I was given 4 boxes of Hornady bullets and have a question.Is it normal for these bullets to be a steel color? I thought they would have a copper jacket. They are .284 spire points in 139 gr and interlocks in 162 gr btsp.

Thanks

They have a copper jacket - perhaps they have been moly coated? Were they sealed boxes, or had they been opened? If sealed, they will indicate moly-coated on the packaging (though I'm not sure Hornady ever coated those bullets and weights). If they're not sealed, someone may have coated them after purchase.

They were opened. Some have a blueish marbling on them like they got hot.

That falls under the "I have no idea!" category.

I'd go along with the moly treatment theory.

Polish one and see if it's brass under the shinny coat...can turn a kind of odd color if they've been heated...and it makes the jackets soft., but heat enough to turn them would probably also melt the tips a bit.

I took a knife and scratched the base of one and found copper under the coating. I think you guys are right on the coating thing. The tips are still intact no signs of being melted.


Kdub,

Do you work out at Usery Mtn range? If so I might have met you, I was helping a hunter ed class durring the summer. A friend and I stayed after to shoot. I had on an orange instructor vest.

IF the tips aren't melted, it isn't heat that turned them...most likely they are molly-coated (or one of the other molly-like coatings).

AZ300 -

Yup, used to be a full time rangemaster at RSSC, but had to give it up when my brother and mother had health problems. Work there now as a volunteer, mostly during the sighting-in days.

Usually shoot on early morning Thursday's now to miss the crowds. Come on out and intro yourself - just ask any of the RM's where I'm at - they all know me (some will even admitt it!)