Range Report Weird ..50?

[Eisande]

Found this bullet in the dirt at a range north of Los Angeles. It measures .506 inches diameter (widest part) and about 2.571 inches in length. The tip is slight deformed and it's pretty heavy, sorry I don't have a scale. There are three very deep grooves cut longitudinally and the numbers "3 7" are stamped on the rear.
Anyone have an idea what this round does? I will try to linky pics.....


Mike

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/hE0HZMb9SjN6OTwdPTH7fUVavNUTkDithxhmWcidLrU?feat=directlink

 

[lanwickum]

Re: Weird ..50?

never seen one like that. It looks to me to be an attempt a controled spin.

 

[bohem]

Re: Weird ..50?

How does a magnet react to it?

 

[Powder_Burns]

Re: Weird ..50?

Looks like a regular old .50 cal projectile to me. Wondering if 37 = 37grams = 578gr but the lightest .50 projos i see are 645gr..

 

[Eisande]

Re: Weird ..50?

I will try the magnet on it and bring it in to work to weigh it. Update tomorrow!

Mike

 

[Lt. Arclight]

Re: Weird ..50?

Maybe AP without the tungsten core.

 

[The Mechanic]

Re: Weird ..50?

Could be steel core or some of the steel projos used in some .50 competition barrels. If it is you should be able to deform the metal pretty easy as it is a soft steel. They would really shorten up the barrel life but supposedly worked pretty well in their time as custom bullets where not real common.

 

[Eisande]

Re: Weird ..50?

Not magnetic at all (tried it with a neodymium magnet). I will weight it tomorrow. Based on the rifles it appears to have been shot yet the tip is barely deformed. There appears to be some granite/rock still at the base of the groove cut into the bullet. The bottom has a small dimple (convex) dead center. The numerals 3 and 7 are to the left and right of the dimple.
I will weigh this thing tomorrow! Thanks again for the suggestions. It's a curious bullet.

 

[lrs50bmg]

Re: Weird ..50?

If it a brass or bronze alloy, it is one of the "bore rider" type of bullets used in .50 competition. Since it is non-magnetic it is likely a brass alloy.

The rear driving band should be of larger diameter than the front, although Barnes made some like this that were/are a full diameter for both driving bands.

The "wasp waist" section was a design to reduce the amount of bore resistance. The profile is very typical of the type of bullets typically used in FCSA competition. They varied in weight between 700 and 800 grains.

I have hundreds of projectiles of various designs similar to this.