Ferrocerium tips

Sabre9mm · January 21, 2013, 02:23 PM

I have seen a few videos on youtube of people tipping 5.56 rounds with Ferrocerium tips.

Aside from the fact that youtube is full of useless info, what would be the benefit of this if any, is it just to throw sparks, just a really bad idea, etc... Thoughts opinions? Some strange physics at play in some of these situations because of the extreme forces at play, just wondering if the compressed / confined heat generated does anything other than show.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrocerium

such as http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCgiZ-MdSRU

Now I would also think that unless you were extremely careful and precise that the potential off center tip would throw accuracy out the door as the round spun at upwards of 250k rpm.

alex0535 · January 21, 2013, 10:39 PM

They are probably just taking the little flint sticks intended for use in zippo lighters and shoving them into a hollow point.

When flint hits steel it ignites and burns at 3000 degrees.

Same reaction as striking a lighter without the butane.

Sabre9mm · January 21, 2013, 10:56 PM

Oh, that is exactly what they are doing, some of the videos even demonstrate, the question was more geared toward any practical purpose?

Meaning does it impart anything interesting to the terminal ballistics other than sparks on hard targets?

alex0535 · January 21, 2013, 11:26 PM

Probably wouldn't do anything exciting for anything other than shooting steel targets. For shooting steel it might be fun for steel shooting at night as it would allow you to see your impacts. Would probably also be good for starting brush fires around the steel targets.

If you had some bullets with a steel core that might be a little bit of an exciting spark shooting just about anything. as far as shooting anything other than a steel target I doubt they would even spark.

lamarw · January 22, 2013, 01:33 AM

Sounds like a forest fire waiting to happen.

5thShock · January 22, 2013, 11:01 AM

Yes. Not for plinking.

Sabre9mm · January 22, 2013, 12:24 PM

So essentially all I end up with is a round that will perform sub par, possibly be dangerous, and toss pretty sparks if/when it hits hard targets.

Na, sounds like I will move on to another crazy idea.

Uncle Buck · January 22, 2013, 02:12 PM

I look at as a novelty item. A dangerous one. I could see this causing a fire somewhere and the cost could be catastrophic.

They really do no good, in my opinion, because you either hit the target or you don't. I can see where a tracer might be nice (Night firing), so if you miss your target you know where to adjust your aim to.

I do not think it would harm your gun in anyway, providing it stayed put on the end of the bullet.

berettaprofessor · January 22, 2013, 10:34 PM

Probably got the idea from John Ross's Unintended Consequences; I first saw it there.

kozak6 · January 23, 2013, 04:18 AM

What a cool way to start a brush fire.

Dr Big Bird PhD · January 23, 2013, 04:51 AM

If it was a controlled brush fire.

Having been in southern california for the last 5 years, dropping a candle during the summer is practically a felony.

harrys ghost · January 23, 2013, 06:03 PM

Burned down part of a indoor shooting range in Burnsville, MN. Now they inspect ammo coming in. Can't be attracted to a magnet.

**Glenn E. Meyer** · March 29, 2013, 05:36 PM

This is an old thread and there was a deleted suggestion of AP handgun ammo - which is troublesome.

Thus, there was no need to revive this.

Closed.

January 21, 2013, 02:23 PM	#1
Sabre9mm Senior Member Join Date: July 31, 2012 Location: Texas Posts: 153	Ferrocerium tips I have seen a few videos on youtube of people tipping 5.56 rounds with Ferrocerium tips. Aside from the fact that youtube is full of useless info, what would be the benefit of this if any, is it just to throw sparks, just a really bad idea, etc... Thoughts opinions? Some strange physics at play in some of these situations because of the extreme forces at play, just wondering if the compressed / confined heat generated does anything other than show. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrocerium such as http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCgiZ-MdSRU Now I would also think that unless you were extremely careful and precise that the potential off center tip would throw accuracy out the door as the round spun at upwards of 250k rpm.

January 22, 2013, 02:12 PM	#8
Uncle Buck Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2009 Location: West Central Missouri Posts: 2,434	I look at as a novelty item. A dangerous one. I could see this causing a fire somewhere and the cost could be catastrophic. They really do no good, in my opinion, because you either hit the target or you don't. I can see where a tracer might be nice (Night firing), so if you miss your target you know where to adjust your aim to. I do not think it would harm your gun in anyway, providing it stayed put on the end of the bullet. __________________ Inside Every Bright Idea Is The 50% Probability Of A Disaster Waiting To Happen.

January 23, 2013, 04:51 AM	#11
Dr Big Bird PhD Senior Member Join Date: October 26, 2012 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 724	If it was a controlled brush fire. Having been in southern california for the last 5 years, dropping a candle during the summer is practically a felony. __________________ I told the new me, "Meet me at the bus station and hold a sign that reads: 'Today is the first day of the rest of your life.'" But the old me met me with a sign that read: "Welcome back." Who you are is not a function of where you are. -Off Minor

March 29, 2013, 05:36 PM	#13
Glenn E. Meyer Staff Join Date: November 17, 2000 Posts: 13,307	This is an old thread and there was a deleted suggestion of AP handgun ammo - which is troublesome. Thus, there was no need to revive this. Closed. __________________ NRA, TSRA, IDPA, NTI, Polite Soc. http://www.teddytactical.com/archive...05_Feature.htm Being an Academic Shooter http://www.teddytactical.com/archive...11_Feature.htm Being an Active Shooter

January 21, 2013, 10:39 PM	#2
alex0535 Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 2012 Location: Georgia Posts: 619	They are probably just taking the little flint sticks intended for use in zippo lighters and shoving them into a hollow point. When flint hits steel it ignites and burns at 3000 degrees. Same reaction as striking a lighter without the butane.

January 21, 2013, 10:56 PM	#3
Sabre9mm Senior Member Join Date: July 31, 2012 Location: Texas Posts: 153	Oh, that is exactly what they are doing, some of the videos even demonstrate, the question was more geared toward any practical purpose? Meaning does it impart anything interesting to the terminal ballistics other than sparks on hard targets?

January 21, 2013, 11:26 PM	#4
alex0535 Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 2012 Location: Georgia Posts: 619	Probably wouldn't do anything exciting for anything other than shooting steel targets. For shooting steel it might be fun for steel shooting at night as it would allow you to see your impacts. Would probably also be good for starting brush fires around the steel targets. If you had some bullets with a steel core that might be a little bit of an exciting spark shooting just about anything. as far as shooting anything other than a steel target I doubt they would even spark.

January 22, 2013, 01:33 AM	#5
lamarw Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2010 Location: Lake Martin, AL Posts: 1,287	Sounds like a forest fire waiting to happen.

January 22, 2013, 11:01 AM	#6
5thShock Senior Member Join Date: August 28, 2006 Posts: 161	Yes. Not for plinking.

January 22, 2013, 12:24 PM	#7
Sabre9mm Senior Member Join Date: July 31, 2012 Location: Texas Posts: 153	So essentially all I end up with is a round that will perform sub par, possibly be dangerous, and toss pretty sparks if/when it hits hard targets. Na, sounds like I will move on to another crazy idea.

January 22, 2013, 10:34 PM	#9
berettaprofessor Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2008 Posts: 524	Probably got the idea from John Ross's Unintended Consequences; I first saw it there.

January 23, 2013, 04:18 AM	#10
kozak6 Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2005 Location: AZ Posts: 2,281	What a cool way to start a brush fire.

January 23, 2013, 06:03 PM	#12
harrys ghost Member Join Date: January 21, 2005 Location: Minnesota Posts: 65	Burned down part of a indoor shooting range in Burnsville, MN. Now they inspect ammo coming in. Can't be attracted to a magnet.