Ceramic bullets

[AxeAngel]

Talk to me here. Are they available?

While everyone is pissing away about the whole lead bullet thing I wanted to look at alternatives. Steel is out. Other alloys are very expensive.

Could ceramics work or do they lack the stopping force because they are too brittle. Is there a composite material I don't know abiut that could be a viable alternative. I don't care if it costs more. With economies of scale and subsidies the price would likely come down

-Sam

 

[thebrassnuckles]

too hard for the rifling me thinks...

barnes makes some excellent lead free options..

 

[skysix]

Solid copper?

 

[SunTzuNephew]

Ceramic would be too low density, and not conform to the rifling.

Solid copper works, and has been used as 'big game' bullets for elephants, cape buffalo, and other types where you are counting on the bullets penetration and not expansion.

 

[desertrover]

There are no commercial ceramic bullet. A bullet has to do many things, to include withstanding massive acceleration, being malleable enough to allow the rifling to "grab" the bullet, deform in a controlled manner on impact, etc. For these reasons, a straight ceramic bullet will probably never exist. Use of some kind of malleable jacket makes it theoretically possible, but there is no commercial or military reason to do so. Are we talking rifle bullets? Barnes TSX are excellent. If the lead concern is air quality in indoor ranges, there are inexpensive fully encapsulated lead pistol bullets. Indoor ranges properly recycle their lead too, and usually at a profit.
CJ

 

[BIGdaddy]

copper for sure is a good option.

What about aluminium?

bizmuth being used already right?

What about something that biodegrades readily like cellulose(plant fiber)?

 

[Fireman78]

I'm using wooden bullets myself, but we have quite a vampire problem in this part of the country. :sombrero:

 

[BIGdaddy]

I'm using wooden bullets myself, but we have quite a vampire problem in this part of the country. :sombrero:

:coffeedrink:

 

[tdesanto]

copper for sure is a good option.

Yes, but it would be a lot more expensive.

What about aluminium?

What about something that biodegrades readily like cellulose(plant fiber)?

For these two materials, I'm not sure how the bullet could attain the mass/weight desired for the appropriate size.

 

[AxeAngel]

Keep it coming fellas. The more ideas the better.

Thanks!
-Sam

 

[jeepdreamer]

Not likely but...cool?

Ice bullets!
If someone can figure how to create self healing concrete, then why not an ice bullet? Oh wait...they wouldn't be trasable...oops

 

[SunTzuNephew]

copper for sure is a good option.

What about aluminium?

bizmuth being used already right?

What about something that biodegrades readily like cellulose(plant fiber)?

Not enough density. The bullet needs to have enough density to deliver energy at attainable velocities, and enough 'toughness' to stay intact when it hits.

Bismuth can be used as a replacement for lead (in fact, it is in lead-free shot). It's more expensive, and ~20% less dense.

 

[desertrover]

Aluminum bullets

Aluminum bullets do exist, and I have used them. However, they are very lightweight for their size, which is undesirable in most applications. FN civilian SS195LF is a lead free round, constructed with lead free primers and ballistic hollowpoint copper jacketed aluminum. I am unaware of any aluminum bullets available to reloaders.

 

[PAToyota]

It seems that as many crazy compounds as they've developed over the years, that there should be some composite that would suit the application.

 

[Cody1771]

there should be some composite that would suit the application

there is a thread on here that is talking about the US banning hte use of lead in the back woods, pretty good read, and yes there are some composite rounds available, as well as a few different alloys that are supposed to be better for the environment, duck hunters in some states have been using them for awhile as it is banned to use lead near some bodies of water, lakes, streams, rivers, ect.