▁very ▁dense , ▁thereby ▁providing ▁a ▁high ▁amount ▁of ▁mass — and ▁thus , ▁kin etic ▁energy — for ▁a ▁given ▁volume . ▁Le ad ▁is ▁also ▁cheap , ▁easy ▁to ▁obtain , ▁easy ▁to ▁work , ▁and ▁mel ts ▁at ▁a ▁low ▁temperature , ▁which ▁results ▁in ▁compar atively ▁easy ▁fabric ation ▁of ▁bul lets . ▁▁ ▁Le ad : ▁Simple ▁cast , ▁extr ud ed , ▁sw aged , ▁or ▁otherwise ▁fabric ated ▁lead ▁sl ugs ▁are ▁the ▁simplest ▁form ▁of ▁bul lets . ▁At ▁spe eds ▁of ▁greater ▁than ▁ 3 0 0 ▁m / s ▁( 1 0 0 0   ft / s ) ▁( common ▁in ▁most ▁hand g uns ), ▁lead ▁is ▁depos ited ▁in ▁rif led ▁b ores ▁at ▁an ▁ever - in cre asing ▁rate . ▁Al loy ing ▁the ▁lead ▁with ▁a ▁small ▁percentage ▁of ▁tin ▁and / or ▁ant im ony ▁serves ▁to ▁reduce ▁this ▁effect , ▁but ▁grows ▁less ▁effective ▁as ▁veloc ities ▁are ▁increased . ▁A ▁cup ▁made ▁of ▁harder ▁metal , ▁such ▁as ▁co pper , ▁placed ▁at ▁the ▁base ▁of ▁the ▁bullet ▁and ▁called ▁a ▁gas ▁check , ▁is ▁often ▁used ▁to ▁decrease ▁lead ▁depos its ▁by ▁protect ing ▁the ▁rear ▁of ▁the ▁bullet ▁against ▁mel ting ▁when ▁fired ▁at ▁higher ▁press ures , ▁but ▁this ▁too ▁does ▁not ▁solve ▁the ▁problem ▁at ▁higher ▁veloc ities . ▁A ▁modern ▁solution ▁is ▁to ▁pow der ▁coat ▁the ▁lead ▁project ile , ▁enc asing ▁it ▁in ▁a ▁protect ive ▁skin