Will bi-metal or gilded bullets damage a stainless barrel?

[Carcassonne]

Will bi-metal or gilded bullets damage a stainless barrel?

I bought some low priced (Federal and MagTech) 7.62x51 NATO ammunition, and I noticed the bullets are magnetic. Different descriptions around the web say they are either gilded or bi-metal. I am guessing they both mean copper plated metal.

Are these the same as Wolf and Tula bullets, or are they safer for a stainless barrel?

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[M1NM]

I'll assume they are steel with a light plating of copper for corrosion protection. The military doesn't care if it wears out barrels but I wouldn't shoot them in my gun. Only lead & copper in mine.

[Divernhunter]

You will be fine unless you plan to shoot 30,000 rounds or more the you may loose some accuracy.

Take a file to one. If it is steel under the copper alloy then "I personally" would not shoot many thru a rifle that I liked and used a lot.

[Carcassonne]

I'll assume they are steel with a light plating of copper for corrosion protection. The military doesn't care if it wears out barrels but I wouldn't shoot them in my gun. Only lead & copper in mine.

I got 200 of them.

Maybe I can dip the tips in MoS2 powder.


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[sofbak]

You will be fine unless you plan to shoot 30,000 rounds or more the you may loose some accuracy.

Take a file to one. If it is steel under the copper alloy then "I personally" would not shoot many thru a rifle that I liked and used a lot.

All depends on the thickness of the copper. If it is truly a bi-metal projectile
the copper will be plenty thick enough to prevent "steel to steel" scrubbing in your barrel..... Take a file to one of the bullets to determine.

All bi-metal projectiles have a healthy copper jacket on the exterior. It is copper jacket over steel jacket over lead core. A good example is greek HXP .30-06 garand ammo.

Take a round and put a file to it to see. If the copper outer jacket is .020" or thicker... SHOOT IT and stop worrying about barrel/chamber wear. Ain't happenin......

OTOH, if the copper top layer is thin-like platiing or "wash"........ Think about barrel wear.

[robert101]

Yea, on a some what similar note. I shoot a lot of plated bullets. I never see lead in the barrel. Same principle - the thin copper coating protects the lead underneath.

[Carcassonne]

All depends on the thickness of the copper. If it is truly a bi-metal projectile
the copper will be plenty thick enough to prevent "steel to steel" scrubbing in your barrel..... Take a file to one of the bullets to determine.

All bi-metal projectiles have a healthy copper jacket on the exterior. It is copper jacket over steel jacket over lead core. A good example is greek HXP .30-06 garand ammo.

Take a round and put a file to it to see. If the copper outer jacket is .020" or thicker... SHOOT IT and stop worrying about barrel/chamber wear. Ain't happenin......

OTOH, if the copper top layer is thin-like platiing or "wash"........ Think about barrel wear.

It is Federal XM80CL and Magtech 762A

[smoothy8500]

The copper "plating" on those ball rounds is thick enough to prevent steel from contacting the rifling.

[hermosabeach]

If it is a tack driver- cut one projectile in 1/2 to examine the jacket....

There is a lot of 308 projectile manufacturers out there and I have no idea what federal has loaded in that ammo....

[fguffey]

Cupro Nickel Bullets?

Cupro nickel bullets can be picked up by a magnet. The last cupro nickel cases I purchased were Turk 8mm57 loaded +/- a few years to either side of 1940.

Except for being cheap at the time ($4.70 for 70 rounds) there was nothing good about the ammo. It had corrosive primers, some of the bullets would leave the barrel at 2,900 fps and the cases were subject to splitting. And then there were the cupro nickel bullets.

F. Guffey

[Hinnerk]

Cupro Nickel Bullets?

Cupro nickel bullets can be picked up by a magnet. The last cupro nickel cases I purchased were Turk 8mm57 loaded +/- a few years to either side of 1940.

Except for being cheap at the time ($4.70 for 70 rounds) there was nothing good about the ammo. It had corrosive primers, some of the bullets would leave the barrel at 2,900 fps and the cases were subject to splitting. And then there were the cupro nickel bullets.

F. Guffey

Norma also used magnetic cupro nickel jacketed bullets circa 1970s in some ammo. I have some in 8x57.