These two bullets are suppose to be the same gr. the one on the left I took out of a tulammo .223 case and the one on the right is from a batch I bought from the Everglades. Both are suppose to be a 55 gr weight. Now you can clearly see that they are different. How can they both be 55 gr bullets? How can I tell which one is a 55 gr.?
Bullet question ??
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Just a guess on my part, but the Tulamo probably has more copper than the other. Lead is heavier than copper, so you get a longer bullet with the copper bullets. Seating depth will be different, so you can have the proper OAL. Check that Tulamo with a magnet, it might actually have a steel jacket that is copper plated.
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They are also completely different bullets in term of design. Notice the ogive and the boat-tail. Bullet weight can still be the same and have very different looking bullets.
AR guy:
It is common for some bullets not made in the USA to use a steel core. If that is the case then the physical size of those bullet will be larger than an all lead bullet. Take a magnet to each and see if that is the case.
Steel core bullets are a problem. Some ranges do not allow you to shoot them as they spark when they hit something hard and can start brush fires. We quit a club recently because they started enforcing that rule (they didn't before) and we had tons of steel core ammo that we could no longer shoot at their range. It is not a myth (fires started by steel core ammo) as I witnessed it nearly two decades ago. It was awful. It started a whole hillside on fire that require water dumps by airplanes and a large crew of firefighters to put out. It spread unbelievably fast on the dry brush in the rolling hills of a California rural area and covered more than a couple of football field in a few minutes. All from one steel cored bullet.
LDBennett
It is common for some bullets not made in the USA to use a steel core. If that is the case then the physical size of those bullet will be larger than an all lead bullet. Take a magnet to each and see if that is the case.
Steel core bullets are a problem. Some ranges do not allow you to shoot them as they spark when they hit something hard and can start brush fires. We quit a club recently because they started enforcing that rule (they didn't before) and we had tons of steel core ammo that we could no longer shoot at their range. It is not a myth (fires started by steel core ammo) as I witnessed it nearly two decades ago. It was awful. It started a whole hillside on fire that require water dumps by airplanes and a large crew of firefighters to put out. It spread unbelievably fast on the dry brush in the rolling hills of a California rural area and covered more than a couple of football field in a few minutes. All from one steel cored bullet.
LDBennett
I put the tulammo bullet to a magnet and yes it stuck to it so they must be steel core. And I put both on the rcbs powder scale and the steel bullet weighed in at 58gr and the other one weighed exactly 55gr. So why would tulammo say its a 55gr bullet if its not. Just cuz it's close or what?
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I weigh a lot of bullets when I am reloading, just because I can. I have found that in a box of bullets, lets say 55 grains, that there is a variance of a grain or two. The manufacturing process just will not allow the exact same every time, in most cases. I found that some of the more expensive bullets will be the closest in weight than others.
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i wonder if that's because their production is that much more precise.. or if their 'error' sorting is better. IE.. they may turn out the odd +/- 2gr slug now and then.. but those get caught and dumped into lesser quality batches.. or sold bulk no name?
tulammo is Russian.
Have you seen other products from Russia? They might be OK but they are no match for most of Europe or Japan's products, let alone American made bullets, for example. Now, some Russian products are good, like my pneumatic Olympic style Russian air pistol, but others can be a bit crude.
For good bullets it is hard to beat American Speer or Sierra or some Hornady or some of the more expensive bullets from some of the smaller manufactures. Bullets are all about consistency. As long as they are the same in every way lot to lot and bullet to bullet then there is no concern but I have serious doubts about Russian bullets.
LDBennett
Have you seen other products from Russia? They might be OK but they are no match for most of Europe or Japan's products, let alone American made bullets, for example. Now, some Russian products are good, like my pneumatic Olympic style Russian air pistol, but others can be a bit crude.
For good bullets it is hard to beat American Speer or Sierra or some Hornady or some of the more expensive bullets from some of the smaller manufactures. Bullets are all about consistency. As long as they are the same in every way lot to lot and bullet to bullet then there is no concern but I have serious doubts about Russian bullets.
LDBennett
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