Pond James Pond
New member
This topic came up the other day when idly discussing ammo choice. I have always understood that steel-jacketed is more punishing on barrels than copper jacketed. As such, choosing decent brass-cased, copper-jacketed ammo will be kinder to one's rifle than choosing steel-cased/jacketed.
However, another party pointed out that the jacket material was only really an issue with higher pressure and velocities and in the super-fast .223 cartridge, that is an issue for barrel wear, but in 20-odd% slower 7.62x39, the difference between steel-jacketed and copper was negligible.
Is this true?
(I have no horse in the race, other than having thought differently.)
However, another party pointed out that the jacket material was only really an issue with higher pressure and velocities and in the super-fast .223 cartridge, that is an issue for barrel wear, but in 20-odd% slower 7.62x39, the difference between steel-jacketed and copper was negligible.
Is this true?
(I have no horse in the race, other than having thought differently.)