I had a question no one on the web could seem to find, so I fired off an E-mail to the good folks at Federal Cartridge Company and they say that their Federal Trophy Copper Ammunition needs at least 1800 fps to reliably expand. I asked specifically about their 200 gr. .338 federal loading but their reply seemed pretty universal.

I'm guessing out of my 17" Montucky it's coming out the barrel at about 2450. makes it a 300 yard cartridge.


So there you go interwebs google away!

Only one real way to find out, Unfortunately the consequences may not be all that great.

I've read that those bullets are Etips with grooves cut and coincidently1800fps is what Nosler lists as the minimum velocity. The picture at 1800fps is not impressive but no experience with them that at that slow. I have shot plains game, an aoudad, nilgai, blackbuck, and a few whitetail with 0 complaints. The couple I recovered looked like an advertisement.

I had heard similar... but I figured I'd go to the source, federal will never confirm if they farm them out or not, but the more you know...

They are similar, but not identical. I pulled one to compare.



L-R
200 Trophy Copper
200 E-Tip
201 E-Tip

Also, I found the Trophy Copper shot pretty slow in my 84M. 200 Trophy Bonded Tip ammo shot exactly as stated on box.

Do Barnes bullets have a similar 1800 fps expansion threshold?

A buddy of mine called Barnes with the same question on their TTSX bullets and they said their bullet needs 2100fps to reliably expand...........Hb

LRX are a tad lower. 1,600 fps I believe.

Yeah 1600 to 1800 fps sounds more reasonable to me, 2100 fps seems awfully high for the Bsrnes, I think I will call them myself as the TTSX is my bullet of choice and this info would be good to know........Hb

If I remember correctly the TSX needs 2000 and the TTSX willl expand when going a little slower.

Barnes told me 1800 for the .338 TTSX. Said it actually tested slightly lower, but they stick to 1800.