Heard at Bullet Trap: Redux

[fulano]

Fyi...

Went to the Bullet Trap today. They asked the usual question "what are you shooting to day?" I said 9mm. They said "what kind?" I said Kahr. They said "no, what brand of ammo?"

Turns out that they have found by cutting into the bullets of the cartridges that Tulammo, Wolf, and Bear brands have steel jackets on some of their products and they won't allow it to be used there due to the possibility of excessive penetration of their backstops and the possibility of shattering and ricochets. Also they said the wear on the barrel would be excessive and that should concern the gun owner. I've never used these brands.

I browsed the Tulammo site and found a reference to "copper or bi-metal jacket. The bi-metal is perhaps steel and copper plate?
http://tulammousa.com/products/centerfi ... 9/#more-75" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

All very strange.

[03Lightningrocks]

Fyi...

Went to the Bullet Trap today. They asked the usual question "what are you shooting to day?" I said 9mm. They said "what kind?" I said Kahr. They said "no, what brand of ammo?"

Turns out that they have found by cutting into the bullets of the cartridges that Tulammo, Wolf, and Bear brands have steel jackets on some of their products and they won't allow it to be used there due to the possibility of excessive penetration of their backstops and the possibility of shattering and ricochets. Also they said the wear on the barrel would be excessive and that should concern the gun owner. I've never used these brands.

I browsed the Tulammo site and found a reference to "copper or bi-metal jacket. The bi-metal is perhaps steel and copper plate?
http://tulammousa.com/products/centerfi ... 9/#more-75" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

All very strange.

Oh boy! I was just there about two weeks ago and they didn't ask about my ammo. This must be something new! I don't buy any of those garbage brands for my handguns, but it is good to know they won't allow it in case I get desperate and had to buy it. I have shot the wolf from my AK and AR, but I don't shoot those at bullet trap anyway.

Thanks for the heads up.


Maybe print that page for Tulammo and take it with you next time you go in there. It obviously is not steel jacketed. Unless it is some kind of steel/copper mix.

[fulano]

.............Maybe print that page for Tulammo and take it with you next time you go in there. It obviously is not steel jacketed. Unless it is some kind of steel/copper mix.

I don't use it . I'd never heard of it. I was there earlier in the week and no one asked me then either so I guess they just started asking.

I talked to two different folks there; after I'd finished in the range, I asked again what the brands were and wrote them down. The second person told me they were typically sold at the big box stores and were the least expensive. He said they actually cut into the bullet on a round. I'm glad they pay attention; steel in a closed environment is not good for anyone.

I find unused rounds there all the time and I never use them. You just don't know what it is; the case marking is immaterial since it could be reloaded. I want to know exactly what I'm shooting.

[Ol Zeke]

I’ve shot all of those brands and they all have copper plated or copper jacketed projectile. They do have a steel case.
I don’t know anything about ‘Bullet Trap’ but if they are like some other ranges, the range officers get to sell the brass they pick up for extra cash. One range forbade aluminum or steel case rounds because it cut into their scrap brass income. I suspected this was the reason and confronted one of the range officers and he confirmed.


I now belong to a shooting club and no longer frequent those ranges.

[Ameer]

Wouldn't it be easier to use a magnet?

[RPB]

what brand of ammo?

Wouldn't it be easier to use a magnet?

Magnets don't fit in my magazine.
But seriously yes,
Probably would be easier than cutting bullets open to see if they were steel or copper jackets
I'm betting the income from used brass is the reason.

[OldSchool]

Same common stories as with the "steel" in 30-06 surplus projectiles (Lake City, HXP, etc.). I don't know about the ammo listed (we don't use it), but the 30-06 is typically a very soft steel jacket washed with copper. Decades of experience tells that the soft steel jackets are no more damaging than copper. I would doubt that this ammo is any different.

Bullet Trap folks -- if I ever shoot there -- will have to explain to me the data and reasoning behind their conclusions, and how it differs from the other typical steel-jacketed ammo being used in the world. It will become important, as copper goes up in price.

[Ol Zeke]

Same common stories as with the "steel" in 30-06 surplus projectiles (Lake City, HXP, etc.). I don't know about the ammo listed (we don't use it), but the 30-06 is typically a very soft steel jacket washed with copper. Decades of experience tells that the soft steel jackets are no more damaging than copper. I would doubt that this ammo is any different.

Bullet Trap folks -- if I ever shoot there -- will have to explain to me the data and reasoning behind their conclusions, and how it differs from the other typical steel-jacketed ammo being used in the world. It will become important, as copper goes up in price.

I didn't even think about rifle ammo. I assumed pistol ammo.

I've used most of the above brands in 223 and they were copper jacket.

[OldSchool]

Same common stories as with the "steel" in 30-06 surplus projectiles (Lake City, HXP, etc.). I don't know about the ammo listed (we don't use it), but the 30-06 is typically a very soft steel jacket washed with copper. Decades of experience tells that the soft steel jackets are no more damaging than copper. I would doubt that this ammo is any different.

Bullet Trap folks -- if I ever shoot there -- will have to explain to me the data and reasoning behind their conclusions, and how it differs from the other typical steel-jacketed ammo being used in the world. It will become important, as copper goes up in price.

I didn't even think about rifle ammo. I assumed pistol ammo.

I've used most of the above brands in 223 and they were copper jacket.

Just to clarify, I wasn't saying they didn't mean pistol ammo, but I suspect it's the same concern as with rifle ammo. It's an old argument with rifle ammo. The magnet is about the only way I can tell copper jacket from copper wash, but I'm half-blind anyway....

[03Lightningrocks]

Just an FYI... Bullet Trap is primarily a handgun range. They do have two 25 yd bays that you can shot rifle in but 25 yards isn't good for much more than maybe trying to make sure a rifle is on the paper.

I looked in my ammo cabinet and found a few boxes of Wolf .45 in the back. I don't even remember buying them, but I guess I know not to take them to Bullet Trap.

[Commander]

Targetmaster in Dallas/Garland started asking me the same question not long ago.

[Commander]

Targetmaster in Dallas/Garland started asking me the same question not long ago.

[Weg]

Just pulled the bullets on 3 calibers of Wolf. 9mm attracted magnet, 7.62 x 39mm attracted magnet, .223 did not attract magnet, but is at least 5 years old, the other two being less than 6 monyhs old ( since I bought them).

[BrianSW99]

Even if they have some amount of steel in the jacket, I can't believe any of the hangun calibers would cause any problem with their backstop. Rifle ammo, maybe, but not hangun. I've never really liked Bullet Trap, and this is just one more reason.

[03Lightningrocks]

Just pulled the bullets on 3 calibers of Wolf. 9mm attracted magnet, 7.62 x 39mm attracted magnet, .223 did not attract magnet, but is at least 5 years old, the other two being less than 6 monyhs old ( since I bought them).

Interesting info. Like BrianSW99, I was wondering how pistol ammo could have enough energy left at the backstops to dig in. I know several of the folks running that place quite well. I plan to ask them next time I am up there. They won't mind saying.

The post above about Target Masters makes me wonder if this has started due to misinformation being shared between ranges. It is amazing the level of stupid that gets passed off as fact these days. The internet causes most of it ... LOL.