Essential Info
Our goal: give hunters the opportunity to try copper rifle bullets by reducing cost.
Copper bullets were invented to perform better than lead bullets. Copper bullets are accurate, expand consistently, kill cleanly and quickly, and don’t accidentally harm scavenging birds.
Lead bullets can poison eagles and other scavenging birds by leaving dozens of small lead fragments in the remains of hunter-harvested animals that scavengers accidentally eat. Lead poisoning from hunters’ bullets is a leading source of human-caused eagle deaths in the USA.
Lead is a multi-system poison that can cause widespread, irreversible damage to almost every organ, especially the brain.
One lead fragment the size of a rice grain can kill an eagle if eaten.
Copper bullets rarely fragment but if they do, small amounts of copper don’t harm birds if eaten. Copper is an essential micro-nutrient in animals and is an excellent, bird-friendly bullet alternative.
Want to try Copper? Look for phrases like "solid copper", "monolithic", or "lead-free" when buying ammunition. Most lead bullets have a copper jacket and can look like an all-copper bullet. A list of copper bullets is available at: Certified Nonlead Ammunition. You can see what lead-free ammunition boxes look like at: LEAD-FREE BUYER'S GUIDE — Sporting Lead-Free
Always sight-in your gun when trying a new bullet (whether lead or copper).
This program is 100% voluntary. We do not support ammunition bans or regulations limiting hunters’ choice of bullets.
Funding for this program comes from the federal excise tax on guns and ammunition via the Pittman-Robertson Act and from federal eagle take mitigation funds.
Curious about lead ammunition health concerns in Alaska? See Get the Lead Out | State of Alaska | Department of Health for more information.
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AK Copper Ammo Challenge is a unique partnership of hunting organizations in Alaska to reduce accidental lead poisoning in wildlife by supporting the voluntary use of copper rifle ammunition. We provide Alaskan hunters information and discounted copper ammunition so they can try it and decide for themselves. Who’s up to the challenge?
The Alaska Copper Ammo Challenge does not and will not support efforts to develop legislative bans limiting a hunter’s choice in ammo selection. Our incentive program is meant to introduce hunters to the benefits of the voluntary use of modern ammunition.