{"id":64123,"date":"2017-02-03T11:24:11","date_gmt":"2017-02-03T16:24:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/blog\/?p=64123"},"modified":"2017-02-03T11:24:11","modified_gmt":"2023-08-20T07:02:12","slug":"reloading-bullet-materials-shapes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/reloading-bullet-materials-shapes\/","title":{"rendered":"Reloading: Bullet Materials and Shapes"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"All<\/a>

All of these are .308 bullets, but as you will see, materials, shape, and weight vary dramatically.<\/p><\/div>\n

SERIES<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Part 1:<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/span>Want to Reload Your Own Ammo? Basic Questions to Consider<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Part 2:<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/span>The Reloading Process<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong>
Part 3:<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/b><\/span>The Gear You\u2019ll Need and What It\u2019ll Cost You<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Part 4:\u00a0Brass Cleaning and Preparation to Load<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Part 5:<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/span>Brass Resizing<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Part 6:\u00a0Trimming Cartridge Cases<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Part 7:\u00a0Repriming the Cartridge Case<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Part 8:\u00a0Powder, Propellants, and Pressure<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Part 9:<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/span>All About Primers<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Part 10:<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/span>Projectiles: Materials, Weights, and Styles<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Part 11:\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Seating and Crimping Bullets<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Part 12: To Crimp or not to Crimp<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Part 13: Final Inspection and Packaging Tips<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Bullets are bullets, right? Well, not really. There are a wide array of variables in bullet shape, weight, materials, and construction. Each of these variables can have a dramatic impact on the performance, and safety, of any given load. In other words, loading recipe data for one 147-grain, .308 bullet may be incorrect, and even unsafe, for another projectile of equal caliber and weight.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a closer look at some of the variables and what you need to know about each.<\/p>\n

Materials<\/h2>\n

Long ago, the universe of bullet materials could be summed up in one word: lead. Now, we can choose all lead, lead alloys, copper-jacketed lead, plated lead, coated lead, all-copper, compressed powder frangible, and even polymer and copper blend bullets. You\u2019ll even find ammo with made up metallic names that sound like the stuff that powers the Starship Enterprise.<\/p>\n

Even among bullets with the same overall weight, performance can vary widely, often as a result of friction as a bullet travels down the bore. As a simple example, it\u2019s easier to push a soft lead bullet down the barrel than a hard copper jacketed one.<\/p>\n

Jacketed<\/h2>\n

Jacketed bullets have a comparatively hard copper or copper alloy exterior. Usually, lead interior cores are stuffed into this hard jacket during the bullet construction process. The intent behind this design is to have a bullet that\u2019s as heavy as possible for its size because the bulk of the interior is made of dense lead. The copper jacket adds strength and allows the bullet to be forced down the barrel at higher velocities. Under higher pressure and velocity, lead bullets would melt and deform. Since the jacket is tougher, more force is required to drive a jacketed bullet through the rifling, so, generally speaking, you\u2019ll see larger powder charges stated in load recipes than for a comparable weight lead bullet.<\/p>\n

Lead<\/h2>\n

As lead is softer and squishier than copper, it\u2019s easier to push through rifling in the barrel. Most load recipes for same-weight bullets will be about 10% less than those for copper-jacketed projectiles. The 10% figure is a rule of thumb, so always check specific load data rather than relying on that number \u2013 it\u2019s just a guideline.<\/p>\n

\"Even<\/a>

Even though that huge lead bullet towards the right is much heavier than all the others, it doesn’t take much of a charge to drive it through the barrel. Of course, it’s also designed to be subsonic.<\/p><\/div>\n

A note on barrel leading…<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Lead bullets (usually made by adding other metals like tin or antimony if different proportions) can, in certain cases, leave excessive lead residue in gun barrels. Whether a lead bullet will cause \u201cleading\u201d in the barrel isn\u2019t so simple as being a result of a bullet being too soft. In reality, whether a bullet in a given load will lead the barrel or not is usually a function of pressure and bullet hardness. In other words, using a harder bullet, in some situations, can cause more leading than the use of a softer one. Here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n

A lead bullet is designed to expand or obturate slightly under pressure from the hot gas blast behind it. The idea is that the lead base expands into the rifling of the barrel, preventing hot gas from slipping by. This seal helps create maximum efficiency of a given load and powder charge. If a bullet is too soft for the pressure level of a given charge, the base will melt and leave a mess in the barrel. If the bullet is too hard, the base won\u2019t expand and seal the bore, so hot gasses blow by the bullet, melting the sides and leaving excessive leading. You want to match the hardness of your projectile to the anticipated pressure of the load.<\/p>\n

Plated<\/h2>\n

On the outside, plated bullets look like jacketed ones, but there\u2019s an important difference. A plated bullet is manufactured by chemically and electronically applying a \u201ccoat\u201d of copper jacketing material to the outside of a lead projectile. As a result, the \u201cjacket\u201d is much thinner and softer than that of a true jacketed bullet. Plated bullets won\u2019t handle the same pressure and velocity of jacketed counterparts, although we\u2019re starting to see some new plated designs that have thicker plating.<\/p>\n

Regarding performance, a plated bullet performs more like a lead one of identical shape and size and usually requires a powder charge similar to a lead bullet. A rule of thumb is that many plated bullets use a charge weight about 10% less than that of an identical jacketed bullet. Don\u2019t rely on that math \u2013 it\u2019s just for informational purposes. Always check with the bullet manufacturer to find the correct charge.<\/p>\n

Bullet Shapes<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s important to recognize that bullet weight isn\u2019t everything. That means that you can\u2019t necessarily use the same powder charge for different bullets of the same caliber and weight \u2013 you also have to consider the shape of the bullet.<\/p>\n

The shape defines how much of the bullet contacts the rifling as it travels down the bore. The more surface area contact, the more force is required to move the bullet through the rifling. If one bullet shape is harder to push through the bore, there\u2019s going to be a higher pressure buildup behind it.<\/p>\n

To illustrate this point, think about pushing two objects through a cannon \u2013 a football and a giant #10 can of lima beans \u2013 you know, those giant ones you find at places like Sams Club. Assuming that the widest part of the football and lima bean can are identical in diameter, it\u2019s clear that there is much more surface area contact between the lima beans and tube than there is with the football. As the football is sharply tapered at both ends, only the very widest section in the center of the ball will contact the barrel walls. Since the lima bean can is a cylinder, the entire can will create friction against the inside of the National Vegetable League cannon barrel. Even if the football and ballistic vegetables weighed exactly the same, it’s going to take more pressure to launch the beans at the same velocity.<\/p>\n

\"Look<\/a>

Look at the difference in “bearing surface” area between these three. The round nose, being more cylindrical, generates a lot more friction than the other two.<\/p><\/div>\n

It\u2019s exactly the same with bullets. Round or flat nose bullets are more cylindrical in shape, so much more of the length of the bullet will scrape against the rifling. On the other hand, an aerodynamic ballistic tip boat tail bullet only has a small section in the middle that contacts the rifling so it will operate with less pressure.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll even find some bullet designs with driving bands. Rather than a smooth surface that contacts rifling, some bullets have grooves cut in the bodies. These grooves reduce surface area contact, which minimizes friction. The idea is to create more velocity with a given powder charge or allow a larger powder charge without an increase in pressure.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The folks at Barnes Bullets use driving bands made by cutout rings to reduce bearing surface and friction.<\/p><\/div>\n

Summing it up<\/h2>\n

All bullets are not the same, even if they are the same caliber and weight. The hardness (read friction) of the bullet and the amount of surface area contact can both have big impacts on the pressure level of any given load. It\u2019s yet another reason to stick to published loading information exactly \u2013 don\u2019t make assumptions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Bullets are bullets, right? Well, not really. There are a wide array of variables in bullet shape, weight, materials, and construction. Each of these variables can have a dramatic impact on the performance, and safety, of any given load. In other words, loading recipe data for one 147-grain, .308 bullet may be incorrect, and even unsafe, for another projectile of equal caliber and weight. Let\u2019s take a closer look at some of the variables and what you need to know about each.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":64163,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_specdata_upc":"","_specdata_placement":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7,234,888,95,209],"tags":[132,102,618,757],"featured":[],"hunt365":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-64123","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-gunsamerica-authors","8":"category-columns","9":"category-columns-ga-guides","10":"category-ga-guides-reloading","11":"category-tom-mchale","12":"tag-buzz","13":"tag-feature-articles","14":"tag-reloading","15":"tag-reloading-guide"},"yoast_head":"\nReloading: Bullet Materials and Shapes<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Reloading: Bullet Materials and Shapes - Authors\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/reloading-bullet-materials-shapes\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Reloading: Bullet Materials and Shapes\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Bullets are bullets, right? Well, not really. There are a wide array of variables in bullet shape, weight, materials, and construction. Each of these variables can have a dramatic impact on the performance, and safety, of any given load. In other words, loading recipe data for one 147-grain, .308 bullet may be incorrect, and even unsafe, for another projectile of equal caliber and weight. Let\u2019s take a closer look at some of the variables and what you need to know about each.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/reloading-bullet-materials-shapes\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Gun Reviews and News | GunsAmerica.com\/Digest\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gunsamerica\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"http:\/\/facebook.com\/mygunculture\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-02-03T16:24:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-08-20T07:02:12+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/308-bullets-3.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"707\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Tom McHale\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@http:\/\/twitter.com\/mygunculture\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@gunsamerica\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Tom McHale\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/reloading-bullet-materials-shapes\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/reloading-bullet-materials-shapes\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Tom McHale\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/0d300d007eac411171a5b1eff424c4de\"},\"headline\":\"Reloading: Bullet Materials and Shapes\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-02-03T16:24:11+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-08-20T07:02:12+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/reloading-bullet-materials-shapes\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1390,\"commentCount\":13,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/reloading-bullet-materials-shapes\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2016\\\/09\\\/308-bullets-3.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Buzz\",\"Feature Articles\",\"Reloading\",\"Reloading Guide\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Authors\",\"Columns\",\"GA Guides\",\"Reloading Guide\",\"Tom McHale\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/reloading-bullet-materials-shapes\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/reloading-bullet-materials-shapes\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/reloading-bullet-materials-shapes\\\/\",\"name\":\"Reloading: Bullet Materials and Shapes\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/reloading-bullet-materials-shapes\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/reloading-bullet-materials-shapes\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2016\\\/09\\\/308-bullets-3.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-02-03T16:24:11+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-08-20T07:02:12+00:00\",\"description\":\"Reloading: Bullet Materials and Shapes - 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