Projectile ID please...

[Bucks Owin]

I found a few of these badly rusted bullets in a bucket of "recycled range" scrap and I am curious as to what they are. At first glance I thought someone with one of Ronnie Barrett's awesome .50 cal creations had got ahold of some old armor piercing rounds to play with and I soaked them in some Naval Jelly overnight and wire wheeled some of the crud off them. Then I noticed they seemed a little too small for .50 cal and that they bore no land engraving on them. They measure about .425" and I figure they must've been originally encased in some kind of .50 cal sabot for higher velocity. Wish I could weigh one but alas, my old Redding only goes to 350 grs....

Anybody know what they are?

Just curious,

Dennis

Shown with .357 boolit for scale, excuse the fuzzy focus....

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a356/BucksOwin/APbu001.jpg

[KCSO]

They look like armour piercing inserts for the 50BMG. If they are they should be tungsten or some such and they make great center punches.

[Bucks Owin]

They look like armour piercing inserts for the 50BMG. If they are they should be tungsten or some such and they make great center punches.

Ah HA!

They are some kinda odd "black" metal, I'll bet you're right....

Dennis

[Junior1942]

They look like armour piercing inserts for the 50BMG. If they are they should be tungsten or some such and they make great center punches.That's exactly what they are.

[KTN]

Magtech .50 BMG bullets have soft steel cores on them,but since this is not deformed it most likely is armour piercing core.

Kaj

[slughammer]

Are they magnetic?

[Bucks Owin]

Are they magnetic?

Yes they are and are definately made of something black and VERY HARD. The gravel bank they were fired into didn't even scratch them....(nor does a file)

Definately AP of some kind and in a .50 BMG with a sabot I'll bet they were fast too....

Dennis

[bruce drake]

No Sabot required. Standard Full Metal Jacket with the steel core held in place with some lead and some crimping. The FMJ is to provide a bearing surface to engrave into the rifling while giving the bullet some sturdiness to handle being tossed around guntrucks and tanks without breaking a Sabot petal.

Bruce

[Slowpoke]

I found a few of these badly rusted bullets in a bucket of "recycled range" scrap and I am curious as to what they are. At first glance I thought someone with one of Ronnie Barrett's awesome .50 cal creations had got ahold of some old armor piercing rounds to play with and I soaked them in some Naval Jelly overnight and wire wheeled some of the crud off them. Then I noticed they seemed a little too small for .50 cal and that they bore no land engraving on them. They measure about .425" and I figure they must've been originally encased in some kind of .50 cal sabot for higher velocity. Wish I could weigh one but alas, my old Redding only goes to 350 grs....

Anybody know what they are?

Just curious,

Dennis

Shown with .357 boolit for scale, excuse the fuzzy focus....

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a356/BucksOwin/APbu001.jpg

I have picked up buckets full of those cores over the years. I used to live about a half mile from a bombing range, like the poster said they make great center punches.

I also have 50 or 60 of the whole bullet's that did not hit any thing and just ran out of gas and fell to the earth, complete with rifling marks.

1968-69 I bought a lot of gas from the proceeds of 50 cal. brass, I have seen places 50 yrds across that was ankle deep in brass and belt links.

Along the same lines I have founds places maybe 25 yrds across that you could not throw your hat down with out it landing on a bullet.

I learned how to ride a dirt bike on Tank trails, In 1970 I had a national gardsman in a Tank chase me about 2 miles, I am not sure who was having the most fun !!!

4th of July used to come one week end a month year round.

Good luck

[StarMetal]

Slowpoke,

Geez, how fast those tanks go to chase a trailbike. I trailed bike for years and I know an old YZ 400 Yamaha can kick some ass in top gear.

Joe

[Slowpoke]

Slowpoke,

Geez, how fast those tanks go to chase a trailbike. I trailed bike for years and I know an old YZ 400 Yamaha can kick some ass in top gear.

Joe

Fast enough, no doubt about it I could have ran off and left him, but what is the fun in that.

good luck

[Bucks Owin]

No Sabot required. Standard Full Metal Jacket with the steel core held in place with some lead and some crimping. The FMJ is to provide a bearing surface to engrave into the rifling while giving the bullet some sturdiness to handle being tossed around guntrucks and tanks without breaking a Sabot petal.

Bruce

Thanks Bruce, I savvy....(I think I've recovered some of the FMJs too)

Dennis

PS Bet my old Husky 400 WR 6 speed could pass that 400 YZ! heh heh.... ;)
(That bad boy could wheelie at 70 mph!)

[StarMetal]

Oh Boy!! A trailbike 1/4 mile drag race. Those Huskies were darn good trailbikes too. :drinks:

Joe

[Pawpaw]

Slowpoke,

Geez, how fast those tanks go to chase a trailbike. I trailed bike for years and I know an old YZ 400 Yamaha can kick some ass in top gear.

Joe

M48/60 series tanks would go about 30 mph across country, but you better have your dentures firmly in place.

M1 series will go over 40 mph depending on the skill of the driver. Lots smoother than the old tanks, too.

[charger 1]

They look like armour piercing inserts for the 50BMG. If they are they should be tungsten or some such and they make great center punches.

:veryconfu
I'd say he's got it