A bullet comprising a compacted mixture of copper powder comprising particles that are physically bonded to each other to form a cohesive and ductile microstructure is disclosed. Methods of making such a bullet through powdered metallurgy techniques, which provide sufficient properties to allow the bullet to be loaded into a cartridge and crimped without fracture are also disclosed. Such bullets have sufficient strength to maintain their integrity during firing but may fragment upon impact and can be formulated lead-free.