Just Lead, Copper,
and a touch of antimony.
A South African-made copper-plated 9mm projectile. Painstakingly engineered for excellent quality and affordability, by people who love the sport.
9mm, copper-plated
Built for the volume that IPSC, IDPA and everyday practice demand.
9mm Copper-Plated
A lead core fully encapsulated in electroplated copper, made in Pretoria. Available from 115 to 147 grain, with 124gr as our core product.
At a glance
Lower cost per round than jacketed FMJ, with less smoke and bore leading than cast lead.
- Calibre9mm Luger (9×19)
- Weights115 – 147 gr
- Core product124 gr
- ConstructionLead core, electroplated copper
- Made inPretoria, South Africa
Engineers who shoot
Lead and Copper was started by sport shooters, one of whom is an engineer with nothing better to do than to re-design an entire manufacturing process. The initial inspiration came about due to the fact that too often, local shooters and reloaders were at the mercy of an inconsistent supply: stock running out, prices moving with the rand, and shipments held up for months.
Making our own copper-jacketed projectiles in South Africa means steadier supply and pricing that isn't tied to the import market and its swings. So we said, “how hard could it be?”
We first entered the South African shooting market in 2021. Our engineer was set to work on our copper-plated 9mm in 2024, and work he did.
Our core design is perfectly unique. And our truly one-of-a-kind plating chemistry was created when the engineer turned to caffeine-fueled all-nighters, dark magic and accidentally read a textbook for a different engineering field. The professors are also surprised it worked.
In 2026 the line was thrust out onto the wider South African market.
Development hasn't stopped (and neither has our engineer). Every day we add new steps to make a better, more reliable and ultimately more affordable product for South African shooters.
Engineered, not just plated
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Our own plating chemistry
Developed in-house from the ground up. A one-of-a-kind chemistry that lays down a dense, even copper jacket over the lead core.
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Balanced in flight
We design around the relationship between the centre of mass and the centre of lift, where the aerodynamic lift acts on the projectile. Plating builds up differently over a curved nose than over a straight shank, so we account for that growth and the finished projectile matches the design, not just the core.
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An optimised bearing surface
Bearing surface length and final diameter are tuned together, so the projectile engages the rifling consistently and seals the bore without excess friction.
What's next
We're growing. Here's what's on the way.
Dealer network
Find Lead and Copper projectiles at a dealer or club near you. Interested in stocking our 9mm? We'd like to hear from you.
Register your interest →.223 55gr FMJ
A rifle line for .223 Rem / 5.56 reloaders: 55 grain full metal jacket projectiles.
Tell us you're interested →Tell us how they shoot
Shot our projectiles? We'd like to hear about it: what worked, what didn't, and what you'd like to see from us next.
Questions or orders are welcome here too, or email info@leadandcopper.co.za.
