Copper bullets and Antique Rifles

Compared with cast bullets, copper (jacketed or monolithic) wears bores much faster, even in modern guns.

Monolithic copper bullets generally require special load data. There is quite a bit of it for modern cartridges, but not so much for really old ones. I'm not sure you'll have much luck finding data for your .30-'03 - let alone your 40-60 What Cheer. I am comfortable using such bullets in "classics" dating back to the 1940s or so, but much older than that and I'd have to start thinking about it on a case-by-case basis.

I am not aware of "lead free" regions which make allowances for older guns, or for muzzleloaders. Certainly, here in California, we are stuck with the law under all circumstances. I retired several old classics from hunting duty when the law came out, and my muzzleloaders are reduced to things like handgun bullets in sabots, and round balls made out of an iron/tungsten matrix.

BJung said:

Do copper bullets damage antique rifles and are antique rifles ( or even muzzle loaders ) and exception for hunting in Only Copper Hunting Bullet States?

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Look into casting your own round ball from tin/bismuth alloy from Rotometals. "Copper only" ? I've looked and I can't find any state regs that say that but several say no use of lead. Bismuth/tin alloy meets that requirement, and is also quite heavy, so terminal ballistics should be similar to an all lead round ball or a lead alloy modern pistol bullet in a sabot. Casting your own is a lot cheaper than using the tungsten substitute.

LD

You could also us a sabot, fifty cal with a 45 dia copper or alloy bullet.

More than a few years ago a fellow on a traditional muzzle loading forum took it upon himself to test brass ball bearings in his rifles. I remember that he had pretty good results and I recall that he even used them for deer hunting. They were lighter than lead and you needed to match the bearing diameter to your caliber but it seemed to work. Also, pure copper is pretty soft so you could cast balls from that.

Shanghai McCoy said:

More than a few years ago a fellow on a traditional muzzle loading forum took it upon himself to test brass ball bearings in his rifles. I remember that he had pretty good results and I recall that he even used them for deer hunting. They were lighter than lead and you needed to match the bearing diameter to your caliber but it seemed to work. Also, pure copper is pretty soft so you could cast balls from that.

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Lead melts at 621 deg F, copper 1984 deg F.

Can copper’s melting point be achieved at home?

Speedo66 said:

Lead melts at 621 deg F, copper 1984 deg F.

Can copper’s melting point be achieved at home?

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Not at most homes, no. But if you had an oxy/acetylene rig you could do it.
Maybe even with a MAAP gas rig..?