Magnetic or not - how do you tell?

[zeRussian]

Help a newbie! When buying rifle ammo online, how do you tell from description whether it's magnetic or not? For example:

"7.62x39 RUSSIAN WOLF FMJ
FULL METAL JACKET
NEW POLYMER COATING
20 ROUND BOXES NON CORROSIVE"

Does FMJ mean it's magnetic? I really don't want to end up with a 1000 rounds of wrong ammo that no outdoor range will let me use.

Thanks in advance!

[Requiem]

fmj means full metal jacket. only way to tell if it's magnetic or not is if you know the contents of the core (the part inside the jacket). you'll most likely have to call the company you're trying to order from and ask them.

[Lancear15]

Everything is magnetic if you have the right magnet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_levitation

Earnshaw's theorem proves that using only static ferromagnetism it is impossible to stably levitate against gravity, but servomechanisms, the use of diamagnetic materials, superconduction, or systems involving eddy currents permit this to occur.

[ocabj]

Everything is magnetic if you have the right magnet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_levitation

Earnshaw's theorem proves that using only static ferromagnetism it is impossible to stably levitate against gravity, but servomechanisms, the use of diamagnetic materials, superconduction, or systems involving eddy currents permit this to occur.

Let me know when the brass magnet is available.

[Lancear15]

fmj means full metal jacket. only way to tell if it's magnetic or not is if you know the contents of the core (the part inside the jacket). you'll most likely have to call the company you're trying to order from and ask them.

This is correct, FMJ means it has a copper jacket that fully coats the core. It is going to be either lead core(not magnetic) or steel core(magnetic).

FMJ is also the name of a great movie!

[ke6guj]

fmj means full metal jacket. only way to tell if it's magnetic or not is if you know the contents of the core (the part inside the jacket). you'll most likely have to call the company you're trying to order from and ask them.

The jacket can be magnetic, even if the core is lead.

This is correct, FMJ means it has a copper jacket that fully coats the core. It is going to be either lead core(not magnetic) or steel core(magnetic).

Incorrect. FMJ does not mean that it has a copper jacket. Some FMJ is steel jacketed, with just a copper wash over it, or is a copper/steel mixed (bi-metal) jacket.

None of the current 5.56 and 7.62 Wolf ammo that I am aware of has a steel core (due to pistol AP issues), but much of it is still magnetic, due to constuction of the jacket.


Basically, as mentioned above, you may need to ask the vendor if it is magnetic. Wolf did offer some non-magnetic FMJ with a copper jacket that does not contain any steel. There is a specific box design that should indicate if it is copper.

[zeRussian]

None of the current 5.56 and 7.62 Wolf ammo that I am aware of has a steel core (due to pistol AP issues), but much of it is still magnetic, due to constuction of the jacket.

So, does that mean that any 7.62 Wolf ammo is range safe? I mean the whole point of checking whether it's magnetic or not is because steel is not allowed, right?

It seems weird that these stores online would not provide the info. You'd think they would sell more if they did.

Thanks for your input!

[Lancear15]

I

None of the current 5.56 and 7.62 Wolf ammo that I am aware of has a steel core (due to pistol AP issues), but much of it is still magnetic, due to constuction of the jacket.

I have shot many thousands of rounds of wolf purchased from various sources and I have never heard this.

Why would they care about handgun laws when manufacturing rifle rounds?

[5hundo]

Help a newbie! When buying rifle ammo online, how do you tell from description whether it's magnetic or not? For example:

"7.62x39 RUSSIAN WOLF FMJ
FULL METAL JACKET
NEW POLYMER COATING
20 ROUND BOXES NON CORROSIVE"

Does FMJ mean it's magnetic? I really don't want to end up with a 1000 rounds of wrong ammo that no outdoor range will let me use.

Thanks in advance!

Even if you get some type of Ferrous metal jacketed ammo, we're getting into the rainy season and I'm sure burro will loosen up their requirement after a few good storms. That is, if the roads don't wash out from mudslides...

[ke6guj]

So, does that mean that any 7.62 Wolf ammo is range safe? I mean the whole point of checking whether it's magnetic or not is because steel is not allowed, right?

no, that doesn't mean that it is range safe. Some ranges don't allow AP or steel core ammo, but others don't allow anything that attracts a magnet, even if it just the jacket. The concern is that a steel jacket may be more likely to start a fire than a copper jacket.

Some ranges don't allow any bullets that attract a magnet, period, and others are willing to cut open a magnetic bullet to determine if there is a steel core. If it has a lead core, they'll let you shoot it, even if the jacket attracts a magnet. Just depends on the range, often on how fire-prone the area is.

It seems weird that these stores online would not provide the info. You'd think they would sell more if they did.

Thanks for your input!

basically, plan on all Wolf being magnetic (steel or bi-metal jacketed) unless specifically listed as being non-magnetic. The ammount of non-magnetic Wolf is very low, so many places may not even be aware that it does/did exist.

[zeRussian]

I usually go to Angeles. I wish it'd rain more often, but it's always nice and sunny, past two days aside.

[ke6guj]

I

I have shot many thousands of rounds of wolf purchased from various sources and I have never heard this.

Why would they care about handgun laws when manufacturing rifle rounds?

Because ATF considers 5.56 and 7.62x39 to be handgun ammo due to the fact that there are some AR and AK pattern handguns that are chambered in it.

There was a big stink when Olympic arms made AR-pistols in 7.62x39. BATF ruled that 7.62x39 ammo was now pistol ammo and subject to the handgun AP "cop killer" ammo rules. All the cheap surplus steel-core 7.62x39 ammo that had been coming in for years was now considered handgun AP ammo, and not allowed to be sold by FFLs any more.

[Lancear15]

Because ATF considers 5.56 and 7.62x39 to be handgun ammo due to the fact that there are some AR and AK pattern handguns that are chambered in it.

There was a big stink when Olympic arms made AR-pistols in 7.62x39. BATF ruled that 7.62x39 ammo was now pistol ammo and subject to the handgun AP "cop killer" ammo rules. All the cheap surplus steel-core 7.62x39 ammo that had been coming in for years was now considered handgun AP ammo, and not allowed to be sold by FFLs any more.

I concede, you are correct. I just checked other sources.

[zeRussian]

Thanks, Jack!

[Jon Se]

The gold and black boxed 7.62x39mm Wolf ammo is non-magnetic. It'll say "Copper Jacketed" on the box. Everything else is bi-metal jacketed and magnetic.