Copper? Good or Bad? Why?

[Hungry Seagull]

I have been taught to leave shiney things alone.

I am seeing some shot gun ammunition show copper outer plating or even solid copper as part of the material used to make them.

I am researching various ammo as alternatives to slugs. Should I consider copper ammunition as good to fire through my smoothbore 12 ga rem 870 and Moss smoothbore with Imp cyl choke 20 ga?

Is copper something hard to clean like Lead is? Or is it destructive to the barrel inside?

Many questions, but I am trying to put copper to rest.

Your thoughts are welcome.

 

[rcmodel]

No, it will not harm your barrel.

Lead shot is copper plated to make it harder and deform less when going through the barrel, as well as on target.
That gives tighter patterns, and deeper penetration.

Bird hunters like it in smaller shot size because it tends to penetrate feathers much better then soft lead shot. Deer hunters like it because it may pattern better at longer range in some barrels.

There is some thought that soft lead pellets do more serious damage to living tissue because they are deformed in the bore, and because they will flatten and deform even more when hitting bone.

I am of that school.
Soft lead Buckshot has worked very well for killing living beings, including humans, and every sort of game animal, for several hundred years now.

You can't kill something deader then dead with high-dollar copper plated shot.

But you can afford to practice much more with the cheaper lead shot loads.

rc

 

[-v-]

Most all other ammunition is copper-jacketed. While, yes on a microscopic and scientific standpoint contact between two unlike metals will cause corrosion (even contact between two unlike steel alloys will cause oxidation!), the measurable and perceivable effects are basically non-existent. As for cleaning copper fowling, well, no easier or harder then out of rifles or handguns.

 

[Hungry Seagull]

Thank you for the responses, particularly the high dollar deader one.

The wallet is also a consideration.

I was concerned about metal to metal affect but. eh.

Triple zero with few big pellets seem good, so does double ought. Hard to choose.

Lead would be soft and stop or slow down, copper is harder and be a bit.. slicker and go through.

 

[miekelle]

bad for hunting it splinters their bones i went duck hunting with doubl xx magnums copper plated and i got a bone in the roof of my mouth

 

[Hungry Seagull]

Oddly, Im excited by splintering bones. I would take anything that does damage of that nature. I dont intend to eat it. If I wanted to drop deer, Ive slugs plenty for that work.