RWS ammo with steel in the bullet

[labhound]

I was reading the thread on "orange and black box ammo", which turned out to be RWS ammo being sold at Wallyworld. One of our members pointed out that some indoor shooting ranges had banned it due to steel in the bullet. Another member stated a magnet definitely sticks to it and I tried and yep there's steel there somewhere in the 9mm 124 gr FMJ (appears to be copper jacketed). Anyone know for sure what type of bullet this is and is there any drawback to shooting it.

 

[Fumbler]

Like you figured out on your own, it is a bi-metal jacket.
The jacket is mild steel plated with copper. Some ranges ban all bullets containing steel because they don't want AP bullets tearing up their backstops. These bullets won't penetrate like steel core rifle rounds.

Some say the steel will wear away your rifling, but I have never heard any first hand accounts of that happening.

IMO the copper plating keeps enough of the mild steel off of the rifling that it's a non issue. I would (and do) shoot it up without thinking twice...but I won't be blowing through thousands of rounds of it in any one gun. Why take the chance? The ammo's too expensive anyway...

 

[spbaker90]

I was at the range earlier this week, had 2 boxes of RWS .380 with me. The owner saw the boxes and said "Nope, can't do it. Those are steel bullets." I must have had the "oh no, I just bought 10 boxes of it" look on my face. The range owner pulled out a magnet to show me and it DIDN'T STICK to the bullets. He couldn't believe it and told me that someone had just brought in some RWS 9mm and they failed the magnet test.

I bought these from Sportsmans Guide and checked the product descriptions for the .380 and 9mm when I got home. Both say brass cased but no information on the bullet composition. I wish that info was provided. If I had bought 9mm instead of .380, I'd be out $160+. I need to start carrying a magnet with me when shopping for ammo in stores and avoid buying something different over the internet until I've actually touched the same exact ammo in a store.

 

[fguffey]

Cheaper Than Dirt had 70 rounds of 8mm57 for $4.70, seemed like a bargain, I called to confirm they did then I ask them to describe the bullet, they informed me the bullets were not steel, I then ask them if the bullets were attracted by a magnet, the answer was NO.

I drove over found the bandoliers, opened one up and ask them if they had a magnet, I then stuck the clip of 5 rounds to the magnet hanging on the wall, and there they stayed, like magic they stuck, I then explained to them there were two reasons for not wanting something that sticks to the wall on a magnet, armor piercing and cupro nickel, I do not want to clean a barrel that is fowled with cupro nickel and I do not need AP. Round trip? 80 plus miles. Not that much further to Calela's, 2 Bass Pros are closer.

Knowing FMJ rifle bullets are not allowed is not a problem but I purchase bullets that come in a box that is labeled hollow-point, the range says the little hole in the nose is too small.

F. Guffey

http://abob.libs.uga.edu/bobk/nica.html

http://www.odcmp.org/1101/can.pdf

 

[fguffey]

And I have a friend that purchased a stack of 9mm that was supposed to be practice/target ammo he was selling at the Market Hall Gun Show, the bullets were steel sabots round shot, I ask him why so cheap, he said he did not see the harm so he shot ONE! in his ship, he said before the bullet stopped it hit everything in his shop but him, so he warned me, avoid ricochets and if you do can't take cover like you are being shot at, you could be.

Then he said they were accurate, very accurate.

F. Guffey

 

[fguffey]

forgive, he was in his shop, he does not have a ship and 'if you do or can't....'

F. Guffey