Exotic metals for bullets?

[jwagess]

Has anyone ever experimented,manufactured, or heard of metals other than steel, copper, or lead being used in a bullet? If so what were the results?

[J.P.]

I believe the earliest Silvertips used Aluminum jackets rahter than the silver colored copper they use now.

Then of course there are the Tungsten-Nytrillium Extreme shocks.....

[glock20c10mm]

Yes, Tungsten, like in the Barnes MRX bullets.
http://www.barnesbullets.com/images/mrxbullets.jpg
And Barnes says;
The denser-than-lead tungsten core moves the MRX bullet’s center of gravity rearward, producing optimum ballistic performance, maximum penetration and the same exceptional accuracy Triple-Shock Bullets are famous for. A heavy tungsten core surrounded by a controlled-expanding all-copper body means game-dropping performance no lead-core bullet can match. Unlike soft lead cores that fragment or squeeze out under pressure, the tough MRX tungsten core retains its shape on impact, maintaining bullet integrity.

And actually, if you look at the various other Barnes bullets offered, you'll see they also use a copper/tin composite for the Varmint Grenades, and a copper/zinc alloy for the Banded Solids.

[sigcalcatrant]

I believe the earliest Silvertips used Aluminum jackets rahter than the silver colored copper they use now.

Then of course there are the Tungsten-Nytrillium Extreme shocks.....The .44 Special and .45ACP Silvertips still use aluminum jackets. The 9mm and .357's use nickel plated copper.

[Merkavaboy]

During WWII the Germans used sintered iron to produce 9mmP bullets that weighed around 100grs.

In the 1980's Personal Protection Systems initially used brass for the .25ACP MSC load.
Also PMC used brass for their initial Ultramag tubular bullet in .38Spl. Both of these loads with the brass bullets were deemed AP by BATF standards and both companies later produced their bullets in all-copper.

Federal at one time produced a line of training ammo called Ballisticlean. IIRC, their NT1 used a copper jacketed stranded zinc core, the NT2 used a copper jacketed solid zinc core and the NT3 is now a non-jacketed frangible bullet that uses compressed copper and tin.

There's even been light weight semi-wadcutter and hollow point bullets made out of aluminum. Both PPS and Equaloy produced .38Spl/.357Mag. loadings using aluminum SWC bullets weighing around 38grs.

There was also a company (the name escapes me at this moment) that made the infamous "Cyclone" bullet that is basically a steel tubular bullet that wrecks havoc on soft body armor and supposedly used by either the FBI or BATF in Waco during the Branch Dividian fiasco.

The current crop of frangible training rounds use all kinds of non-toxic metals such as copper, tin, zinc and even powdered iron to form their bullets.

[Brass Nazi]

Several manafacturers use heavier than lead alloys on their bullets intended for use on thick skinned African game.

And of course who can forget Extreme Shock's use of Nitrillium.

[SIGShooter]

I believe winchester uses a tin core in one of their 5.56 loadings. IIRC they were made for the DOE and Coast Guard.

I cn't remember who makes it but there is a maker that uses Titanium and Nickel for certain loads. I believe they are only for Military and Special Police forces.

[Dandapani]

Golden Saber uses brass jackets.

[Javelin]

Laser Cast uses silver alloy (silver and tin)

http://www.laser-cast.com/

And they are really accurate too. Great for bulls-eye shooting or whenever zombies turn into zombie-werewolves..... http://www.clicksmilies.com/s1106/feiertage/feiertag-smiley-019.gif

:rofl:

[Jim Watson]

There is non-toxic waterfowl shot made of bismuth. I don't know if there are any bismuth rifle or pistol bullets, but if the envirowackos keep it up, there might well be.

[HAVOC]

Aguila's IQ is some sort of solid aluminum alloy.

In addition to aluminum, some Silvertips have a manganese alloy jacket.

KTW (the original "teflon coated cop-killer" bullet)was some sort of steel core and the apparently moved onto a solid brass penetrator.

[Jim Watson]

You are going to "some sort" us to death, Havoc.

The Aquila IQ is probably zinc, too heavy for aluminum.

First generation KTW had tungsten metal cores, second had heat treated tool steel cores, third was solid bronze.

[Mwinter]

Merkava,
The US company that produced the tubular handgun rounds was GEA in CT. Basically it's a 2-layer tube with copper on the outside and steel on the inside (the steel did the cutting and the copper protected the barrel). You can see the interesting 'teeth' pattern where the copper meets the steel and the two layers are kinda locked together.

They were produced in 38sp, 357M, and 9mmP. None of the rounds has ever been officially issued or deployed 'for real'. The GEA engineer I spoke with a while back said the 38/357 rounds never made it past the test/eval stages, although they performed above expectations. None of the rounds were ever marketed or sold commercially by GEA. The 9mmP was supposedly inventoried/used by some .gov folks.

[Merkavaboy]

Merkava,
The US company that produced the tubular handgun rounds was GEA in CT. Basically it's a 2-layer tube with copper on the outside and steel on the inside (the steel did the cutting and the copper protected the barrel). You can see the interesting 'teeth' pattern where the copper meets the steel and the two layers are kinda locked together.

They were produced in 38sp, 357M, and 9mmP. None of the rounds has ever been officially issued or deployed 'for real'. The GEA engineer I spoke with a while back said the 38/357 rounds never made it past the test/eval stages, although they performed above expectations. None of the rounds were ever marketed or sold commercially by GEA. The 9mmP was supposedly inventoried/used by some .gov folks.

Guilford Engineering Assoc. That was the name! Thanks for clearing up the cobwebs from my rusty mind! :thumbsup: