Aluminum bullets and other unusual finds from an auction.

[Barry54]

So I started going through my mixed lot purchases today and found some things that seem odd the more I look. The most striking are some bright hollow points. I opened the bag and looked harder and they seem to be aluminum or ? with a different core in the base.
Were these a short lived thing from days gone by?

The second interesting find was some .458” hollow points with red lube in the grooves. The one I picked to measure had rifling marks. Maybe someone slugged the barrel?
Nope. The whole bag has rifling marks.

Then there’s some cast bullets with a thin copper wash like 22s that’s about 1/2 worn off. They also have lube in the lube groove. I guess they could be melted and re-cast, but I’m a step ahead if they could get some fresh tumble lube applied and used as is.

[Outpost75]

Early Winchester Silvertip JHP handgun bullets had aluminum jackets and a lead core.

[GregLaROCHE]

There were what were called silver tipped bullets for rifle calibers. The the tip and part of the core were aluminum. I believe it was to aid in expansion while keeping it streamlined.

[Barry54]

Early Winchester Silvertip JHP handgun bullets had aluminum jackets and a lead core.

That’s a possibility. These look like an all aluminum bullet but they have what appears to be a lead plug in the rear. Almost like a Nosler Partition but no lead in the front.

I tossed one in the ultrasonic cleaner, air cleaned up real pretty!

The copper washed ones might be just enough to push me to try powder coating.

[Barry54]

There were some bpi frangible slugs in the mix. And some lead slugs too. They resemble a semi-wad cutter but the nose is a hemisphere. Hollow base. Some are visibly out of round.

[The Kid]

I think Markell, a bullet company from the 50’s that Elmer Keith endorsed as selling good Keith style slugs for the non caster, offered designs with a copper wash for a little extra. Winchester or Western used copper washed bullets in their handgun ammo too, I had a bunch of 38 special with the 158rn and the copper coating that I shot up. I’d probably shoot a few like they are if there’s lube in the grooves and see if they foul before I went to any extra steps to coat or lube them.

The rest of the lead bullets sound suspect and I’d likely just throw them in the pot next time I was casting.

[JSnover]

I still have a bunch of copper washed NBC bullets from the 90s. If I recall they were supposed to (possibly) reduce airborne lead levels at indoor ranges.

[Winger Ed.]

Win. Silvertips had an Alum. cap sort of thing, but it didn't engage the rifling.

But you don't see many Alum. bullets for corrosion and barrel wear concerns.
If they ever corrode, the gray powder you'll see on them is Aluminum Oxide.
That's the 'grit' on common, black, wet or dry sandpaper.

[dale2242]

I bought some Winchester 185 gr. 45ACP defense loads that had aluminum jackets.

[Barry54]

Win. Silvertips had an Alum. cap sort of thing, but it didn't engage the rifling.

But you don't see many Alum. bullets for corrosion and barrel wear concerns.
If they ever corrode, the gray powder you'll see on them is Aluminum Oxide.
That's the 'grit' on common, black, wet or dry sandpaper.

It took me a few days but I just had the eureka moment! I could use the aluminum bullets in muzzle loader sabots and avoid the aluminum oxide scratching the bore risk.

[Larry Gibson]

I've had 380 and 45 ACP Winchester Silver Tip aluminum jacketed ammunition for years. It never has developed any oxide on the bullets. I still carry the 380 in my AMT Backup. Gave the 45 ACP to SIL with a Colt Commander and it's still good ammunition. Have some Silver Tip 30-30 and 35 Rem bullets al so for reloading which also haven' any oxide on them. I think the oxide concern is a non-issue.

[fixit]

I wonder if those .458 boollits were prepped for someone's smokeless muzzleloader....set up for a mechanical fit to the bore. There is at least one smokeless muzzleloader maker who has sizers that come with his rifles to pre engrave jacketed bullets, to great success!

[Barry54]

I wonder if those .458 boollits were prepped for someone's smokeless muzzleloader....set up for a mechanical fit to the bore. There is at least one smokeless muzzleloader maker who has sizers that come with his rifles to pre engrave jacketed bullets, to great success!

It’s is really light engraving on them. They look fine otherwise. There was more muzzle loading bits in the lot. I didn’t pay much attention other than seeing 1:33 alloy on some 69 caliber minie balls.