Bi-Metal Bullets

[mosulmp]

Does anyone know if these bullets are hard enough to be harmful to the barrel? They seem to be used in the Wolf and Bear ammunition. The following is the description I found on the MidWay USA web site:

This ammunition is loaded with a bimetal bullet. Bimetal bullets feature a jacket consisting of alternating sheets of copper and steel, then pressed together. The heat generated from the pressure fuses the sheets of copper and steel together forming a new alloy called bimetal.

CTD also notes that: "Bi metal boat tail hollow point bullet will attract a magnet."

So there must be a significant amount of steel in the jacket, right?

Thanks,
Pat

[bernieb90]

The steel used in Bi-metal bullet jackets is very soft. It is also coated with a thin layer of copper to provide lubrication, and prevent direct contact of the steel in the bullet jacket to the barrel. Barrel steel is significantly harder than the jacket. If you are shooting an AR-15 pattern rifle with a chrome lined barrel you really have no need to worry as the chrome is even harder than the barrel steel.

FWIW most ammunition manufactured by former Soviet Republics, and China uses a steel jacket. Many 7.62 NATO bullets like those made by Malasia, Portugal, and some of the German stuff also use steel jackets. Even Winchester Q3130 uses steel jacketed bullets.

The reason is simply that steel is way cheaper than copper.

[Pumpkinheaver]

It has soft steel in it. I don't know if any studies have been done to see if the bimetal bullets wear a bbl out any faster than a gilding metal jacket but I have shot a ton of both an never noticed a diferance.

[mosulmp]

Thank you for your responses.