Thread: 22LR Copper Ammunition

CCI have brought out a new product where the bullet is made of copper dust and polymer.
Projectile weight is 21 gr and MV 1850 fps.

This could mark a big change for indoor shooting. Although the primer still has lead, there will be no need to worry about its control down by the targets or recycling it. A simple change to range standing orders making copper ammo compulsory and deleting the requirement for subsonic rounds might considerably increase safety.



At first I thought this could revive the 22LR supersonic from the clutches of 17HMR overmatching, but looking a a few reviews, perhaps not.

This is a good run down on you tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyuVEexAXaw

Issues I can foresee are:

Hard bullet which doesnt expand or break up at all.
I've tired of shooting rabbits with solid lead target bullets and it sounds as if this might be similar. Its not marketed for hunting.

Poor ballistic stability. A long bullet has less gyroscopic stability and, even more so that monolithic copper, this will be long. This is probably the reason it is only claimed to have a maximum useable range of 75 yd. Up to 50m with the 22 Sub, only 0.4 mRad (1 M.O.A.) holdover is needed, so a high velocity, flat trajectory is potentially mostly helpful over the 50-150m range. It will be interesting to see what happens with good quality barrels like Tikka, Lithgow and Anschutz.

Cleaning. Do we need copper cleaner like for 17HMR or plastic solvent like for a shotgun ?

Microplastics. It's said the bullet would stay together through an animal but disintegrate into dust on hitting steel or soil. True or false ? Something that makes puffs of polymer wherever it hits may not be as bad as lead but could come in for scrutiny in future.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...-ban-this-week

Has anyone used it yet - can they report back ?

Originally Posted by Bagheera

CCI have brought out a new product where the bullet is made of copper dust and polymer.
Projectile weight is 21 gr and MV 1850 fps.

This could mark a big change for indoor shooting. Although the primer still has lead, there will be no need to worry about its control down by the targets or recycling it. A simple change to range standing orders making copper ammo compulsory and deleting the requirement for subsonic rounds might considerably increase safety.

Attachment 240271

At first I thought this could revive the 22LR supersonic from the clutches of 17HMR overmatching, but looking a a few reviews, perhaps not.

This is a good run down on you tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyuVEexAXaw

Issues I can foresee are:

Hard bullet which doesnt expand or break up at all.
I've tired of shooting rabbits with solid lead target bullets and it sounds as if this might be similar. Its not marketed for hunting.

Poor ballistic stability. A long bullet has less gyroscopic stability and, even more so that monolithic copper, this will be long. This is probably the reason it is only claimed to have a maximum useable range of 75 yd. Up to 50m with the 22 Sub, only 0.4 mRad (1 M.O.A.) holdover is needed, so a high velocity, flat trajectory is potentially mostly helpful over the 50-150m range. It will be interesting to see what happens with good quality barrels like Tikka, Lithgow and Anschutz.

Cleaning. Do we need copper cleaner like for 17HMR or plastic solvent like for a shotgun ?

Microplastics. It's said the bullet would stay together through an animal but disintegrate into dust on hitting steel or soil. True or false ? Something that makes puffs of polymer wherever it hits may not be as bad as lead but could come in for scrutiny in future.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...-ban-this-week

Has anyone used it yet - can they report back ?

I tried it few years ago, hopeless on Possums.

And wait till you see the price

doesnt expand, doesnt fragment, its just to appease the loony greenies

Originally Posted by gonetropo

doesnt expand, doesnt fragment, its just to appease the loony greenies

Yeah, first thing I think of here is this is the thin edge of the wedge against lead.

We should be wary of copper.

Very wary of coppers

Not marketed for hunting you say, but the packet has "Small game" and "Meat eater" on it. If it's not expanding or fragmenting then I wouldn't want to shoot any type of animal with it.

I was going to get some to try but $35 a pack....

not expanding would be pretty much the same as shooting stuff with plain round nose ammo? pricey tho

Imagine copper/polymer 22mag