billtheshrink
New member
i am not a chemist, so whats the difference between copper plated and copper jacketed bullets? Thickness? Is one better than another?
plated or jacketed?
- Thread starter billtheshrink
- Start date
I am not sure of the process, but it seems that plating is very thin and not much better than plain lead.
I prefer jacketed bullets for semi-autos. I shoot a lot of lead in .44 mag as well as jacketed bullets. I don't shoot plated bullets in those guns.
Geetarman
I prefer jacketed bullets for semi-autos. I shoot a lot of lead in .44 mag as well as jacketed bullets. I don't shoot plated bullets in those guns.
Geetarman
Last edited:
Copper plated bullets have a small layer of copper on top of the bullet. This can either be done on a lead bullet to prevent lead fouling, or on a steel jacketed bullet to allow the rifling to get a better "grip". It is done using electrodes to encourage the copper in a solution to "settle down" on the other metal.
Copper jacketed bullets have a complete copper "jacket" that is filled with other contents, according to the bullets design. As you can see here:
Copper jacketed bullets have a complete copper "jacket" that is filled with other contents, according to the bullets design. As you can see here:
TylerD45ACP
New member
Basically what everyone said is right. Copper jacketed bullets are better.
Popbang - Are you sure Speer Gold Dots are plated? This info from their website makes me think they are jacketed.
The full description is here:
http://www.speer-ammo.com/products/gold_dot_prsnl.aspx
The full description is here:
http://www.speer-ammo.com/products/gold_dot_prsnl.aspx
TylerD45ACP
New member
I was going to say the same thing. They are bonded hollowpoints as well. I feel the Gold Dot is one of the best bullets you can get. I like most bonded hollowpoints. Hornaday, Corbon, Remington Golden Saber, Federal HST and others. I think jacketed is superior because the bonded all have jackets just bonded to the lead to ensue expansion.
How do you think they apply the jacket "one molecule at a time"?
That's what plating is, guys.
I use plated bullets in 9mm and 38 special and like them better than jacketed when shooting steel targets. The plated bullets are soft lead and flatten rather than fragment reducing the chance of splashback. I've also shot them into wet newpaper and the hollowpoints open up significantly.
That's what plating is, guys.
I use plated bullets in 9mm and 38 special and like them better than jacketed when shooting steel targets. The plated bullets are soft lead and flatten rather than fragment reducing the chance of splashback. I've also shot them into wet newpaper and the hollowpoints open up significantly.
The OP said:
Plated bullets are typically a lot cheaper than component jacketed bullets for the handloader.
I use plated bullets for times/places where I cannot or do not wish to use cast lead bullets.
I enjoy using cast lead bullets for the bulk of my handgun shooting outdoors. For the off season when the weather is crappy and I find myself on an indoor range, I'm typically using plated bullets. They shoot awfully well for me and they save me money over true jacketed bullets.
There are also cases where I need to stick to true jacketed bullets and for those, I don't use plated. They cost me more, but in some situations, I prefer them. (warm 10mm loads, full-bore .357 Magnum loads, .44 Mag loads for a Desert Eagle, .460 S&W Magnum loads... etc etc)
Plated bullets can seem expensive when compared to buying cast lead bullets. They will seem frighteningly expensive when you compare them to casting your own bullets. But compared to a box of 100 jacketed bullets, plated bullets are quite a deal. And they won't leave traces of lead in your bore no matter how many of them you shoot and any indoor range welcomes them. And in my loads -- they are quite accurate and they run like a champ.
Heck yes, at my load bench there is!
Plated bullets are typically a lot cheaper than component jacketed bullets for the handloader.
I use plated bullets for times/places where I cannot or do not wish to use cast lead bullets.
I enjoy using cast lead bullets for the bulk of my handgun shooting outdoors. For the off season when the weather is crappy and I find myself on an indoor range, I'm typically using plated bullets. They shoot awfully well for me and they save me money over true jacketed bullets.
There are also cases where I need to stick to true jacketed bullets and for those, I don't use plated. They cost me more, but in some situations, I prefer them. (warm 10mm loads, full-bore .357 Magnum loads, .44 Mag loads for a Desert Eagle, .460 S&W Magnum loads... etc etc)
Plated bullets can seem expensive when compared to buying cast lead bullets. They will seem frighteningly expensive when you compare them to casting your own bullets. But compared to a box of 100 jacketed bullets, plated bullets are quite a deal. And they won't leave traces of lead in your bore no matter how many of them you shoot and any indoor range welcomes them. And in my loads -- they are quite accurate and they run like a champ.
cougar gt-e
New member
The method of getting the copper on the lead.
Plated is an electro process where dissolved copper is electrically transferred from the solution to the lead. The process is fairly complex, needs the chemical solutions, electricity and is HEAVILY regulated on the wastes.
Jacketed is a separately formed metal jacket that is then filled with lead. Process is automated and fast. Mobuck, they "Bond" the lead to the jacket one molecule at a time. That's not plating. I would guess that the copper jacket has a layer of metal (probably thin tin) and the bullet is heated up by induction so allow a metal bond to form. NOT plated up jacket.
Plated is an electro process where dissolved copper is electrically transferred from the solution to the lead. The process is fairly complex, needs the chemical solutions, electricity and is HEAVILY regulated on the wastes.
Jacketed is a separately formed metal jacket that is then filled with lead. Process is automated and fast. Mobuck, they "Bond" the lead to the jacket one molecule at a time. That's not plating. I would guess that the copper jacket has a layer of metal (probably thin tin) and the bullet is heated up by induction so allow a metal bond to form. NOT plated up jacket.
This from Speer Reloading Manual 12 page 416
Uni-Cor (heading)
"Speer's Uni-Cor bullets incorperate a process that builds a true jacket through the electro chemical bonding of pure copper to a lead core."
Gold Dot (heading)
"Uni-Cor technology allows Speer to the only mass produced hollow point handgun bullet with a true bonded core."
Speer's Uni-Cor process is plating. A very good quality plating, but plating none the less. There is no jacket formed separately.
Uni-Cor (heading)
"Speer's Uni-Cor bullets incorperate a process that builds a true jacket through the electro chemical bonding of pure copper to a lead core."
Gold Dot (heading)
"Uni-Cor technology allows Speer to the only mass produced hollow point handgun bullet with a true bonded core."
Speer's Uni-Cor process is plating. A very good quality plating, but plating none the less. There is no jacket formed separately.