[devildoc]

I have a question for the ammo guys out there. Why doesn't anyone make ammo out of ceramic's? I have knives make out of it and they are light and sharp but brittel. Is there anyone that makes rounds out of ceramics?

 

[Texas Armadillo]

If they could make a bullet out of ceramic that would not be so brittle as to shatter when fired. It would probably be very expensive compared to metal ones. It would also not take to the rifling well.

 

[CHICAGO TYPEWRITER]

I think that would be hell on the bore! Woudn't that be like shooting wads of sandpaper? Not to mention it would most likly fragment on impact and not penetrate.

 

[Texas Armadillo]

What made you think of ceramic? Price? How about wood? Wooden pistol ammo may make a good practice round and be easy on the barrel too.

1950's wooden 6.5 Swede? Ah, looks like they are sold out.
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=151274

Germany and Japan used them.
http://www.trailblazersww2.org/history_woodenbullets.htm

 

[devildoc]

I was doing some reading on HK's caseless rounds and just thought that if you made a copper jacketed ceramic round (they are doing wicked things now-a-days with polymer ceramics) that you could design a round to penitrate a desire distance prior to terminal energy release. I thought that maybe someone else had had the same idea.

 

[BudP]

Ceramic is a natural abrasive... the "sandpaper" comment was on the mark. It's also too lightweight.

What you'd have, presuming someone wanted to use ceramic powder mixed with some sort of polymer, is a frangible with very little mass. Might work for air marshall work where they don't want much penetration. But if you're looking for frangibles, the existing copper/polymer ones are widely available and work great, but still are considerably lighter than similarly-sized lead-based bullets. The ceramics would be even worse...not sure what powder you'd use to load a 25gr 45ACP!

But it would sure cut down the recoil...

Bud

 

[Donnie]

I would think the weight, or Mass would be the main issue. Without propper mass it would not hit with much energy.

its kinda like the steel shot you have to use to hunt waterfowl now. (or heavy shot if you can afford it) Steel comes out of the barrel like a raging bull... but peters out in a short distance. It also does not carry much energy. I have seen steel shot bounce right off of goose feathers. Feathers are tougher than you think.

 

[jhs27275]

Another thread that was dead for almost five years brought back. :-D