(03-04-2014, 07:24 AM)Mayhem Wrote: Paul/Willie - thanks for the info on the rationale for copper plating. Is that what is meant by the term full metal jacket?
Not quite. Jacketed bullets have a much thicker "shell" aka: jacket.
They start off as large spools of cupro-nickel or gilding metal (copper/zinc) sheet and then have discs punched out of them. The discs are then drawn out into cylinders by pushing them through progressively smaller sizing dies and mandrels.
Jacket_Process.jpg (Size: 199.11 KB / Downloads: 108)
Drawing_Jackets.jpg (Size: 164.23 KB / Downloads: 106)
Spools of lead wire are cut into 'slugs' and placed inside the jacket cylinder. The lead wire inside is what becomes the bullet's core. Then the cylinders are punch pressed into more forming dies to close the jacket and give the bullet it's final form.
A "full metal jacket" encloses nearly every bit of the lead core.
"Semi-jacketed" bullets leave a portion of the lead core exposed. Often referred to as "soft-point" bullets.
semi_jacket.jpg (Size: 16.74 KB / Downloads: 106)
Willie