crimping in an embodiment the case further includes a primer pocket into which a separate primer can be inserted as mentioned the case can be a straight walled case typical of pistol ammunition alternatively bullets described herein are also useful as rifle ammunition and for such ammunition the case may be a u201c bottle necked u201d cartridge with the case mouth having a diameter less than the body of the cartridge case in an embodiment the propellant gun powder can be placed in the body of the cartridge case in an embodiment the primer like the bullet is lead free however it is understood that any conventional primer may be used the described cartridge may comprise a metal cartridge case a primer a propellant within said cartridge case a bullet comprising a compacted mixture of copper powder wherein the copper powder comprises particles that are physically bonded to each other to form a cohesive microstructure the bullet disclosed herein exhibits characteristics sufficient to withstand circumferential crimping for example the disclosed bullet exhibits density and malleability properties that allow it to be loaded into a cartridge and crimped such properties include a density ranging from 7 0 to 8 2 g cc and metallic bonds between a majority of the copper powder particles in the bullet in one embodiment the resulting loaded bullet has a pull out force ranging from 25 to 50 lbs such as from 30 to 50 lbs 35 to 50 or even 40 to 50 lbs of pull out force for a pistol bullet the pull put force for a rifle cartridge is typically twice that of a pistol bullet often being over 100 lbs in various embodiments the resulting loaded cartridge is a rimfire or center fire cartridge non limiting embodiments of rifle cartridges.