j-words

[JudgeBAC]

Does anyone know the origin of this term? I know J means jacketed but have always wondered (in ignorance obviously) for the addition of -word.

[armoredman]

Kinda like saying "the F-word" for that most overused of swear words.

[BruceB]

It's the same as trying to get one's point across in polite company by NOT using the "f-word".

That is, it's not a 'proper' polite word for this site and our membership (although I'll confess to using the j-word on occasion).

[9.3X62AL]

All done in fun, Judge. I think most of us use jacketed bullets for one purpose or another, but their rapidly upward-spiraling cost will further limit their usage at my loading bench.

[Ricochet]

I was interested in the article that just came in Shooting Times about making .22 J-bullets from fired 22LR cases. I knew that was a WWII expedient and how RCBS (Rock Chuck Bullet Swage) got started. I'd kinda like to try it myself, but the startup cost is kinda high for swaging. Maybe one of these days when I shoot up the thousands of surplus Hornady seconds and closeouts I've got on hand...

[Linstrum]

Even though I have been a participant of this board and all its forerunners for somewhere over a decade, I don't remember when the word "j-word" first popped up or who originated it.
Like was already said, it was originally used as a replacement name for the commercially manufactured projectiles with a heavy copper or other non-lead-based alloy metal outer layer for the bearing surface.

When the word "j-word" first started being used, it was a clever tongue-in-cheek reference to emphasize that us casters are so dead serious - - - so completely into doing the right thing, which is being in total and complete control of making and using our own high quality cast projectiles, that j-cketed projectiles were a dirty word!

The word "j-word" rather quickly become a serious part of our vocabulary here and it helps get the point across that we take our casting seriously. It also helps get the point across to some newbies that cast projectiles are NOT inferior to those j-word thingies. Our "boolits" are better than "j-word" things for all but a few applications.

I won't go into all the ways that boolits are better, but the one particular reason why I use them is because I want my favorite rifles that I shoot a lot to last a long, long time and the best way to accomplish that is with boolits since lead-based alloys are not hard on barrels like the j-word things can be.

But on the other hand, there is one particular application where I will use j-cketed bullets exclusively, which is when I'm on a walkabout in Alaska doing mineral prospecting. I carry a Browning auto loader chambered in .338 Winmag slung across my back as my grizzbear medicine and I want predictable results when my life is on the line. Cast boolits give extremely predictable results as well, just not in that particular auto loader rifle!

[Ricochet]

Here's the link to Corbin's stuff for making "Free .224" J-bullets: http://www.corbins.com/prrfjm.htm

You first cast the cores of range or scrap lead in their adjustable depth 4-cavity mould, so they're just wrapped up boolits.

[MT Gianni]

i sort of remember Buckshot coming up with it on the old shooters board but know better than to trust my memory. That may be just the first time I had seen it. Gianni

[Junior1942]

I was interested in the article that just came in Shooting Times about making .22 J-bullets from fired 22LR cases. I knew that was a WWII expedient and how RCBS (Rock Chuck Bullet Swage) got started. I'd kinda like to try it myself, but the startup cost is kinda high for swaging. Maybe one of these days when I shoot up the thousands of surplus Hornady seconds and closeouts I've got on hand...

You bought a bunch of those too, huh? I think I have 2,000+ 154 gr SP .284" and the same in 8mm 150 gr. Seems like the cost was 7 cents per round in the door.

The 154 gr 284 shoots fine in my T-C 7mm TCU Super 14. The 150 gr .323" shoots fine in my Turk Mauser, but I went to the Rem 185 gr at about 20 cents per round in the door. J-word bullets could go to $1 each in the door, and I could still shoot them for a while.

[HORNET]

Just a lot shorter way of saying Copper Condom Covered Projectiles ( Wait a minnit- CCCP?? wouldn't that imply that they're commie bullets??)

[Ricochet]

That CCCP, incidentally, is the Cyrillic for "SSSR," and is the initials for the Russian version of "Union of Soviet Socialist Republics," which we abbreviated "USSR." The first word is "Soyuz," meaning "Union," and they named a series of spacecraft that.

[pumpguy]

If I remember correctly, Joyce Hornady got his start by using spent .22 shells to make jacketed bullets.

[Ricochet]

I believe you're right.

[rvpilot76]

If I remember correctly, Joyce Hornady got his start by using spent .22 shells to make jacketed bullets.

+2

Kevin

[Pilgrim]

Been there, done that, didn't want the T-shirt.

Making the bullets is fairly easy to do, although a pain in the butt for what you get when you are done. Expect the bullets to be limited to about 3000 fps before they begin to disintegrate in flight. They will be explosive when they hit anything, but they also weren't particularly accurate, at least by my standards. I was able to get ~ 1.5" out of them as compared to ~ 3/4" from any commercial FLGC in my rebarreled #1 .223 Rem. I prefer accuracy and the work necessary to make the bullets simply wasn't worth it to me for the accuracy obtained. Had I obtained match .22 empties, all of the same brand and lot number, I expect that the jackets would have been more consistent, and the resultant bullet more accurate. The hassle I was envisioning to get to where I wanted to go gave me a headache (so to speak). I sold the set for $125 if I remember correctly. Keep watch on the various auction boards and you'll more than likely find somebody like I was selling a set for a fair price. Pilgrim

[Ricochet]

I kinda thought it might be a lot of work for an inferior bullet. Still sounded like an interesting project. Expensive, though! Thanks for sharing your experience.

BTW, what twist were you shooting them in? I figure that would have a lot to do with the velocity they'd tolerate.