Wolf/Tula 223 FMJ projectile question

[gunnutery]

So this winter I built an AR. I literally spent all winter to build it so that I wouldn't break the budget all in one sitting. This was a test of patience for me as I like to finish such projects quicker.

Once I had enough of the components to actually fire it, I set up a wood pallet in the back yard and shot 10 rounds at it from about 15 yards for a function check.

Fast forward to this week: My wife and I took a stroll through the yard to check how our trees fared the winter. Just a little ways past where I had set up the pallet months before, we found a shiny .223 bullet. Considering the placement and mostly shiny condition (and a little corrosion from the led base), I deduced that it had been one of the rounds I'd fired from my new AR.

The rounds I used for my function check were either Wolf or Tula brand. I was quite surprised that the bullet was completely intact. I guess I had considered most FMJ .223/5.56 projectiles on par with M193 which I figured would break apart after contact. Apparently not.

Anyone else have any knowledge or experience with the terminal ballistics of Wolf or Tula projectiles?

 

[HammsBeer]

Wolf and tula can use a copper washed mild steel jacket over lead core. If it sticks to a magnet, it's a steel jacket bullet. The steel will hold together through a thin barrier like pallet wood better than an all copper jacket bullet.

The copper washed steel jacket is cheaper to produce, but is also harder on your barrel.

 

[Jason248]

Nice to see the copper wash is still on there in the rifling marks though. I figured it would be almost gone by the time it made it out. Pretty cool.

 

[KansasSasquatch]

It's not necessary steel jacketed. Tula Ammo uses both copper jackets and copper washed steel jackets (I'm not sure about Wolf). Just because the jacket is still in good shape after hitting a fairly solid target doesn't mean it's steel either. I've personally dug a .45 slug out of a 2x10, after it went through 3 other 2x10's. It was a copper plated bullet from a manufacturer known to use a rather thin copper plating. There were rifling marks on it and only minor wear on the plating exposing lead. So I think it's quite plausible that a .223/5.56 copper jacketed bullet could be in that good of shape after going through a thin pallet. BUT, to me, it looks like that jacket is showing some signs of rusting. But that rust could also just be from the steel casing, possibly, maybe not likely. See if it sticks to a magnet.

 

[gunnutery]

I always thought the "copper washed" was in reference to the casing in stead of the jacket. You learn something new every day.

I will try a magnet on it later today. If the jacket is steel, could that be the reason it's in such good shape? Am I wrong to think that (X)M193 would look any different after being shot through pallet wood?

I guess part of the reason I'm asking these things is that I like to buy my ammo in bulk if possible and kind of like to know how things perform terminally. I'm much more familiar with M193 so that's why I use that as my comparison. I'm not completely opposed to future bulk purchases in 62 grain stuff, but the extra cost sometimes makes me wonder if I want to.

 

[ugaarguy]

M193 actually penetrates hard barriers pretty well. M193 comes apart faster in soft barriers because it yaws in the softer material, and cracks at the cannelure. I don't know how thick Wolf or Tula's jackets are compared to M193, and that can make as much difference as jacket material.

 

[KansasSasquatch]

Copper washed steel is common with Russian produced ammo, both in cartridge casings and projectile jackets. But I don't think they're using that process these days for cartridge casings. Most of their casings these days have a polymer coating and some still uses a lacquer coating but the lacquer isn't near as common as it used to be (good that its not as common).

 

[carbine85]

Are you talking about the cartridge or the bullet on the bottom.
The cartridge is a soft steel case and the bullet is a jacketed lead.

 

[C-grunt]

M193 and M855 can actually penetrate light barriers well. My good friends father in law had a ND in his house using M855. That bullet went through three walls and some furniture before it stopped. I've seen M193 perform similarly.

 

[C-grunt]

This is a very interesting video comparing different 5.56/.223 rounds penetration vs wood.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLitgXZnjjw

 

[gunnutery]

Thanks for posting the video, that was interesting. I was very surprised by the tracer round too.