Magnetized lead bullets?

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Roudy

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Just finished watching CSI: New York and part of the plot included a handgun that was in the proximity of an MRI machine. In the story the handgun was magnetized which is plausable, but the bullets were also magnatized! Now the bullets (38 special) were somewhat mushroomed implying that they were made of lead or copper jacketed lead.

My understanding of meterology, while minimal, is that both lead and copper are non-ferrous metals and do not retain a magnetic charge.

I know that this is a fictional story, but with all the high tech data one would think that something this fundemental would not miss the editing of a firearms technician.

Is it possible for lead or copper/lead bullets to become and remain magnetized?
 
As I said on another thread, everything on CSI is real - real bullhockey. The research is almost as bad as the acting.

Jim
 
Magnetized lead bullets: It entirely depends on whether or not the inverse tachyon generator was in the correct subspace phase alignment or not. You know how it is. Just tweak the omichron level a bit, and the laws of physics go poof.

:neener:
 
hey geek dont forget about the hyper drive booster has to be set to double negative to get the correct field sync
 
I can't believe you guys. You forgot the cardinal rule: "Reverse the polarity."

(and don't cross the streams)
 
DaFettMan metallurgy is correct. Thanks!

During the show there were several camera shots showing two recovered bullets being attracted toward each other, this was not just a slip. Someone actually beleived that lead and copper could be magnetized. Then proceeded to build it into the story line.:barf:

Wonder how many ammunition dealers are going to get requests for "Magnetic Bullets" in the next few days!!!!!!!!:neener:
 
"Magnetic Bullets" are those .50 cal ones that are specially made to attract themselves to metal things like engine blocks and such... It's a big Army secret and stuff...
 
Non-ferrous metals such as lead or copper can most definitely be influenced by magnetic fields when they are molten, but not magnetized and not after being solid. In fact, magnetic fields are using in some manufacturing processes to help align the composition in a specific manner, such as with some plastics, but obviously the plastic does not become magnetized.
 
Maybe the bullets had a steel jacket, like a lot Russian ammo.
Bi-metal jackets usually have a copper coated steel jacket and a lead core.
I don't know if you can magnetize them, but you can pick them up with a magnet.
 
49hudson said:
Maybe the bullets had a steel jacket, like a lot Russian ammo.
Bi-metal jackets usually have a copper coated steel jacket and a lead core.
I don't know if you can magnetize them, but you can pick them up with a magnet.
Click to expand...

Your point is valid and IF there is a CSI researcher they might have noted this and assumed steel jacketed bullets were loaded in all calibers. Not to mention the common verbage of "Full metal jacket" which is absolutely accurate however it's not enough to assume which metal is used! Sad to say but a great many folks I know think it's magic when I see a bullet and define it as rifle or handgun.
 
geekWithA.45 said:
Magnetized lead bullets: It entirely depends on whether or not the inverse tachyon generator was in the correct subspace phase alignment or not. You know how it is. Just tweak the omichron level a bit, and the laws of physics go poof.
Click to expand...

"Captain, I am detecting large quantities of boguson particles."

;)
 
Maybe the bullets had a steel jacket, like a lot Russian ammo.
Bi-metal jackets usually have a copper coated steel jacket and a lead core.
I don't know if you can magnetize them, but you can pick them up with a magnet.
Click to expand...

+1 to this.

Not just russian stuff, too. Sometimes happens with Sellier & Bellot, I've heard that Fiocchi and Magtech can be suspect too.

Lotsa ranges will check your ammo if they suspect a steel jacket, and they use a magnet to do it. I've seen bullets detected by this.

:evil: Oh, and Chewie...Better replace the negative power coupling.:evil:
 
In the presence of a strong magnetic field even copper becomes magnetic. It doesn't stay magnetized when the field is removed like steel will do.
I have seen bussbars carrying 1200 amps at low voltage In a copper leach plant exibit such a strong magnetic field that you could not carry a tool box past them without the tool box pulling over to the buss. It was hell on wrist watches.
Read the other thread on this subject.
Jim
 
I agree with Jim (posted above). Most materials ARE magnetic or anti-magnetic under strong EM fields. Very few things are truly passive. At the right frequencies under even low powered (12 V, 1 Amp) fields, most general plastics can be made to exhibit a detectable magnetic field response.

Is it magnetic like a nail or a vice? No, but then again I did not see the show or what they were trying to do.

My bet is if you put it into a spinner magnetometer it would have a pretty good moment and it would have a reasonablly susceptibility in an AF Susceptibility bridge.

If questions like this keep coming up, I am going to have to set up my bridge and spinner just to give you guys some real numbers.
 
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