copper plated bullets

[kevinb.]

I joined a shooting range recently and noticed that one of the range rules states no copper plated bullets except for 22cal. Does plated also mean jacketed? I have a Savage LE 10 .308 that I want to shoot Federal FMJ with. What is the reason for banning copper plating?

 

[captain awesome]

Is it an indoor range? and also what kind of back stop?

 

[kevinb.]

both in and out (the rule does not specify). outdoor range has a cut out hill at about 350 yds.

 

[teumessian_fox]

Technically, plated and jacketed are different. I shoot mostly plated. When I buy copper plated, I know I'm not buying jacketed. If I buy jacketed, I don't expect plated.

 

[M2 Carbine]

These are plated bullets.
http://www.berrysmfg.com/products.aspx?c=2

Generally they are good bullets. I load and shoot many thousands of .380, 9mm and 40S&W.

 

[Zoogster]

I would imagine that the rule is in fact no non copper plated bullets, and you may be reading it wrong. Of course I could be wrong.

The typical reason for this is to reduce lead exposure by vaporized lead bullets through only allowing bullets fully enclosed with copper to be shot.
It really doesn't matter much in reality for most pistol rounds except for high velocity ammo that vaporizes more in the bore.

Plated, FMJ, it should be all the same for such rules, the lead is not engaging the bore, so there is no real lead vaporization.


If in fact you were correct in your understanding of no plated rounds I cannot understand a real reason why they would differentiate with jacketed, except perhaps to force you to use their own marked up ammunition. There is a minority of ranges that want you to buy and use only their own in house ammo, which is typically marked up significantly and so works as a major source of additional income. A sort of hidden cost that can actually make lower range rentals a much higher price than another range that charges slightly more without such a rule.

 

[RTR_RTR]

Didn't want to start a separate thread, so little mini-derail here - I asked to shoot a pistol at 25 yd (backstop is 100 yd out, i.e. 75 yd behind 25 yd target) and was asked what type of ammo I'd be shooting. Told the RO it was 9mm FMJ, and he said FMJ was a no go. Didn't think to ask why, just accepted it. Any ideas?

 

[Zoogster]

Told the RO it was 9mm FMJ, and he said FMJ was a no go. Didn't think to ask why, just accepted it. Any ideas?

Perhaps that range feels that FMJ has an unacceptably increased ricochet potential. Soft lead deforms on impact transferring a lot of energy and as a result ricochets less often and with less remaining energy when it does.
When targets are metal, or metal or other hard objects are likely to be impacted down range lead rounds pose less risk.

There is also ranges that restrict certain calibers and projectiles to reduce damage and wear to backstops, but I doubt that is the case with a common pistol round like 9mm. That usually applies to certain rifle or shotgun calibers and projectiles on shorter general purpose ranges that still allow some long guns.

 

[RTR_RTR]

Paper targets on a plywood backboard, into a dirt/cliff backstop, sorry, I should have specified

 

[Zoogster]

RTR the only possible explanation left I could think of is that the majority of FMJ bullets are open at the base, not fully plated. This means that technically the base of the bullet is still exposed lead. This means the burning powder can heat up the back of the bullet in the bore, and then that lead is exposed when the round exits the barrel. It is almost insignificant considering most vaporization is from friction engaging the bore at rifle velocities, which doesn't happen with lead if copper plating is engaging the rifling.
But they may have gone to that extreme if against lead.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Paper targets on a plywood backboard, into a dirt/cliff backstop

Then I assume this is an outdoor range. I can think of no reason for such a ridiculous rule, then. Perhaps some clarification is in order. Any .308 ammunition is going to have some kind of plating or jacketing.

 

[22-rimfire]

I joined a shooting range recently and noticed that one of the range rules states no copper plated bullets except for 22cal. Does plated also mean jacketed? I have a Savage LE 10 .308 that I want to shoot Federal FMJ with. What is the reason for banning copper plating?

I would question the range folks as to what they actually mean (clarification). I could understand steel core or armor piercing rounds, but copper plated bullets make no sense to me. If you are trying to limit lead vaporization, then you would want jacketed bullets including FMJ not the other way around.

It has to be a penetration or riccochet thing.

 

[RTR_RTR]

Yes, I can't think of a reasonable explanation either for "no FMJ." The only rational thing I can come up with is that it was a polite way of saying "I don't trust you to keep your shots into the backstop," which is reasonable, but I would be fine having just heard that.

 

[InkEd]

Sounds odd to me, unless you are shooing at very close steel plates.