Tiny cuts on pulled .311 cupro-nickel bullets. How much erosion?

Ignition Override · May 15, 2012, 11:44 PM

Some of these are copper jackets, but many of the copper and all of the silver colored cupro-nickel have one or two really tiny cut marks. Let's make clear that I already have this batch.

The cuts can barely snag a fingernail and are not easy to see.
They are about 1/8" above the cannellure, parallel to it, straight and very short.

Would such tiny slices in this silver coating cause only very minor wear in steel bores after several hundred bullets?

Ideal Tool · May 15, 2012, 11:57 PM

Hello, Ignition Override. When those bullets are fired thru bore..They are going to have at least 4 VERY deep "cuts" equally spaced on them! I would be more concerned about cleaning out cupro-metal fouling than any bore wear.

Ignition Override · May 16, 2012, 02:52 AM

Thanks.
As long as the lands aren't really scraped by such small cuts, which are perpendicular to the direction of travel, then no sweat. It's hard for me to imagine that there would be no cumulative wear at 2,400 fps.

Even though I have four Enfield #4s and two #5s which use these, I prefer to ask such a question before reloading many more Prvi cases with another 1,000 or more of these cheap bullets.
My gun interest began late in life and it's hard to estimate what is acceptable in so many situations. My friend/Gun Guru (retired from
Navy Marks. Team) will be moving away soon, and he never owned Enfields etc or reloaded for any milsurps except his M-1A or his eighteen Garands (most won as prizes in matches).

James K · May 16, 2012, 02:00 PM

Those marks are probably from the bullet puller that was used to remove them from factory ammunition, or they could be from the stab crimp used in some British ammunition. Either way, they are not a problem because soft cupro-nickel can't possibly scratch hard barrel steel. Even the soft steel used in steel jackets has very little effect on barrels when fired in reasonable quantities.

FWIW, if those bullets really have cupro-nickel jackets, I suggest not firing them or firing them at low velocity. Cupro-nickel fouling is the very devil to get out once it begins to build up in a barrel.

Jim

Ignition Override · May 21, 2012, 04:46 PM

They were bought from a guy who previously (a year ago) had several batches of both .311 and .308 bullets for sale on GB, under "Reloading".
All of those batches seem to be gone.

May 15, 2012, 11:44 PM	#1
Ignition Override Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2008 Location: About 20 nm from the Big Muddy Posts: 2,884	Tiny cuts on pulled .311 cupro-nickel bullets. How much erosion? Some of these are copper jackets, but many of the copper and all of the silver colored cupro-nickel have one or two really tiny cut marks. Let's make clear that I already have this batch. The cuts can barely snag a fingernail and are not easy to see. They are about 1/8" above the cannellure, parallel to it, straight and very short. Would such tiny slices in this silver coating cause only very minor wear in steel bores after several hundred bullets?

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May 15, 2012, 11:57 PM	#2
Ideal Tool Junior member Join Date: October 6, 2010 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,080	Hello, Ignition Override. When those bullets are fired thru bore..They are going to have at least 4 VERY deep "cuts" equally spaced on them! I would be more concerned about cleaning out cupro-metal fouling than any bore wear.

May 16, 2012, 02:52 AM	#3
Ignition Override Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2008 Location: About 20 nm from the Big Muddy Posts: 2,884	Thanks. As long as the lands aren't really scraped by such small cuts, which are perpendicular to the direction of travel, then no sweat. It's hard for me to imagine that there would be no cumulative wear at 2,400 fps. Even though I have four Enfield #4s and two #5s which use these, I prefer to ask such a question before reloading many more Prvi cases with another 1,000 or more of these cheap bullets. My gun interest began late in life and it's hard to estimate what is acceptable in so many situations. My friend/Gun Guru (retired from Navy Marks. Team) will be moving away soon, and he never owned Enfields etc or reloaded for any milsurps except his M-1A or his eighteen Garands (most won as prizes in matches).

May 16, 2012, 02:00 PM	#4
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Those marks are probably from the bullet puller that was used to remove them from factory ammunition, or they could be from the stab crimp used in some British ammunition. Either way, they are not a problem because soft cupro-nickel can't possibly scratch hard barrel steel. Even the soft steel used in steel jackets has very little effect on barrels when fired in reasonable quantities. FWIW, if those bullets really have cupro-nickel jackets, I suggest not firing them or firing them at low velocity. Cupro-nickel fouling is the very devil to get out once it begins to build up in a barrel. Jim

May 21, 2012, 04:46 PM	#5
Ignition Override Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2008 Location: About 20 nm from the Big Muddy Posts: 2,884	They were bought from a guy who previously (a year ago) had several batches of both .311 and .308 bullets for sale on GB, under "Reloading". All of those batches seem to be gone.