This E-Tip bullet was recovered from a Texas hog by Winchester's Glen Weeks. It expanded just like it was designed to do. Photo courtesy of Winchester.

Environmentally friendly isn't high on my list of requirements for a hunting bullet. In fact, the idea that a bullet could be environmentally friendly has never even occurred to me. After all, hunting bullets are designed to kill game. What could a little lead hurt? Still, there is no denying that our society is growing more environmentally conscious every year, as evidenced by the recent ban on lead bullets by the famed Tejon Ranch in California.

The Tejon management banned the use of lead projectiles to appease those who want to protect the endangered California condors that nest on the ranch. They host a lot of hog and deer hunters every year, but I doubt they felt the minute amount of lead left by fired projectiles was an environmental hazard. But logic and science have never stopped environmental wackos. And why should it? After all, even a frivolous lawsuit is a coin toss. Throw in a liberal California court, and the antis know they have a pretty reasonable chance of prevailing.

I think the Tejon Ranch took that step to head off litigation aimed at stopping hunting in the name of protecting the endangered condor from lead poisoning. Like it or not, it was a smart move. Unfortunately, I think we'll see more and more of such clever maneuvering as animal-rights activists do everything in their power to stop hunting. Manufacturers are wise to stay on top of the market with lead-free bullets like the new E-Tip from Winchester and Nosler.

The E-Tip is far from the first lead-free bullet on the market. For instance, Barnes has been making lead-free bullets for years with its solid-copper X and Triple Shock bullets.

Solid-copper bullets are great when it comes to penetration and terminal performance on bigger-bodied game, but they have their issues. The biggest complaint among users of solid-copper bullets is accuracy. They shoot great in some guns, whereas other guns don't shoot them well at all. For example, my .257 Weatherby shoots the Weatherby factory load under a half-inch all day long. My GA Precision custom .308 shoots AccuBonds under 0.25 inch but can't break the one-inch mark with at least one type of solid-copper bullet.

An even more aggravating problem is inconsistent accuracy. Some rifles, like my .300 WSM Browning A-Bolt, shoot great from a clean bore, but accuracy degrades quickly after a few rounds.

Extreme fouling, which is the result of solid-copper construction, is the culprit. Copper gets stripped off as it passes down the bore and is deposited in the rifling, leading to poor or inconsistent accuracy. Another accuracy-robbing characteristic of copper bullets is the fact that the hard copper doesn't slug up and fill the bore.

None of this is meant to take anything away from solid-copper bullets. In fact, I use the X and Triple Shock in several of my guns, and they are my bullet of choice for Cape buffalo. But as great as those two bullets are, some guns just don't like them.