Rifle ammo
The vast majority of bullets are constructed of a solid lead core with a copper covering (called a “jacket”) that contains the lead. Lead is used because it’s an extremely dense, yet cheap metal, making it perfect for giving projectiles their weight while keeping the overall size small. Copper is used because it’s strong enough to keep the softer lead from de-forming, but soft enough to allow the gun’s rifling to “grip” the bullet.
The copper jacket starts out as a cup, having been cut from a long sheet. Through a process called “drawing,” the cup is lengthened and shaped to fit the profile of the projectile they’re making. These cups will eventually end up as jackets for 5.56 NATO rounds.
However, while this process is very efficient, it’s extremely difficult to actually get the metal to encase the entire lead core without any gaps. To keep production costs down, bullet manufacturers usually leave one end of the projectile open. Which end is open – and how that’s done – determines the classification of the projectile.
Here are three 150 grain .308 caliber bullets (a “grain” is a unit of bullet weight). And while they look very similar, the way in which they were manufactured is very different. The first projectile on the left is a “full metal jacket” (FMJ) round with a solid copper point. The other two are an open tip and a soft point bullet respectively, with openings in the copper at the tips of the projectiles.
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Federal Premium Brass .30-06 Springfield 165 Grain 20-Rounds SSII
Federal Premium provides performance, consistency, and reliability even at significant ranges. Each box contains 20 rounds of 165 grain .30-06 Springfield with Swift Scirocco II bullets.
$42.99 -
Federal Premium Brass .300 Norma Mag 215 Grain 20-Rounds BHH
Federal Premium delivers high performance and precision at long ranges. Each box contains 20 rounds of 215 grain .300 Norma Mag with Berger hybrid hunter bullets.
$78.39 -
Federal Premium Brass .300 Win Mag 180 Grain 20-Rounds SSII
Federal Premium delivers long-range precison with consistent reliability. Each box contains 20 rounds of 180 Grain .300 Win Mag with Swift Scirocco II bullets.
$42.99 -
Federal Premium Cape Shok 416 Rigby 20rd Box/10 box Case
Federal 416 Rigby 400 Grain Trophy Bonded Sledgehammer Solid$159.99 -
Federal Premium Cape-Shok Centerfire Rifle
Cape-Shok 9.3x62mm 286 Grain Woodleigh Hydro Solid$92.89 -
Federal Premium Nickel Plated Brass .30-06 168 Grain 20-Rounds BHH
Federal Premium provides exceptional accuracy, performance, and reliability required of long-range shooting. Each box contains 20 rounds of 168 grain .30-06 Springfield with Berger hybrid hunter bullets.
$42.99 -
Federal Premium Nickel Plated Brass 7mm WSM 160 Grain 20-Rounds NA
Federal Premium provides the excellent penetration, fast expansion, and weight retention required for long-range big game hunting. Each box contains 20 rounds of 160 grain 7mm WSM with Nosler accubond bullets.
$39.99 -
Federal Premium V-Shok Brass .224VAL 60 Grain 20-Rounds NBT
Federal Premium V-Shok is built for long-range precision varmint hunting with its boat-tail and polymer tip design. Each box consists of 20 rounds of 60 grain .224 Valkyrie with Nosler ballistic tip bullets and brass casings.
$29.99 -
Federal PRM 7MMREM 160GR NP 20rds
Federal Premium, 7MM REM, 160 Grain, Nosler Partition P7RF$49.99 -
Federal PWRSHK 300SAV 180GR SP 20rds
Federal PowerShok, 300 Savage, 180 Grain, Soft Point 300B$39.99 -
Federal PWRSHK 300WIN 150GR SP 20rds
Federal PowerShok, 300WIN, 150 Grain, Soft Point 300WGS$29.99 -
Federal PWRSHK 6.5X55 140GR SP 20rds
Federal PowerShok, 6.5X55 Swedish, 140 Grain, Soft Point 6555B$36.99