Steel Jackets in Range Scrap

[RoadBike]

Today, I was moving jackets left over from melting range scrap from one container to another and decided to pass a magnet over a portion of what I have saved. There were a few steel jackets. There weren't many at all, but I was a little surprised.

I've heard of ammunition with a steel core surrounded by a cooper or brass jacket, and I've seen plenty of steel-cased ammunition. I've not encountered any steel-jacketed ammunition. It seems like that would be hard on barrels.

As I have been reloading for a few years, I don't buy much factory ammunition at all. Out of technical curiosity, what is the purpose for using steel in jackets? Is it just cheap cladding for projectiles, or does it serve another purpose? Who makes it?

[Eddie17]

Saw this in my Tactical Journal Issue,180514
will have to be on the lookout for range PU's.

[too many things]

many old and some new overseas used steel with a copper wash coat. they didn't care about barrels. have run into a lot of 45acp and most 762/39 are steel

[Outpost75]

In wartime gilding metal-clad steel laminate is used to conserve copper. Very common in cal.30 and .45 as well as 9mm. Also some Vietnam-era 5.56

[dkf]

Steel is cheaper than copper. Most steel cased ammo uses a soft steel jacketed bullet with a copper plating and lead core. Then there are M855/SS109 bullets, 7N6 and similar with lead cores, copper jackets and steel tips.

I shoot quite a bit of Wolf steel cased ammo out of my ARs that use a bi metal bullet. Though I have recently got Wolf .223 with a non bimetal bullet too, but you pay more for it.

[runfiverun]

mild steel doesn't hurt your barrel.
cupro-nickel is another story.

[WRideout]

My last trip to the scrap yard to sell salvaged jackets, the yard man was kind enough to pull the steel jackets out with a magnet. I only mine the pistol range at my club, so I was surprised. I know import rifle ammo can come in all sorts of configurations. I assume some milsurp 9mm may have steel jacketed bullets.

Wayne

[RoadBike]

I only mine the pistol range at my club, so I was surprised.

That's me, too. The rifle range doesn't have enough good stuff to spend any time there.

I was a bit surprised as well. I'm glad I load and shoot cast boolits. I suppose I need to find a larger magnet to pull the steel out of my dead jackets. Sooner or later, I'll see if one of the local scrap yards will give me a few bucks for them. On a percentage basis, I'd estimate that the steel I've found so far is much less than 1%.

[Kestrel4k]

HXP (Greek) surplus, M2 ball. /Very/ mild steel with copper cladding. Great ammo BTW. :-)