Copper bullets

GeoDudeFlorida said:

I’ve cut pure copper for satellite innards - cooling and insulation parts, mostly but some electrical bridges, too - and it is STICKY STUFF! Sticks to high-speed steel cutters like tar on Brehr Rabbit. We had to invent a new coolant and lard-soap-based lubricant to complete a USAF satellite project. The stuff they’re using for bullets is not pure copper, it’s an alloy - probably with lead, like a 1914x alloy, but that is just a WAG - and it’s not nearly as sticky as pure. I think the exact alloys are probably going to be proprietary but it could be a common metal too. I haven’t checked into the exact properties closely.

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Just makes sense

I don't think I would worry about them wearing out a barrel, they're softer than the barrel steel.

As was already said, the heat from the rounds being fired will probably wear out the throat first.



Some 50 BMG solids, AMAX and the one swaged in there. I have some bore riders laying around but you need a chamber cut for them.

Solids are a lot more accurate than most bullets as they can be held to tighter tolerances.

Ok, to the original post, I've just started loading Barnes TTSX 120 grain 7mm bullets for a custom 7mm08 rifle. I'm using BL-C2 for a light recoiling load and Federal 210M primers. I've found what I think is a node at the 43.3 grain level which is a light load. Then I tested from 43.2-43.6 grains in .1 grain increments by 5-shot groups. Every one of the groups were 3/4" groups. I'm loading approximately .046"-.050" off of the lands. I tried for .050" but I think I'm at about .047"-.049" consistently (depending on bullet variation, etc.). I've been completely surprised that the groups are very consistently 3/4" within .6 grains for the load. I haven't chronographed them yet, so who knows if they are really, truly consistent with SD and ES, but they put up good groups.

As for wear, I have no idea because I just started. As for recoil, it's a VERY soft shooting load with a 7" suppressor on a 22" barrel.