CMJ .224 bullets - who has experience?

[94ranger]

All,

I have an opportunity to pick up some bulk .224 55gr CMJ bullets (made by Frontier Bullets) for a good deal. I've seen info relating to CMJ pistol bullets, but not rifle/.224 bullets. I'm reloading for an AR15 and AK in .223.

Anyone have experience with these ? Can I push these as fast as FMJ? Is the jacket thinner than FMJ?

Thanks!! :-P

[I'll Make Mine]

These are cast (or, in theory, swaged) bullets, electroplated with copper -- how thick the plating is depends on the producer's process. I'd recommend contacting them and asking how much plating they put on and what they recommend for top velocity/pressure. I've used plated bullets in my .357 Magnum, but haven't pushed them hard (they were 148 double-end wadcutters, not really suitable for high velocity); nor have I recovered any. In any case, the hardest I could push them in .357 would be around 1500 ft/s, and that's nothing compared to where your .223 would go...

[runfiverun]

i have used plated in my 308.
matter of fact that's how the kids learned how to shoot big game rifles.
the starting load was the same as i use for my cast rifles quite often now 30 grs h-4895.
i worked it up some and they actually done pretty well,i was using 310 diameter in my 308 rifle and got up to 35 grs of h-4895 before i changed them over to regular jaxket bullets and moved the loads along some more.
i don't know how far i'd try to move them along in a 223 with a faster twist though you'll take a chance of cutting the plating.

[RU shooter]

I dont know if they are the same brand but I used about 100 of them in mid level loadings in my AR carbine. They do OK for fun/plinker ammo at close range but groups were about an 2 inch bigger than the same loads using pulled 55 gr ball . Not the bullets you want to use if you actually want to hit what your aiming at beyond 100 yds unless you shooting at an old washing machine or something big.