Non toxic options

[Rooster41]

So I have been hearing some talk lately of a Federal ban on lead ammunition for hunting on Federal Lands. I know the easy choice would to avoid Federal lands. But where I live, alot of the land I hunt is Federal. Both Refuges and Waterfowl Production Areas. For my 20 gauge slug gun, Iam fine. Ive been buying copper rounds since last winter in anticipation of this. First time I heard about it was last fall. If your curious, the Browning are my fave and give me the best accuracy in my Savage 220. Closely followed by Federal and Hornady. I have loads developed for my 6.5 CM, 308 Win and 243 Win with Barnes, so no issue there. But handguns? What your experience with non toxic ammo? I have a box of Barnes Vor-TX for the 44 Mag and 41 Mag. But I havent shot them. Are there other options besides barnes. I would like to take a deer with the handgun. Until MN implements a lead ban on state lands, that is where I would have to go. I have a box of Underwood Xtreme Hunter for the 44 Mag, but the bullet looks like the penetrator. Does this bullet expand at all? MN requires an expanding bullet for hunting. SO I am not sure if these would be legal. 

[Kenk]

There?s always Lehigh Defense

[sqlbullet]

The Lehigh Defense rounds like the Xtreme Hunter are designed to transmit energy without deforming.  This seems a bit like non-sense, but think of it this way:

It takes energy to mushroom a traditional hollowpoint bullet design.  Any energy that goes into changing the shape of the bullet is energy that does not go into the target, and therefore is wasted.  This waste is a good trade-off though.  If a traditional bullet doesn't expand it passes through taking all the energy with it.  Even though we loose some energy to changing the bullet shape, we still deliver more energy to the target since the expanded bullet doesn't exit, or exits at near zero velocity.

Lehigh is trying to turn that on it's side by designing bullets that don't expand, but also don't exit. If the bullet doesn't mechanically change shape, and it doesn't exit the target, then 100% of the energy that the bullet had when it entered the target is transmitted to the target.

Gel tests show the 22 grain Xtreme Hunter penetrates about 24" of gel, compared to about 20" for a slower 240 grain XTP.

The downside to this is that based on your post, this round would not be legal in MN.  I would call fish and game and ask about their stance on the the next gen hunting bullets that don't expand but behave in gel like an expanding bullet.  If they don't have a positive response, contact you representatives and let them know state law needs to be changed to account for these new technologies.

[will965]

Cor-bon makes a dpx bullet. All copper expanding. I've shot a few, nice ammo. Never hunted with, so no opinion on that part.

[Kenk]

Hey Rooster4, I?ll check with a friend who works for the MN DNR and see what he has to say
Thanks

[Rooster41]

Thanks fellas. I did take the Barnes VOrtx rounds to the range I have the 44 mag. I had decent groups at 50 yards with these out of a 7 1/2" Ruger Super Redhawk topped with a Burris 2-7x32 Handgun scope. SO maybe Ill just get a couple of boxes of those and take the 44 Mag to the areas with lead ammunition ban, if/when that happens. I have a few friends that are game wardens from my LEO days. I shoot them a text too. I appreciate the help on this. Ill keep my eye out for the other options.