Ti Bullets

[ceriksson]

Though I'm pretty sure they are illegal.

Watching a movie they mentioned the bad guy using titanium bullets. I wouldn't think Ti would make a good bullet because it lacks weight?. What really would its benefits be anyway?

 

[.330Dakota]

I would think they are hard on a barrel as well.

 

[jim webster]

everything is possible in the movies including ice bullets and ones made out of frozen hamburger......never heard tell of one made out of titanium though....might be a bit pricey to shoot cans with

 

[acrashb]

Wouldn't be illegal. But would be a lousy bullet material. Too hard, too light.

 

[Parker-Hale Mike]

Wow, would that make a mess! It would be interesting trying to compress and push material that is harder than your barrel through at the speed of sound, I think Darwin would find you.

 

[Dmay]

Whats the penetrator in a AP round made of?
Just asking....don't know if its Ti.

 

[tiriaq]

Often tungsten carbide.

 

[tootall]

Read the Newbie FAQ Section. (link below)

AP handgun ammo is prohibited.
AP rifle ammo is fine.

And a solid piece of a very light, fairly hard material would make a poor bullet

 

[wobbles99]

I would imagine Ti would require a sabot of some sort to be used in a standard steel barrel.

 

[sunray]

"...Often tungsten carbide..." Usually tungsten carbide in small arms. Ti is far too expensive and difficult to machine for bullets.
"...everything is possible in the movies including..." Exactly.

 

[wobbles99]

Here's a question. Which would penetrate further?

A standard FMJ copper jacketed bullet or a Ti bullet of the same size and shape.

Lets say the medium that they were shot into was:

A. Steel
B. Soft targets, ballistic gel or similar.

I'd like to see what A very hard but light bullet would do in comparison to a softer but heavier bullet.

 

[Gunnerlove]

Most 5.56mm NATO FMJ has a hardened steel penetrator in it.

Steel is cheaper than lead and easier/cheaper to machine than tungsten.

 

[BattleRife]

The marketing of "titanium" has been very effective, so effective that few people actually realize what its real properties are.

A lot of people think that titanium is very light, lighter than aluminum. In fact, Ti is approaching double the density of aluminum.

A lot of people think that titanium is harder and stronger than steel. In fact, titanium is as soft as or softer than weldable, mild steel (HRB 80), with about the same tensile strength.

A lot of people think that titanium is corrosion proof and will stand up to anything. In fact, strong caustics and acidic halogens (particularly fluorine) are pure death to all the Ta-group metals, and at medium-high temperatures titanium burns like a strip of magnesium in grade 10 science class.

A titanium bullet would be too expensive to buy, too difficult to form, too light and soft to penetrate, and would stand a real chance of self-igniting in your barrel and burning like a road flare as it went downrange. A more terrible choice in ballistic material could scarcely be imagined.