Name That Bullet! .224 Mystery Bullet - 62gr

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Load Master

Load Master

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Yesterday I received my 1000+ mystery bullets from American Reloading Supplies. Total cost was $50 and it has a lot of good choices of various bullets. My intent is to try these to zero in on what type and weight bullet my guns like best.

There are some designs and styles I am not familiar with. The photo below shows 5 bullets. The one on the far left is the strangest one to me. It is substantially longer than the rest. All of these 5 bullets are ~62 grains. I might have to grind the left one down to see what its core is made of. Unless someone here is familiar with what it is?

Thanks...

27162758030_1a3a8e41eb_c.jpg
 
If they are all the same weight, then the one on the left has something besides lead in the middle. Could be steel core, could be solid copper or frangible.
 
left would be a tracer

use caution where you shoot them, can easily start brush fires
 
Thanks for the info and caution. I was thinking of grinding one to see the construction till I read these replies. Glad I didn't!
 
I was thinking of grinding one to see the construction till I read these replies. Glad I didn't!
Click to expand...

Well, if you had, it would have given you the subject of a future post.

Good luck. I was not familiar with American Reloading. I was glad to find out about them. Thanks.
 
So do you know what the thin line is around the circumference of the ones without the crimp grove? It looks to uneven to be from a crimp. Could it be from when it was pulled?
 
Those tracer rounds would be fun with the 4th coming up! I got a hold of some for my M1 Carbine back in high school. I can only think of one or two things more fun to do on a Saturday night as a 17 year old :D
 
I might have to grind the left one down to see what its core is made of. Unless someone here is familiar with what it is?
Click to expand...

Would it be unsafe to grind a tracer bullet? I dunno?
So do you know what the thin line is around the circumference of the ones without the crimp grove? It looks to uneven to be from a crimp. Could it be from when it was pulled?
Click to expand...

I would say that is exactly why that line is there. Looks just like a pulled bullet to me. Bet a caliper would tell you they are slightly less in diameter at that point.
 
sigsmoker said:
Would it be unsafe to grind a tracer bullet? I dunno?


I would say that is exactly why that line is there. Looks just like a pulled bullet to me. Bet a caliper would tell you they are slightly less in diameter at that point.
Click to expand...
I am assuming it could light off the tracer compound....just a guess
 
Is the bullet at 11:00 on the magnet the "long" bullet? If so, it's obviously a steel core...
 
Is the bullet at 11:00 on the magnet the "long" bullet? If so, it's obviously a steel core...
Click to expand...
Yes, it is one for the longer ones and it is indeed magnetic. Even though it is longer it is still only 62 grain.

This is the full box of bullets I received. I'll sort them when I find sometime. Good rainy day project.

27323581142_c123ed51cc_b.jpg
 
Boy, I hate to say it, but I wouldn't give $10 bucks for that box of xxxx!

Only thing they would be good for is melting down to get the lead cores out.
Certainly not for accuracy testing!
They aren't worth wasting you powder, primers, and time on.

But wait!!

Most of them don't have lead cores.
And the tracers would blow up if even one got in a lead pot.

rc
 
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Their website shows the long bullet as a steel core, copper slug,and copper jacket.
 
The long bullet is definitely a tracer. Since it's so long and goes deep inside the case you have to reduce the powder charge. Drop back about 2 grains from regular 62 FMJ loads and work up. They originally had orange paint on the tips. They will start fires in dry grass and leaves. I wouldn't want to waste my powder and primers on mystery bullets and just be careful sorting them. Not a bargain at all!
 
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I retract my statement about the line being from a pulled bullet.
I lean more to what Load Master says in the post above this.
Some of these do look pulled tho in the image for post #15
 
There is no line to lock in a steel core.
If there were, it would be evenly applied all the way around the bullet.

The thin line I'm seeing is in the exact same place a crimp cannulure would be if it had one.

Look at the distance from the point of the ogive to the line.

It's in the same place a crimp cannulure would be in relation to the tip, if it had one.

rc
 
I loaded a number of sample rounds of this miscellaneous selection of bullets. Hope to test tomorrow.

I ran a number of them through a vibratory tumbler, corn cob. They cleaned up nice. Some have a black substance on the back portion of the bullet. Maybe a sealant? It comes off easily with alcohol on a paper towel. Measuring the bullets, all of them seem to be at spec including weight.

After tumbling
27454926996_2dc58285ef_c.jpg

Measuring bullet
26880058874_dd541ecbb5_c.jpg
 
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