Copper Bullet Blues NO MORE!

[Lazerus]

Hey guys,
A few of you saw my original post, "Copper Bullet Blues", but after alot of load development, I started progressively seating the Cutting Edge bullets deeper and deeper. At 10 thousandths down, they were hovering around an inch and a quarter, at 25 thousandths down, I got it down to about 3 quarters of an inch. They didn't shrink much more until I got to 50 thousandths down, when they shrunk dramatically. This has all been shot with H4831 SC at max load. I think I can shrink this last group down a little more, by seating them slightly deeper and playing with the charge. I haven't chrono'ed them yet, but so far the results have been encouraging. Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated. Check out pics!
6.5 284 Norma 130 gr. Cutting Edge MTH

 

[idaho elk hunter]

Most all of the solid copper bullets,Barnes, GSC,GMX, etc. like jump. If you do not want to seat deeper and take up internal capacity then you might want to think about freeboring. Typically these bullets like .050 to .070..

 

[davkrat]

Awesome. Glad the deeper seating worked out.

 

[bigngreen]

Looks like your dialing in, I'm sure you've read it but here is a link to the CE loading instructions. Cutting Edge Bullets

 

[FearNoWind]

Great news, Lazerus. Congrats.
When you get to the MV test stage, keep in mind that you only need a velocity that provides enough energy to make a clean humane kill at the maximum distance you intend to shoot from when hunting. Don't allow yourself to get caught up in the "faster is always better" club. All elements in shooting are relative. gun)
If you get the chance, read Bryan Litz's book "Applied Ballistics for Long-Range Shooting". Best book I've ever read on the subject.

 

[bigngreen]

Great news, Lazerus. Congrats.
When you get to the MV test stage, keep in mind that you only need a velocity that provides enough energy to make a clean humane kill at the maximum distance you intend to shoot from when hunting. Don't allow yourself to get caught up in the "faster is always better" club. All elements in shooting are relative. gun)

Velocity plays a big part in how a bullet like the CE kills, energy is nearly meaningless since it dumps so little, it needs velocity to make a decent permanent wound channel and disrupt as much tissue as it can. Not to mention you have to make up for as much of the BC loss as possible from a conventional bullet to maintain it's effective range, even then by 800 yards the 140's driven at 3188 are on the edge of their effective range.

 

[davkrat]

Velocity plays a big part in how a bullet like the CE kills, energy is nearly meaningless since it dumps so little, it needs velocity to make a decent permanent wound channel and disrupt as much tissue as it can. Not to mention you have to make up for as much of the BC loss as possible from a conventional bullet to maintain it's effective range, even then by 800 yards the 140's driven at 3188 are on the edge of their effective range.

Agreed. I have seen with lead free bullets that energy is almost a non issue. The minimum velocity for expansion is the limiting factor for copper bullets. Penetration is never an issue. Getting them to open up and not pencil through is the key. I really wish someone would make a solid copper base with a tin-powder core up front almost like a lead free trophy bonded bear claw.

 

[Mikecr]

Seating is very often the biggest bang for the buck.
Good plan, great job

 

[benchracer]

Seating is very often the biggest bang for the buck.
Good plan, great job

Agreed. I am glad to see that you got things figured out and I look forward to seeing your results on game!