[sweeper22]

It's my understanding that the importation of steel-core pistol ammo is supposed to be illegal. I know a lot of people use "the magnet test" to check the composition of a bullet's core. I have about 1000 rounds of magnetic 124gr FMJ 9mm. It's also reasonably hot stuff, in the 1200fps range...so approaching a NATO round. A small neodymium disc magnet placed near the primer end will jump to the head of the bullet, from the outside of the box.

So my question is this- Does this mean anything at all? Does a seemingly highly magnetic 9mm bullet contain at least some degree of steel core or plating, and if so what are the consquences of this?

[billdeserthills]

Really means nothing unless the metal is like a tungsten-carbide or similarly hard enough material to puncture a vest or like item.

[res45]

Your magnet is being attracted to the steel bullet jackets which is pretty common in most of the commie ammo on the market these days including rifle and pistol ammo. I have Wolf and Brown Bear 9mm that is steel jacket lead core and I have 54r and X39 rifle ammo that is steel jacket and steel core but I don't have any that is AP.

It perfectly legal to have steel jacket pistol ammo or even steel core,however it's not longer legal to import the steel core or AP ammo into the USA if it can be fired in a handgun. Steel core can be found in 7.62 x 54r,5.45 x 39 rifle ammo and some imported 7.62 x 39 that was here before the ban by the ATF.

Even if you have steel core it probably not AP it's mild steel and is used because it's cheaper to use instead of lead as a filler material. True AP ammo will have as mentioned a tungsten-carbide or heat treat core. and the bullet tip is often times painted black to reflex that.

[sweeper22]

Thanks for the detailed info guys. It is of course primarily a lead core, I think it's just a case of an inner or partial steel jacket. The brand is Swiss RWS and I've had nothing but great performance (hence the 1000 rds). I just found it odd that among a couple dozen different pistol rounds I've got on the shelves, this was the only magnetic one among them.

[res45]

sweeper22 here is a vid you might enjoy. I may have to pick up a box or two of that at my local Wally World if they still have any to see how it shoots in my Ruger BH.

YouTube - RWS (Swiss) 9mm 124 gr FMJ Target Ammo

YouTube - RWS (Swiss) 9mm 124 gr FMJ Target Ammo

[canebrake]

Just don't frequent ranges that check your ammo!