what size rifle bullet is this?

max it · September 14, 2009, 06:01 PM

Hi Ya All,

Some buddy just gave me several hundred of these together with a size I wanted. Now what are they?

copper plated .307 dia x 1.284" long, tapered to a point: boattail
and copper plated .3075 w/lube x 1.155" long, tapered to a point: boattail.

any clues?

I belong to www.ammoguide.com but dont know if that can help, at least it didn't at first blush.

Much obliged,

Max

**Unclenick** · September 14, 2009, 07:22 PM

These are boattail cast bullets with copper plating, or are they jacketed bullets? I thought you meant to say jacketed, but when I saw you mention lube, then it sounded like they actually were cast and plated, but I've never seen anything cast and plated that fit that description.

Can you post pictures? Also, what are you measuring diameters with? An OD thimble micrometer should be pretty close, but a caliper can easily be off by a thousandth. If you measured with a caliper, then the bullets are probably actually .3080" or .3085", which makes them .30 caliber in general parlance.

Weigh them and post a photo if you can? The nose type will also be important to identification.

Gun 4 Fun · September 14, 2009, 08:42 PM

Speer used to sell the Lapua step heeled boattail bullets in both .308", and .309" diam. If there is a step where the bullet body goes into the boattail, that is likely what you have if they are jacketed. As far as cast goes, who knows? There are a ton of different designs out there, and some are homemade.

max it · September 14, 2009, 11:13 PM

HI,

I am really in a pickle now as I havent as yet learned to upload pics. Necessity is the mother of invention so it must be time.
I must have been misleading as these are not cast but mfg bullets. And the lube, if that is what it is, is something painted on black over a striated section of the bullet. And what I used to measure it was a digitial caliper. So in fact it could be .308?

Much obliged,

Max

ballardw · September 14, 2009, 11:17 PM

If the black looks like it would be about where the bullet goes in the case mouth it is likely you have some bullets pulled from military ammo as some are sealed with a black tar-like substance. Sounds like they could be from any of a number of 30 caliber rounds.

Weight might help a bit.

max it · September 14, 2009, 11:32 PM

see below

Max

max it · September 14, 2009, 11:47 PM

I think I got it now, sorry for the garbled post :barf:

weight, yes I need a larger grain scale. I will take it to the range tomorrow and borrow theirs.

max

**Bud Helms** · September 15, 2009, 05:12 AM

It's LARGE, but there it is.

Max-it, once you get as far as you did, just bracket the url of that image with [img] [/img] tags.

max it · September 15, 2009, 12:11 PM

Bud, Much obliged. Let me try it here:

hmm, what am I missing?

Scorch · September 15, 2009, 01:53 PM

The cannelured bullet (little ring around the bullet) looks like standard military full metal jacket (FMJ), probably 150 gr. The black stuff is sealer.

The other bullet looks like a commercial FMJ bullet. Since it looks a little longer, I would say 165 or 168 gr.

They are 30 caliber.

max it · September 15, 2009, 03:34 PM

Scortch,

Right you are, same as the guys at the range told me earlier today.

It looks like I wont find people reloading those around here. So I will just save them for weights.

Much obliged,

Max

**Bud Helms** · September 15, 2009, 08:45 PM

max it,

'Looks like you tried the album url.

I tried the url of the image and get the "invalid url" message. Dunno.

max it · September 15, 2009, 10:39 PM

Bud,

Since I found out that this is 30cal military bullet I have lost interest. I was only going to offer it to one of the local hunters who reloads. But no one, I am told, is going to do so. Therefore I am using it for extra weights on my reloading bench.
Anyway my quest to upload pics continues, much obliged for the input.

Max

September 14, 2009, 06:01 PM	#1
max it Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: SoCal; are we done yet? Posts: 272	what size rifle bullet is this? Hi Ya All, Some buddy just gave me several hundred of these together with a size I wanted. Now what are they? copper plated .307 dia x 1.284" long, tapered to a point: boattail and copper plated .3075 w/lube x 1.155" long, tapered to a point: boattail. any clues? I belong to www.ammoguide.com but dont know if that can help, at least it didn't at first blush. Much obliged, Max Last edited by max it; September 14, 2009 at 07:14 PM. Reason: further info

September 14, 2009, 07:22 PM	#2
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	These are boattail cast bullets with copper plating, or are they jacketed bullets? I thought you meant to say jacketed, but when I saw you mention lube, then it sounded like they actually were cast and plated, but I've never seen anything cast and plated that fit that description. Can you post pictures? Also, what are you measuring diameters with? An OD thimble micrometer should be pretty close, but a caliper can easily be off by a thousandth. If you measured with a caliper, then the bullets are probably actually .3080" or .3085", which makes them .30 caliber in general parlance. Weigh them and post a photo if you can? The nose type will also be important to identification. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

September 14, 2009, 08:42 PM	#3
Gun 4 Fun Senior Member Join Date: November 3, 2008 Posts: 956	Speer used to sell the Lapua step heeled boattail bullets in both .308", and .309" diam. If there is a step where the bullet body goes into the boattail, that is likely what you have if they are jacketed. As far as cast goes, who knows? There are a ton of different designs out there, and some are homemade. __________________ S&WCA member NRA member NAHC Life member

September 14, 2009, 11:32 PM	#6
max it Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: SoCal; are we done yet? Posts: 272	boattail .308?? see below Max Last edited by max it; September 15, 2009 at 09:25 AM. Reason: drat it didnt work, back to the drawing board.

September 15, 2009, 12:11 PM	#9
max it Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: SoCal; are we done yet? Posts: 272	Bud, Much obliged. Let me try it here: hmm, what am I missing? Last edited by max it; September 15, 2009 at 12:12 PM. Reason: no pic

September 14, 2009, 11:13 PM	#4
max it Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: SoCal; are we done yet? Posts: 272	HI, I am really in a pickle now as I havent as yet learned to upload pics. Necessity is the mother of invention so it must be time. I must have been misleading as these are not cast but mfg bullets. And the lube, if that is what it is, is something painted on black over a striated section of the bullet. And what I used to measure it was a digitial caliper. So in fact it could be .308? Much obliged, Max

September 14, 2009, 11:17 PM	#5
ballardw Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2008 Posts: 1,411	If the black looks like it would be about where the bullet goes in the case mouth it is likely you have some bullets pulled from military ammo as some are sealed with a black tar-like substance. Sounds like they could be from any of a number of 30 caliber rounds. Weight might help a bit.

September 15, 2009, 05:12 AM	#8
Bud Helms Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 1999 Location: Middle Georgia, USA Posts: 13,198	It's LARGE, but there it is. Max-it, once you get as far as you did, just bracket the url of that image with [img] [/img] tags.

September 15, 2009, 01:53 PM	#10
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	The cannelured bullet (little ring around the bullet) looks like standard military full metal jacket (FMJ), probably 150 gr. The black stuff is sealer. The other bullet looks like a commercial FMJ bullet. Since it looks a little longer, I would say 165 or 168 gr. They are 30 caliber. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

September 15, 2009, 03:34 PM	#11
max it Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: SoCal; are we done yet? Posts: 272	Military 30 cal Scortch, Right you are, same as the guys at the range told me earlier today. It looks like I wont find people reloading those around here. So I will just save them for weights. Much obliged, Max

September 15, 2009, 08:45 PM	#12
Bud Helms Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 1999 Location: Middle Georgia, USA Posts: 13,198	max it, 'Looks like you tried the album url. I tried the url of the image and get the "invalid url" message. Dunno.

September 15, 2009, 10:39 PM	#13
max it Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: SoCal; are we done yet? Posts: 272	Bud, Since I found out that this is 30cal military bullet I have lost interest. I was only going to offer it to one of the local hunters who reloads. But no one, I am told, is going to do so. Therefore I am using it for extra weights on my reloading bench. Anyway my quest to upload pics continues, much obliged for the input. Max