Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Indentify a 38 Special round?

First, let me say comment on what a wonderful forum this is. I'm very happy to have found such a group of knowledgeable and friendly people. I'm a new member but I've been reading posts here for hours each day the past few weeks as I've been home from work after having some "body" work done. And, as many of us do when we are suddenly presented with extra time in each day, I've come up with dozens of questions I'd like to enter in this forum but I'll start with this one.
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<br>Long ago I realized that I wasn't going to inherit millions and I'd never make enough money to buy ALL of the firearms I'd like to own so I started to collect cartridges. Nothing big time, just one here and one there. My collection has grown to over 2000 cartridges over the years and I have one that I came across some years ago that is bothering me and I'm hoping someone here knows what it is.
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<br>It is a 38 Special, Lapua headstamped, that contains a light grey VERY lightweight bullet. Shaking the round you can hear a small charge (less than 20% full) of powder. The bullet is covered by what appears to be a thin coating of slick feeling plastic. Here are a few pictures of the cartridge:
<br>http://www.geocities.com/bttg1/cartridges/strange38.html
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<br>One other major difference is that the entire cartridge weights only 112.8 grains. I weighed a few other 38 Specials and they averaged over 225 grains total weight.
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<br>Thanks for any help in this matter.
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I can't really help, never seen one like that, but it is almost certainly some kind of a range bullet, that is one designed to shoot at close ranges, very possibly on an indoor range, again, very possibly for police/military practice use.

I think or rather guess that this is what is called a parlor round. Made to shoot indoors at short range. See if it is attracted to a magnet. If so the bullet is sintered iron made to turn to dust when it hits something.
<br>BCR

The projectile is not magnetic but there is a lightweight metallic projectile under the coating.
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<br>I just received an email stating that the round might be one of the "teflon" coated bullets that were produced in the 70s. The person didn't have any more information other than the cartridges were taken off the market quickly as they were very high velocity ("hyper velocity" was they term he used) and would slide through a ballistic vest "like a hot knife through butter".
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<br>Does that sound right or does it just bring up more questions? Plus, would possesion of that type of round be illegal?
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Dont think its a teflon round all that i ever delt with had a cone point to aid in penetration.
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<br>Could it be a nylon bullet?
<br>we had some special ops guys that used them
<br>Extreme high velocity at close range but harmless at 50 feet.
<br>Supposed to work well inside of aircraft.
<br>perk