Bonded Bullet
Definition
A projectile whose core and jacket are joined at their interface through a bonding process. This differs from a mechanical lock. Actual construction must be established from examination and reliable product information; retained mass alone does not demonstrate bonding or guarantee future performance.
Manufacturer documentation distinguishes construction mechanisms: Speer describes a bonded Uni-Cor jacket/core interface, while Hornady describes the mechanical InterLock band in Critical Duty FlexLock bullets. These are different arrangements, even when both are designed to retain core material.
Related terms
- Bullet Expansion
- An increase in a projectile’s transverse dimensions through deformation during interaction. It differs from fragmentation, which separates material into pieces. Recovered dimensions...
- Bullet Fragmentation
- Break-up of a projectile into multiple pieces during interaction. Construction, orientation, impact conditions and the contacted material affect the outcome. Recovered fragments...
- Core-Jacket Separation
- Separation of a projectile’s core and surrounding jacket into distinct components. It can produce multiple recoveries from one projectile, but their positions...
- Expansion Ratio
- The expanded diameter divided by a specified original diameter. For an asymmetric recovered projectile, maximum and minimum dimensions or another stated convention...