They are designed to copper far less than the original naked ones and that they do. But they are hunting bullets, not designed for benchrest so don't expect them to shoot 1/4 inch groups! However they stay together and penetrate..not sure you'd want that in a varmint bullet however. My family uses them in all our hunting rifles and have never recovered one because they are all pass throughs. And all on big game and from any angle and no matter what they hit, none have ever stopped... I wouldn't hesitate to shoot a deer with a .22 cal XLC...I can't imagine it would stop either, especially out of a .22/250 and it's velocity..but to be used on varmints, not sure it would be worth the expense unless you don't want much pelt damage..they are like shooting a full metal jacket...