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jlwilliams · Veteran Member

Are there any copper airgun pellets made? Have there been in the past?

A little background on the line of thought that brings up the question. I read an interview with Mr Eichelberger, who is a big innovator in super small wildcats. Powderburners in .10, .12 and .14 caliber. Reall small stuff screaming at real high speeds. Anyway, he said that guys playing with that sort of non standard stuff turn or swedge copper projectiles because traditionaly constructed bullets in .102 diameter are just not on the shelves at Cabella's. (My words, paraphrasing his)

Next day, I'm looking at pellets at Dicks, and I notice the PBAs. Got me thinking about how lead beig banned in some places may impact airgunning.

The two thoughts bumped into each other, and brought in the thread here about making one's own pellets. Some have tried casting, swedging has been done and tools are available. While it's generally more time and money wise to just buy pellets (cheapest ammo there is) the idea of making one's own has some apeal. Not least of which being the ability to have pellets if the regular retail suply chain became....disrupted by fools in power. Just as an example of possable hassles that may come.

Now, seems that copper could be a viable non-lead material to make pellets out of. It's harder than lead, but still soft enough that a thin skirt may take airgun rifling well. It's also not quite as dense as lead but it's not that light weight either. I mean, lead has all the advantages that make it the pre-eminant pellet material over the years, but copper could be pretty good too. At least as good or better than....plastic PBAs.......

It seems that since airgun pellets are swedged in mass manufacture, and in the few instances of home shop pellet makers, they could just as easily be swedged from copper as lead.

Has it been done? Any ideas, input, or outright wild speculations?

fritz · Silver Status Member

Alstone tried to make his own pellets before. No reason why you couldn't pour copper in stead of lead.

donec · Senior Member

Copper is very expensive compared to lead.

AirGunEric · Site Admin

The perfect lead replacement? Soft, easy to cast, cosmetically pleasing- Gold.

But that old cost issue keeps coming up... Giant Grin

jlwilliams · Veteran Member