# Non-Lead Bullet Question



## ruger1 (Aug 16, 2006)

Guys, this goes along with the barrel cleaning post I had earlier. I'm going to work up some loads for my brother's .280s.

I truly believe that lead bullets will go the way of the dinosaur. I've used the Barnes XXX bullets in my 8MM Mag but I wasn't terribly happy with them.

Have any of you used any of the new lead free bullets on the market? Any opinions on them? Thanks.


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## liljoe (Jan 25, 2008)

One of my sons and I switched a couple years ago to Berger VLD's and have never looked back - Use them on everything here in Montana from antelope to moose. We're both shooting 280AI with a 1-10" twist barrel and the Bergers just flat work. I shot Barnes X and TSX out of a 280 Rem for many years and had trouble getting the accuracy that I wanted. They performed but I had a couple of close shots on elk that I was real disappointed on the Barnes performance - they penciled right through like an FMJ. If you have any further questions I'd be more than happy to give you my 2 cent opinion.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I have used Barnes X and Lost River Ballistics. I think the Lost River Ballistics were to long for my rifle to stabilize or something. That was perhaps a good thing since they were $42 for 20 bullets and that was seven or eight years ago.
My 300 Win Mag groups Barnes X at about .3 inches at 100 Yards. With R22 the 165 gr reaches velocity above 3300 fps. Well, it did years ago. I don't know if powder changed or what, but loads that were getting 3300 fps in my 300 now get 3150 fps. I know I am getting some throat erosion, but I don't know if it would affect velocity. 
The problem with the X bullets is keeping the bore clean. I find that with moly I can shoot 50 rounds of Ballistic Tip, but I can only keep tight groups with about 20 rounds of X bullets. Also, with the factory coating, or my moly I loose accuracy with the X bullet. My theory is that the hardness of copper does not allow the x bullet to obturate in the bore and it perhaps slips some in the rifling when coated. I'm not sure about that though.


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## southdakbearfan (Oct 11, 2004)

I wouldn't worry about it until they are not allowed, I am 34 and for hunting purposes, I would be willing to stake a large portion of money on lead bullets being allowed until I am too old to fire a rifle in most places in the west not taken over by the tree huggers. One good thing about the enviro's is their invention of an environmental impact statement, aside from rifle ranges, lead is a non-measureable impact when rifle bullets are considered.

I have ventured into the copper bullets a little, but the barnes prooved to be to finicky and copper fouled too fast for my taste along with just flat out cost.

That being said, i'm sure the guys here can direct you in the right direction if your set on the copper/non-lead bullets with the plethera of choices out there.


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