Plastic-tipped bullet

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Green bullets of solid copper may use a plastic tip to preserve aerodynamic shape while enlarging the hollow point to improve expansion.
Artist's conception of the inside of the Glaser Safety Slug.
Ballistic Tips: Hornady 17 gr. V-Max 17HMR, .308 Winchester

A plastic-tipped bullet is a type of

spitzer
-like shape.

The plastic tip drives into the hollow point upon impact, causing the bullet to expand, which increases lethality. These bullets are typically designed for rifles and single-shot handguns, improving

semi-automatic pistols to improve ammunition feeding and prevent jams. The term "Ballistic Tip" is trademarked by Nosler, with other companies like Hornady and Sierra Bullets
also producing similar bullets.

Design and use

The bullets consist of a fairly normal hollow-point bullet with the frontal cavity filled in by hard plastic, which is molded into a streamlined shape. Most tips are made of polyoxymethylene, although some manufacturers have used polyester urethane-methylenebis(phenylisocyanate) copolymer.[1]

Upon impact, the plastic drives into the hollow point and the bullet performs like a standard hollow-point, expanding ("mushrooming") to a larger diameter. These bullets possess the aerodynamics for longer, more accurate flights, and the in-target performance to ensure high lethality.

Traditionally, these bullets are intended for use in

Cor-Bon/Glaser’s "Glaser Pow'RBall" line and Extreme Shock's "NyTrilium Air Freedom" ammunition (the "NyTrilium Air Freedom" cartridge also mimics the performance of Glaser Safety Slug
cartridges, as it uses hollow bullets full of powdered metal designed to fragment rapidly on hitting a target).

"Ballistic Tip" is a registered trademark of Nosler, but numerous other companies produce similar projectiles, including Hornady[2] and Sierra. Nosler uses a color code to indicate caliber on the polymer bullet tips, to make them easily distinguishable from each other: .224 orange,.257-blue, 6mm-purple, 6.5mm-tan, .270-yellow, 7mm-red, .30-green, .338-maroon and 8mm-dark blue.[3]

Examples

Notable examples include:

See also

  • APCBC

References

  1. ^ Thompson, Melisa C.; Lancaster, Cady A.; Banta, Michele G.; Hart, Crystal N.; Scanlan, Michael D.; Espinoza, Edgard O. "Chemical Properties of Selected Plastic-Tipped Bullets" (PDF). Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners Journal. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
  2. ISBN 978-1-58574-375-9
    .
  3. ^ "Ballistic Tip® Hunting Bullets". Ballistic Tip® Hunting Bullet Information. Retrieved 8 April 2020.


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