation and deeper penetration, while the lead bullets left trails of fragments throughout the gel and didn't travel as far.

Dotted lines show each bullet's path from right to left:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nosler Accubond

penetration: 20"

 

 

Nosler eTip

penetration: >40"

 

 

 

Federal Fusion

penetration: 29"

 

 

Federal Triple Shock

penetration: >40"

 

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