non-toxic deer hunting bullets

[tomo]

I have a plan to hunt deers and look for materials of bullets with non-toxic alloy.

In northern area called "Hokkaido", my friend said there are a lot of deer to be hunted.
But no lead bullets are permitted there. Of course, I can buy Barnes copper bullets
and it costs $1 per piece here!! It might be OK if I need only a few pieces and use it only to hunt.
But I need a lot of practice shootings. It means I must pay much and look for other alloy.

Eventually I think it is better way to make by myself. Lead is great material to make bullets
'cause of its high density and low melting point. But I must look for good material to be hunting bullets
instead of lead.

Please show your recommended alloy for deer hunting purpose.

[ammohead]

I don't know of any suitable materials that a home user could utilize. Tin or zinc will melt at low enough temps but both are light. Maybe some of the shot substitutes.

[milkman]

You might use lead for cheap practice shooting and copper for hunting. Looks like lead stupidity is not limited to the U.S.

[Ola]

Of course there are many other options if you do not want to use Barnes. Lead-free bullets are manufactured by Lapua, RWS, Sellier & Bellot, Fiocchi...

And some of them are not just copper: RWS Evo Green

[44man]

Of course there are many other options if you do not want to use Barnes. Lead-free bullets are manufactured by Lapua, RWS, Sellier & Bellot, Fiocchi...

And some of them are not just copper: RWS Evo Green

It is cost. When you can't shoot to sight in and practice, the bullet is useless.

[tomo]

Thanks for your comments, Folks

I heard that the reason why lead bullets prohibited in Northern area is eagles, which population decreases, eat residue of deer that hunters leave after field dressing and its meat contains debris of lead and then eagle get poisoned and die. I don't know how many eagles are killed by such reason every year but anyway the law doesn't allow us to use lead bullets.

skeettx, bow hunting is prohibited here. And we are not allowed to use the caliber size smaller than .243 for hunting.

Ola, just I wanted to practice with exactly same bullet as hunting use. But I may not need it as you wrote.
And I don't want to make bullet with gold. Too expensive of course. And additionally, golden bullet (or ball) means "balls" in Japan. haha

[tomo]

44man, I am sorry that I could not get your point because of my lack of English skill.

Many loads, even here can cost $2 every time you pull the trigger. We even have cast lead loads at that price. $200 for 100 shots! I will stay at a dime a shot, thank you.

I read that "One bullet can cost $2 in the US. Casting bullets also cost same. You like cast bullet that costs $0.10 per round." I am confusing because my reading doesn't make sense.
Or you mean you will cast even if it's expensive because you love casting?

I read other two posts above and get them. Thanks.

[44man]

Why can't you bow hunt? Archery is a tradition in Japan. I get more confused about that.

[Ola]

It is not too difficult to load a cheap practice bullet to hit the same spot at certain distance. What caliber are you using and what powders do you have available?

[tomo]

44man, as you know Japanese style archery is our traditional martial art. But killing power is low.
For hunting, one shot should kill a game perfectly (idealistic thought). So large bore rifles, its caliber is larger than 5.9mm, are permitted.
But small bore rifles and bow guns are prohibited for hunting. Even though you may feel strange,
our government thinks hunting with weak arms just inflicts pain on games and may not kill. It is cruelty toward animals.

[44man]

44man, I am sorry that I could not get your point because of my lack of English skill.

I read that "One bullet can cost $2 in the US. Casting bullets also cost same. You like cast bullet that costs $0.10 per round." I am confusing because my reading doesn't make sense.
Or you mean you will cast even if it's expensive because you love casting?

I read other two posts above and get them. Thanks.

Store bought loads will cost a lot. Boolits themselves are cheaper but making my own are free so just powder and primer costs me. My lead was free. Just some time to make them. I don't charge myself for my time.
You confuse store bought with home made. Yes some cast store bought loads will reach $2 a shot. That is more then factory jacketed. Even copper bullets here are average $.70 each.
I have never found a full lead boolit in a deer. It will be lead core, fast expanding bullets that will leave some behind. Lack of knowledge from those that make rules is the problem.

[Swede 45]

I'm not a alloy guru so I can not recomended a lead free alloy for casting..
But there are commercial lead free bullets for loading, others than already mentioned.
Look but Hornady and nosler..
And yes, way more expensive than regular leadcore or cast, a 100 bullets for reloading cost about the same as 20 factory cartridges .. Around here at least..
And 100 rounds of reloads would be enough to get both practice and hunting out of the money for just the cost of 20 factory cartridges..

[tomo]

Ola, I am going to use a 30-06 with Varget for deer hunting. And I have 130gr RCBS and 170gr Lyman moulds so far.

For target shooting, I will use white metal which is alloy of 6% Tin, 10% Antimony and 86% Lead, and SR4759 could be used.
But I need bullets harder enough to faster load with Varget for hunting. I am looking for suitable alloy for that purpose.
The alloy should be on conditions that
(1)not so expensive
(2)no lead
(3)hard enough
(4)good for deer hunting
(5)melt at low temp like lead
Do you have any idea?

This forum is "Hunting with CB's" and I thought someone knows about such a great alloy.
But in the fact, it's just a "dream" and no such an alloy exists, I will use BARNES and practice some (but not much because it's expensive).

[tomo]

44man, as you know, I was confused but now I get your point. I agree that government should make decision along with scientific view points.

[tomo]

NavyVet1959, I can't get gun permission with Arisaka now a day even it is good gun.
In Japan, there are a strange rule. If that type of gun once employed in military, it won't be permitted for hunting or shooting purpose forever.
I don't know why. Some old shooter have it because they licensed before the rule was approved.

[tomo]

Swede 45, Factory ammo costs 5 times as hand loading one? it's coincidence! In Japan, that ratio is same.
but price must be different. Here I pay $5 a round for 30-06 factory ammo. Powder, primer and bullet costs $1/round. If I made casting bullet, price becomes almost half.

Factory bullets from Sierra are popular here. I think its share is 70%. And 20% for Nosler. 10% for Barnes and other makers.
percentage might change along with gun shops but I can say that Sierra must be the largest here.

[MBTcustom]

I doubt you will find anything suitable. If lead is not an option, then copper is the very next choice.

If you have Iron molds, you could try a tin/zink alloy of maybe 70/30? Just melt the tin first and bring it up to temperature till the zink marries it. Should give you a casting temperature of 650 degrees.

Unfortunately, I have no idea how much an alloy like this would shrink, nor how it would work on deer, and the high concentration of tin would make it pricey.

If I were in your situation, I would buy a small lathe and learn to turn my own bullets.

[popper]

Are the deer there very big? I guess you can only hunt with the copper solids. I'd cut your white metal with equal or more pure lead, add some shot for As and possibly Cu, maybe heat treat. Should get a good HV load that has accuracy for practice. Also look at the filller/dacron thread. Of course you will need GC for those moulds. What velocity/range are you thinking of hunting?
Factory 06 is ~ $1.50 each here, bullets are ~ $35/100 for good hunting types.
edit: Roto test data on the Bi boolits wasn't very good.

[RoyEllis]

http://www.rotometals.com/product-p/...ulletalloy.htm only thing I can find that MIGHT come close to what you want Tomo, but I'd very strongly suggest expansion testing of this alloy before hunting with it as I'd presume it may fracture instead of deform & expand. However it may provide a suitable practice boolit casting alloy, then switch to Barnes for the hunt.

[condor257]

Rotto metals has a lead free alloy I use it in my .257 cal air rifle. Its sure not cheap per pound but if you recover the rounds from practice you can re-melt and reuse your practice bullets.