Bi-Metal Jackets

[SN13]

Wolf Military Classic, Hollow-Points are a Bi-metal jacketed bullet.

It's a very soft steel with copper plating and a lead core.

I'm not looking for opinions, just FACTS.

Has anyone shot these against Steel Rifle Targets?

I ask because I'm getting yanked around by some people claiming that because there's steel in the jacket, it'll penetrate and screw up steel targets... I've shot this stuff at steel and never had a problem, but wondering about others.

Anyone shoot Wolf ammo against steel? pretty much all of wolf black box and MC ammo is bi-metal jacketed.

http://www.wolfammo.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1&Itemid=12

Anyone?

 

[SN13]

I take it no one has shot Wolf in Rifle matches against steel targets?

 

[TargetTerror]

My club wouldn't let me use them at one of our pin matches. The RO said he'd seen some tests done where the bi-metal bullets went through steel almost as well as AP bullets. I don't recall whether he did the test himself, or knew of someone else who did, so I can't corroborate what he said. Bottom line though is I can't use them at my club, justified or otherwise.

 

[MisterPX]

I've shot steel core, steel penetrator, steel lined, etc, against rifle plates with no ill effects. AP is another story.

 

[grimjaw]

I have used bi-metal jacketed bullets (mostly 7.62x39, but also some 7.62x54R) against steel targets at ranges of 200-450 yards. My experience is that they would not penetrate. My OPINION is that they MIGHT create a slightly deeper crater in the target than a copper-jacketed bullet of similar weight and dimensions.

AP was banned at our range because of fire concerns more than penetration. Bi-metal jacketed ammo was routinely turned back because most of our range officers didn't have the time to check every bullet that attracted a magnet to see if it was steel-core or not. I also understand that bi-metal can still spark (thus fire risk).

jm

 

[SN13]

I understand the "Fire Risk" to some extent.... But here's a question... If Bi-metal bullets are armor-piercing, why do the commies also make hardened steel-core AP bullets?

 

[chris in va]

Has anyone shot these against Steel Rifle Targets?

I bought some mild steel plates at Home Depot, 1/4" thick.

At 100 yards it'll put a really good dent in it. At 75 yards, clean through. It actually BENT the plate. I tried to flatten it back out by driving my truck over it, didn't budge.

Not sure what they do to actual steel targets though, I suspect those are much harder.

I had to drag this out of my shed. Rusted up some, but you get the idea. Much of the shots to it were 22, but I got bored with that and whipped out my CZ Carbine and Saiga.

 

[SN13]

I've seen similar anecdotes about people buying a slab of steel or finding one and shooting it... The thing is, if you shot FMJ Copper .308 it'd go clear through it too. And the rifle plate targets in real matches are setup to not pit or dent or deform when shot with any caliber up to 30-06. Even AP 7.62x39 might have a problem getting through 3/8" Armor Plating. Go test a wolf bi-metal from your saiga and a remington or other 100% copper jacket and see if the wolf penetrates and the copper doesn't THAT would be a good test.

 

[La Pistoletta]

Why don't they just make them out of tungsten?

 

[the naked prophet]

The mild steel used in the bullet jackets isn't that much harder than copper. It's just cheaper. They can make steel pretty darn soft, and the softer it is the easier it is to shape it into the bullet jackets. You can bet that is the cheapest, softest steel they could find/make.