What's the point?

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ZWCoffindaffer

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What in the world is the black coating on the bullet and what is the point of it on Winchesters factory loads? I noticed it on a box of 45 ACP I bought on sale made by winchester. The bullet appears black but its just a thin coat over the copper. Then I noticed it again when a guy I know was shooting a box of Supremes.

Is the coating just cosmetic? What is it? I'm probably going to feel like an idiot when someone answers this question
 
Winchester calls it Lubaloy. As far as what it is, they won't say, some have said it molybdenum DI-sulfide, more commonly called molly coat, but it is not. Don't worry about it, shoot them like you would any other 45 ammo.

It's supposed to eliminate copper fouling, don't really know if that claim is true or not.
 
I just bought that one box because it was on sale and it was the last one anyways. I load my own target rounds, but I like to keep a box of factory around for my CC. Thats how I noticed how thin the coating was. After my extra mag being in my pocket every day for about a week, the first bullet in the mag is almost completely rubbed to the copper on the top side.

If nothing else, the black bullet looks pretty cool.
 
Depending on the bullet and manufacturer the black coating can be any number of things. Using the old Winchester Black Talon as an example:
The Black Talon handgun bullet is a jacketed hollow-point bullet with perforations designed to expose sharp edges upon expansion. The bullet included a Lubalox coating, a proprietary oxide process. Though widely misreported to be Teflon, molybdenum disulfide, or wax, the ammo has an unusual black appearance compared to other copper-jacketed or lead bullets. The black appearance was due to the oxidized copper jacket. This Lubalox coating was to protect the barrel rifling, and did not give the bullet armor-piercing capabilities. This coating is still widely used on many of Winchester's rifle bullets today.
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There is also the use of molybdenum disulfide by hand loaders or what we commonly call moly coated bullets. This was popular 20 years ago and I am not sure how many guys still moly coat. I still have a bunch of Sierra 168 grain BTHP bullets in .308 diameter I moly coated years ago. This is a read on moly coating.

Ron
 
Winchester still makes Black Talon bullets but they are only sold to police agencies. A city near me uses 185g Black Talons in 45 Auto as duty ammo.


Ron the city is Mentor, Ohio
 
X-Ring said:
Winchester still makes Black Talon bullets but they are only sold to police agencies. A city near me uses 185g Black Talons in 45 Auto as duty ammo.


Ron the city is Mentor, Ohio
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Thanks for that info. I was not aware they still made the black talon following that big flap over the things years ago. I still have a box around here somewhere. So Mentor uses tham? Before I retired a good number of my co-workers lived in Mentor. I am down around Bedford.

Thanks
Ron
 
Winchester still makes Black Talon bullets but they are only sold to police agencies. A city near me uses 185g Black Talons in 45 Auto as duty ammo.
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It is my understanding that the current "Ranger T" uses the black talon bullet, they're just not black anymore.
 
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