• HikingVet@lemmy.ca
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    6 days ago

    Copper for slugs, while more expensive has a risk level close to 0 in comparison to lead. It also has excellent ballistic properties and will expand properly with designs like hollow points

    • punkfungus@sh.itjust.works
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      6 days ago

      It’s actually not the projectile that causes most of the lead exposure for shooters. It’s the cartridge primers, they use lead styphnate for their explosive. Copper bullets are mainly to not spread lead through the environment where it can harm wildlife, and to avoid the risk of consuming lead in shot animals.

    • SpikesOtherDog@ani.social
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      6 days ago

      Tungsten, too.

      The problem is really the cost. To go to the range and spend $30 would instead cost $150. I think the average person would buy the lead.

      I’ll ask a friend of mine who worked at a range recently to see what people are spending.

      • SpikesOtherDog@ani.social
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        6 days ago

        Per friend: -$35 a person $12 for the second and ammo varies wildly. They start about $20/$30 a box for 9mm 50 rounds, but most people use 1/2 boxes ler trip"

        Also, per them, tungsten is a no-no due to its armor-piercing abilities.

          • historicaldocuments@lemmy.world
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            6 days ago

            Most traditional hollowpoints aren’t designed to break apart into shrapnel. They’re designed to expand in a controlled manner. The FBI protocol is that it should expand after passing through four layers of cloth (denim, fleece, cotton, and something else), then penetrate between 12 and 18 inches through standardized ballistics gel.

            A non expanding bullet might get double that much penetration if it doesn’t start tumbling. Projectiles designed for large, dangerous game are designed for no expansion and maximum penetration. It all depends on what the goal is.

            There’s a lot of youtube where people have put that kind of stuff to the test if you want to dig. There are a few results out there that are non-intuitive. For example, a regular 38 special hollow point out of a modern revolver often doesn’t get enough velocity to expand, so the cavity will fill up with cloth and over penetrate the gel even though it’s substantially less powerful than a 9mm.