Well, it’s become obvious, as it should have been all along, that all is not peachy-keen in the world of the California deer and hog hunters who are now required (as of July 1) to use non-lead ammunition.

The word, of course, has been out for quite some time.  However, shooting ranges throughout the state have been seeing a surge of last-minute hunters lining the benches as we slip into the final fortnight leading up to our early rifle season.  With shock and dismay, many of them are finding that their rifles tend to put copper bullets in very different points of impact than the old, lead ammunition.  This, as evidenced on the blogs of my friends Hank and Holly, the HunterAnglerGardnerCook and the NorCal Cazadora.

It’s an expensive lesson, of course, since factory-loaded Barnes and ETip ammo are running in the neighborhood of $2 a shot right now… and that’s for standard calibers.  Shoot something fancy, and you’re more in the range of $50-$60 for a box of 20 rounds.  That’s some mighty expensive target practice. 

The other issue some of the late-starters are going to face is ammo availability.  Many sporting goods stores have been out of stock for quite some time, while others never really carried much stock in the first place.  Components for ammunition are also a bit precious due to that thing going on over in the Middle East… since our boys fighting over there need many of the same tools we do.  At least they can still use lead.

A couple of tips if you are switching:

First, remember that any time you switch ammo,  you need to sight-in your gun with the new stuff.  Doesn’t matter if you’re changing bullet weight, composition, or manufacturer.  They’re all slightly different, and under the conditions in which a bullet is discharged from the end of the barrel, slight differences can have significant impacts.  This is a lesson that has long been lost on a lot of shooters, much to their dismay in the field. 

Switching from lead to copper (or gilding metal as in the Nosler/Winchester ETips) is no different.  I found about a two-inch shift in elevation (at 100 yards), and in my .325 there was also about an inch and a half to two inches shift in windage as well.  Your mileage WILL vary, depending on your gun and the ammo you choose to shoot.  The only way to know is to get to the range and put some holes in paper. 

You’ll also want to be starting from a “clean slate”, so to speak.  Make sure the barrel is clear of fouling BEFORE you start shooting copper. Then make sure to keep it that way.  The newer copper bullets aren’t nearly as bad as the old ones for fouling, but they do still leave a residue that will impact your accuracy and consistency. 

Learn some sight-in methods that help conserve ammo. 

One of my favorites is the “two-shot zero”.  To perform this miraculous feat (it’s neither, really… just common sense), you’ll need a really stable rest.  A gun vise is ideal, but not required.  You’ll also do well to have a partner.  I’ve done it solo, but it works better with four hands instead of two.

First, set your rifle up in the rest at the 100 yard range (you can do this at longer ranges, but it’s more difficult).  Get it aligned and snugged in, then get the crosshairs on the bull.  When you’re ready, send that first round downrange. 

Now, here’s the important part.  DO NOT MOVE THE RIFLE!  Keep it right where it was when you fired. 

While you continue to look through the scope, have your partner move the crosshairs until they align over the bullet hole you just made.  Take your time, and try to keep the rifle from moving around as you load and fire the second shot.  If you did this right, the rifle is now “zeroed” at 100 yards.  You can fire a couple of insurance shots to be sure. 

If you insist, as many people do, that you must be prepared for long-range shooting, then you can adjust the elevation to put yourself about two inches high at 100 yards.  For most centerfire rifles, this is pretty close to dead-on at 250 yards, and means you can hold in the center of the killzone on large game (about an 8″ area) out to 300 yards with reasonable expectations.  Beyond 300 yards many factors come into play, including the caliber and load you’re shooting. 

Personally, I’ve been back and forth on this one.  Typically, though, I tend to zero at 100 and know about how much holdover I’ll need in the event that I shoot far enough to worry about it… an extremely rare occurrence.  The vast majority of my big game animals have been taken inside of 150 yards.  I know I can shoot long if I need to, but I don’t like to when I’m hunting.  I think I’ve made that speech before, so I’ll spare it here. 

One more thing to consider is that because there are so few variations on the available factory-loaded non-lead ammunition (Winchester offers three calibers and about as many bullet weights.  Barnes bullets are loaded by several manufacturers, but there are still only a small handful of available bullet weights.), you may not be able to get good, repeatable accuracy from your hunting gun.  This is the best argument you will ever find to start handloading your own ammo.  It’s not that difficult, and with proper care, it’s not very dangerous either. 

Finally, ignore the myths about copper.  The handful of them that are true are based on older bullets and early designs.  The new stuff can be very accurate (properly loaded), and is deadly on game.  This is not only my own experience, but that of many hunting friends and acquaintances, including Jim Hackiewicz, a Professional Hunter in Africa who has had the opportunity to see the effects of many different bullets on hundreds of animals every year, and a staunch proponent of the Barnes bullets. 

Good luck out there! 

 

 

Related Posts