Steel bullet?

[lunicy]

I found a round at the range today that had me stumped. It is a 9mm round. It had a steel bullet in a brass case. Yes you heard me right. A rusty steel bullet. I cleaned it up some, and even stuck a magnet to it. It is steel.

First, has anyone else seen this. Second, wouldn't a steel bullet trash your barrel in short order?

[mooman76]

I found a 45 acp like that. It was military. Don't know what it is for but I assume better penitration. I would think it would wear out a barrel real quick if shot much.

[jhrosier]

I have heard that steel jacketed bullets are more common in Europe than here.
I bought some imported Norma .44 Magnum ammo a few years back that had steel jackets.
It was said to be OK for use in modern guns.
I couldn't afford enough of it to wear anything out.
I have also shot a bunch of steel jacketed 7.62x39 through my SKS with no apparent ill effects.


I am led to understand that the steel used for the bullet jackets is very soft, much softer than the barrel steel.

Jack

[leadeye]

Years ago ,70s, Interarms brought in a lot of steel 9mm, it used to be common but I have not seen any in a long time.

[Dan Cash]

Copper washed steel jackets were common in WWII as copper/brass was in short supply. It probably wears quicker but suitable for the purpose.

[Throwback]

As Dan Cash says these were often copper (or other alloy) washed and incidentally the steel is very mild. Kynoch used mild thin steel jackets on many of their rifle bullets. As to wear, it is all relative. Jacketed bullets in general are harder on barrels than cast. Is steel worse than copper or guilding metal? Someone might be able to tell you authoritatively. I only have intuition as a guide and it probably is telling me the same as your's tells you.

[MtGun44]

US mil std including up to ~5 yrs ago for .30 cal is steel jacket with
15% thickness guilding metal on the outside, 5% thickness on the
inside and lead core. I got the drawings and specs from Lake City
for some work, so I am certain about this.

5.56 jacket is all guilding metal. Some foreign ammo uses mild steel
core with guilding metal jackets. Some foreign steel jackets
may have only a copper wash, don't know.

No abnormal bore wear with US mil steel because bullet runs on layer of
guilding metal, just like a Sierra.

Bill

[oldhickory]

Somewhere around here I have two rounds of .45 ACP with steel jackets, dated 1918. I've also seen .38 spl with steel jacketed bullets, .32ACP as well as 8mm and .30/06. The .38 spl was rusty, so I pulled the bullets and used the cases, I think they were WWII issue.

[Tom W.]

I've got box of Norma 7mm (.283 diameter) 150 grain bullets that have a steel case. The shoot really well in my Ruger #1.

I contacted Norma and they said that these bullets were last made about 25 - 30 years ago....