Thats My question, are they bad or does it matter much? I never hardly load fmjs to thought it actually matter. I was looking on midway was checking on prices of 22cal bullets and it got me thinking does fmj's harm the barrel if I was just plinking half the time or more.

No

When i was a kid, back in the 70's, my grandfather used to refer to fmj's as "steel jackets". Specifically in a 222 for shooting turkey. Later in life I referred to this and an older gent explained that a lot of manufactures made steel jacketed fmj's.
Those would/could harm your barrel.
You'd have to go back decades to find US ammo manufactured steel jackets I assume, as they were considered old ammo in the 70's

Perry

quote:

Originally posted by perry:
When i was a kid, back in the 70's, my grandfather used to refer to fmj's as "steel jackets". Specifically in a 222 for shooting turkey. Later in life I referred to this and an older gent explained that a lot of manufactures made steel jacketed fmj's.
Those would/could harm your barrel.
You'd have to go back decades to find US ammo manufactured steel jackets I assume, as they were considered old ammo in the 70's

Perry

I have a box of old Hornady 220 gr solid .308s (actually, a very consistent .3075). They are copper clad steel. Gives one old school Safari vibes…

No. However, the term, Full Metal Jacket, only means that the bullet is completely covered by the jacket (except usually the base). Without telling you what the jacket material is made from.
During WW2, and for many other countries now, jackets were and are made from Steel. As are/were some DG bullets.
So there is plenty of steel jacketed FMJ/military ammo on the market. Most don't know it because they are copper colored. Cartridge cases too; copper is an expensive and strategic material and we have been looking for an alternative for decades and still are. Even the US made steel cases for 45 and carbines, and many steel jacketed bullets in WW2.
And plated with copper, or sometimes nickel. Do those show inordinate wear? I don't notice any difference, I think propellant erosion will get your barrel first.
Not something to fret about if you are using commercial bullets.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd: I don't notice any difference, I think propellant erosion will get your barrel first.
Not something to fret about if you are using commercial bullets.

Correct and we should add to that improper or overly aggressive cleaning! (don't drink and clean) LOL
I suspect more rifles are "cleaned out" than "shot out"!

Zeke

I do think the steel jacketed solids for dangerous game can be harder on a barrel than the standard guilding metal ones. (And I know they have a jacket over the steel) Same with the bronze solids.

I’ve shot a .416 Rigby barrel out and that was what I got back from the manufacturer… so full price for rebarrel.

FMJ/lead core, no worries!

Ok thanks guys.

Hornady presently makes copper coated steel jacketed large caliber bullets!

I don't know if they are still offered, but Norma used to make their target bullets with steel jackets. I doubt that they would have marketed target bullets which would present more bore wear than other jacketed bullets.

The steel used in bullet jackets is MUCH softer than that of the barrel. They wear a bore no more than copper, and in fact, don't tend to leave a residue in the bore like copper bullets can.

Most of the cheap .223 and 7.62x39 ammunition is loaded with steel bullets and some cretins run those through 30 rounds at a time just to hear the gun go "bang". Clearly, that ain't good for the bore, but the wear is from heat and friction, not from the hardness of the jackets.

As compared to what?

If compared to soft-noses, copper monolithic solids, I would think not.
If compared to cast lead, I believe they would wear a barrel faster?