Bullet splatter?

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Impureclient

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When a bullet from a firearm hits steel does it break apart and fragment or does it melt from the heat when it hits and splatter?

I was shooting one of my airguns at a brick a few days ago and noticed that there was what appeared to be a melted drop
from the pellet in the concrete below the brick. The pellets usually fragment every where but this looked like it was melted
lead and had dripped there. Basically it had formed to the concrete below, was stuck to the concrete as if was molten not
just a piece where the lead scattered as usual. I just changed the main spring so it was shooting hot. I imagine that a
all lead bullet from a firearm would do the same. Also does the copper jacket stop this from happening in FMJ bullets?
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fgn7MUp6UxA

Short answer to your first question is yes. However, pellets or BBs might not really count as bullets here. They're more likely to just shatter, as opposed to becoming malleable and looking as though they liquify. Are you sure you didn't just find a bit of spilled solder?
 
Just yes ;)

It certainly breaks apart and fragments, but I suspect it doesn't "melt." Rather, lead and brass being what they are (malleable), it deforms. IANA physicist though.
 
Actually from watching that video there, which was really neato by the way, the pellets must do exactly that same thing as a lead firearm bullet. Sometimes I find the splattered parts a few feet
away on the ground but I also find that exact round piece that was left at the end of that video also. That round disc part will often stick to the brick or metal I shoot.
This was at the end of my paver deck so there was no soldering going on over there. The pavers where what the lead hit and seemed to melt to when I said the "concrete below."
This one time it must have hit the pavers just right and pretty hard to look like it was dripped instead of flung there.

My question answered by a 7 second video, thanks.
 
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