Firearm projectiles and cartridges and methods of manufacturing the same

1. A method of forming a bullet from a length of clad wire, the clad wire including an inner core and a cladding surrounding the inner core, wherein the bullet is configured to be received within a standard caliber firearm cartridge, the method comprising:

obtaining a supply of copper-clad steel wire, wherein the copper-clad steel wire was manufactured as a standard gauge electrical wire;

reducing or enlarging the copper-clad steel wire from a standard gauge diameter to a diameter associated with the standard caliber firearm cartridge;

cutting a length of the copper-clad steel wire; and

after the reducing or enlarging, performing at least one of working and machining the length of the copper-clad steel wire to form at least a nose of the bullet.

2. A method, comprising:

forming a bullet from a length of clad wire, the clad wire including an inner core and a cladding surrounding the inner core, wherein the bullet is configured to be received within a standard caliber firearm cartridge, wherein the cladding is metallurgically bonded to the inner core and formed from a different composition than the inner core.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the clad wire is copper-clad steel wire.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the forming includes:

reducing a standard gauge clad wire from a standard gauge diameter to a reduced diameter, wherein the reduced diameter corresponds at least approximately to a diameter associated with the standard caliber firearm cartridge.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the forming includes:

cutting the clad wire into a bullet length;

after the cutting, working the clad wire into a near-final configuration of the bullet, wherein the working includes forming a nose of the bullet.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the working includes forming the nose of the bullet so that the cladding of the clad wire remains on at least a substantial portion of an outer surface of the nose of the bullet.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the forming further includes:

after the working, machining the clad wire to form at least a nose of the bullet.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the nose includes exposed metal from the inner core of the clad wire.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the forming further includes:

after the machining, imparting a corrosion-resistant coating to the bullet.

10. The method of claim 2 , wherein the forming includes:

enlarging a diameter of a length of the clad wire from a standard gauge diameter to an enlarged diameter, wherein the enlarged diameter corresponds at least approximately to a diameter associated with the standard caliber firearm cartridge.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the enlarging includes working the length of clad wire to form at least a nose of the bullet.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the forming further includes:

after the enlarging, machining the length of the clad wire to form at least a nose of the bullet.

13. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

prior to the forming, obtaining a supply of the clad wire from a third party.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the third party manufactures the clad wire as electrical wire.

15. The method of claim 2 , wherein the forming includes:

manufacturing the clad wire.

16. A bullet manufactured according to the method of claim 2 .

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method includes forming the nose of the bullet so that the cladding of the clad wire remains on at least a substantial portion of an outer surface of the nose of the bullet.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nose includes exposed metal from the inner core of the clad wire.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further includes imparting a corrosion-resistant coating to the bullet.

20. A bullet manufactured according to the method of claim 1 .

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cladding is metallurgically bonded to the inner core and formed from a different composition than the inner core.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cladding forms a continuous layer around the inner core.

23. The method of claim 2 , wherein the cladding forms a continuous layer around the inner core.

24. A method, comprising:

forming a bullet from a length of clad wire, the clad wire including an inner core and a cladding surrounding the inner core, wherein the bullet is configured to be received within a standard caliber firearm cartridge, wherein the forming includes enlarging a diameter of a length of the clad wire from a standard gauge diameter to an enlarged diameter, and further wherein the enlarged diameter corresponds at least approximately to a diameter associated with the standard caliber firearm cartridge.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the cladding is metallurgically bonded to the inner core and formed from a different composition than the inner core.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the cladding forms a continuous layer around the inner core.

27. The method of claim 24 , wherein the enlarging includes working the length of clad wire to form at least a nose of the bullet.

28. The method of claim 24 , wherein the forming further includes:

after the enlarging, machining the length of the clad wire to form at least a nose of the bullet.

29. The method of claim 24 , wherein the clad wire is copper-clad steel wire.

30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the clad wire is copper-clad steel electrical wire having a standard gauge.

31. The method of claim 24 , further comprising:

prior to the forming, obtaining a supply of the clad wire from a third party.

32. The method of claim 31 , wherein the third party manufactures the clad wire as electrical wire having a standard gauge.

33. The method of claim 24 , wherein the forming includes:

manufacturing the clad wire.

34. A bullet manufactured according to the method of claim 24 .