Firearms expert Andrew Venables and deer manager Ben Heath put two copper bullets head to head.
Commenting on YouTube, several viewers give their favourite copper rounds. They are
.243, 80-grain
“80-grain in .243 sounds good and it will be interesting when Andrew goes with the .308 110-grain and 120-grain rounds on fallow,” says Colin Johnston.
.270, 110-grain to 130-grain
“I live and hunt interior Alaska. I’ve used all copper bullets for the past decade or so. I like the penetration and exit holes. Exit hole especially for bears which have long hair that wicks up blood. Penetration especially on a shoulder shot on big bull moose. Monoliths are not that expensive. I get Barnes TTSX for US$30 per box of 50 for handloading. I handload my .270 Win rifles with 4350 or RL22 and 110-130-grain monoliths like Barnes TTSX and 180 grain Barnes TTSX or Nosler E-Tip and 4831 with my .300 H&H Magnum. I use monoliths for tiny Sika Blacktails up to huge bull moose. Each of my rifle shoots a different monolith best, so for best accuracy I try a couple different monoliths in my hand loads,” says Missy Skeeter
.308, 130-grain
“Our moose [in Canada] are 1,600-2,000lbs. With copper alloy bullets in the class of 130 grain .308 and even 120 grain 7mm bullets are getting the job done very well. I tested a .308 130 grain Barnes TTSX with my .300 Rem Ultra Mag on whitetail deer and moose. The muzzle velocity is 3,800fps. Any animal hit in the chest with that bullet starting at that speed was flat dead on the ground before the image was gone from the bottom of the scope in recoil. No projectiles have been recovered to date,” says 14GoldMedals
.308, 142-grain
“I am a big supporter of mono bullets. I use South African Viper bullets in my rifles. My .308 Win bullets weigh in at 142 grains and it’s devastating on plainsgame,” says FFF Safaris.
.303, 180-grain
“I’ve always been a 180-grain .303 guy. I’m moving towards a .243 or 6.5 for deer-sized game. I only have one rifle, the .303 and shoot mainly kudu. Pigs we shoot with slugs.” says Craigx71.
.300 Win mag, 180-grain
“I have been using Barnes for four years and they work flawlessly from close-up to 350 yards on whitetail, mule deer, bear, moose and elk with .270 130-grain and a .300 Win with 180-grain,” says Ron Wikehiser.
For the film of Ben going stalking with Ollie Williams, visit Fcha.nl/deerbox