Sig Sauer 38SPL, 125GR, ELITE BALL, FMJ - bullets are plated

[OlongJohnson]

Pulled one of these just for the heck of it tonight.

https://www.sigsauer.com/store/38spl-125gr-elite-ball-fmj.html

Bullet measured .3567, .3569 and .3567 at three different points. As would be expected, this stuff gave me smaller groups from my GP100 than the undersize Monarch (Academy / PPU) 158gr SJHP I posted about elsewhere.

The Sig's truncated-cone bullet had a fully-encapsulated base, rather than exposed lead like a true FMJ jacketed bullet. Looked plated. I confirmed that by hitting it with the corner of a file for a few strokes to see the thickness of the copper. Also squeezed it in a bench vise, and the copper moved like plating, not like any kind of separate jacket.

I don't have any axe to grind about this discovery. Just thought I'd share the information. Ball generally implies traditional FMJ construction, and Elite generally implies high-content product. Plated bullets generally cost about half as much as quality FMJ construction when sold as components. This "Elite" ammo does sell for a little less than you'd expect something with "Sig Sauer Elite" on the box to go for... Form your own opinion/emotions if you care.

[JAD]

If it's FMJ and it has a covered base without a noticeably separate cap, it's plated.

Electrchemical plating of copper to a non-cylindrical object is not that consistent.


Pulled one of these just for the heck of it tonight.

https://www.sigsauer.com/store/38spl-125gr-elite-ball-fmj.html

Bullet measured .3567, .3569 and .3567 at three different points. As would be expected, this stuff gave me smaller groups from my GP100 than the undersize Monarch (Academy / PPU) 158gr SJHP I posted about elsewhere.

The Sig's truncated-cone bullet had a fully-encapsulated base, rather than exposed lead like a true FMJ jacketed bullet. Looked plated. I confirmed that by hitting it with the corner of a file for a few strokes to see the thickness of the copper. Also squeezed it in a bench vise, and the copper moved like plating, not like any kind of separate jacket.

I don't have any axe to grind about this discovery. Just thought I'd share the information. Ball generally implies traditional FMJ construction, and Elite generally implies high-content product. Plated bullets generally cost about half as much as quality FMJ construction when sold as components. This "Elite" ammo does sell for a little less than you'd expect something with "Sig Sauer Elite" on the box to go for... Form your own opinion/emotions if you care.