[chuck pullen]

I recently loaded my Kimber BP Ten II with 230gr. FMJ for the wintertime to avoid clogging of hollowpoints w/ multiple layers of clothing. Does anyone else make the same switch ?

[Marko Kloos]

I carry 230gr. FMJ in my 1911 regardless of climate.

If you're worried about the HP clogging, you can still load the gun with HPs in the winter. At worst, they'll perform like ball if they're clogged up, and they still have a chance of expanding if they don't get clogged.

[dsk]

CCI Gold Dots are known for their ability to expand even after going through a medium like glass or clothing. If you can afford it an even better option might be Cor-Bon's PowerBall.

[Wildalaska]

What Marko said

WildabulletisabulletAlaska

[WonderNine]

Hi, I carry FMJ 9mm in summer and winter.

In my .357 I do carry hollowpoints though. Not sure why...I guess I just like the Golden Saber load in that caliber.

[artherd]

Shoot and carry whatever ammo you're used to.

Most modern JHPs will go through clothing just fine. Look at the 4-layers of denim tests.

How many perps do you know that wear FOUR pairs of jeans?

[spacemanspiff]

what armpit do ya live in where they 'layer' their clothing? even up here in alaska, a simple coat over a t shirt is sufficient.

oh wait, ya'll are down stateside, right? where temps of 32 degrees F can kill a person? :neener:

[clubsoda22]

Here is pictures of various bullets on bare gellatin versus clothed
http://www.ammolab.com/Test%20Results.htm
(this is a link to the main page so you can read the guys disclaimer)

Rem. Golden saber: as you can see, one got plugged and failed to expand. Not bad results though, it's a popular LE ammo

Corbon Powerball: corbon does not use bullets with bonded jackets, many have experianced jacket separation with powerball leading to insufficient penetration. The .45 acp test results clearly demonstrate my issue with corbon not using bonded bullets, especially in their lighter ammo.

Black Hills: Most still have decent expansion throught clothing as compared to no expansion with FMJ.

Hornady TAP: I was personally unimpressed with the inconsistency through denim, thought they do have a good reputation.

Speer Gold Dot: I'm slightly bothered by the fact that the only tests ammolab has of Gold Dots are .45gap. I've seen much better performance of Gold Dots in other calibers through clothing. I'll try to find some. This is another very popular LE ammo as well as a very commonly used defence load among non-le

Win. Ranger Talon: These bullets are impressive in all tests i have seen, unfortunately you just can't get them everywhere because they are LE ammo. Watch out for gun show vendors selling the stuff, a lot of it is stolen LE ammo that does not have the FET paid on it. I do not recommend the "civillian version" of this ammo (has a different name) as Winchester has not tested it. They only test their LE ammo. This is another very popular LE round, though not as popular with the public as Gold Dots because winchester likes to restrict it for "special people"

Personal Year round recommendation: I use Talons, my buddy likes Gold Gots. We've both done the same amout of research on ammo. I say grab some talons if you find them, but gold dots are found just about anywhere and are pretty much just as good.

[enfield]

I switch to .380 FMJ in my BUG, because of data I've seen showing that fabric-clogged .380 hollowpoints don't penetrate as well as unclogged HP's or FMJ. I carry Winchester SXT HP's year around in my .40.

[Tomac]

I carry Federal's 200gr +P Expanding FMJ and so don't worry about clogged HPs.
Tomac

[clubsoda22]

I have some of those. They aren't the best performers, but they are still good ammo.

My issue with them is they don't expand to as big of a diameter as some hollowpoints. The .40, for instance, on average expands to .52", whereas my talons expand to .62

Also, they occasionally fragment/fail to expand for no apparent reason.

[Tomac]

clubsoda22, I agree the EFMJs can't match the maximum expansion potential of the better JHPs. However, I like not having to worry about HP clogging or damage reducing/preventing expansion and I like that the rd expands regardless of what it hits (helps prevent overpenetration). I've heard of some bad batches of .40 having the problems you've described but I've never experienced anything but consitent/reliable expansion in the 200rds I've fired to date. I don't claim EFMJ is better than JHPs, just better for my particular needs.
Tomac

[tbeb]

Nope, I use JHP's year round.

[ny32182]

I've always wondered about the argument that FMJ is better in the wintertime because a HP might get plugged. Even if a HP gets plugged, how does it perform? Like an FMJ. So you are basically guaranteed to give yourself the performance you claim to fear by doing so. Anyhow, not saying that FMJ can't be effective.

Those that do use FMJ: What brand/loading?

[Zeke Menuar]

Federal 230gr Hydra-Shoks in urban areas with the 2nd mag 230gr FMJ. In rural areas I usually load with 230gr FMJ or my hard-cast handloads. Time of year doesn't matter.

[VaughnT]

Summer or winter, on the job or off, I prefer to carry Georgia Arms 230g Gold Dot +P hollowpoints. All of the testing I've seen on the web shows the Gold Dot to be a good performer, well above the median average regardless of test. I'm not saying that it's the best expander, but it does well compared to all the others.

Another benefit is that the large orifice allows a maximum amount of material (in this case, the water in the body) to enter and therefore maximizes the chances of expansion. Look at the other HP's on the market and they won't show as large an opening. The Hydrashok even clogs the orifice with the stem, which is supposed to act as a wedge, forcing the pressure outward to increase chances of expansion, but it often clogs with cloth and doesn't expand at all.

And the biggest plus for me is that I can get this round in bulk at the local gunshows. I just picked up a hundred rounds this past sunday and paid about $27 total. A box of 25 hp's at the local gunshop often runs about the same price!

Of course, I was very quick to test these rounds in my duty pistol to make sure they functioned well. Burning off my old stuff this afternoon showed absolutely no problems in 105 rounds fired.

[Jeff OTMG]

I carry RBCD and they are not hollowpoints so there is nothing to get clogged.

[ny32182]

Summer or winter, on the job or off, I prefer to carry Georgia Arms 230g Gold Dot +P hollowpoints. All of the testing I've seen on the web shows the Gold Dot to be a good performer, well above the median average regardless of test. I'm not saying that it's the best expander, but it does well compared to all the others.

Another benefit is that the large orifice allows a maximum amount of material (in this case, the water in the body) to enter and therefore maximizes the chances of expansion. Look at the other HP's on the market and they won't show as large an opening. The Hydrashok even clogs the orifice with the stem, which is supposed to act as a wedge, forcing the pressure outward to increase chances of expansion, but it often clogs with cloth and doesn't expand at all.

And the biggest plus for me is that I can get this round in bulk at the local gunshows. I just picked up a hundred rounds this past sunday and paid about $27 total. A box of 25 hp's at the local gunshop often runs about the same price!

Of course, I was very quick to test these rounds in my duty pistol to make sure they functioned well. Burning off my old stuff this afternoon showed absolutely no problems in 105 rounds fired.

Are you talking about the GA Arms loaded Gold Dots that are available at their table at the gunshows around here? I keep their 9mm+P and .40+P loaded in my guns and have never experienced any problems with either.

Where WAS the gunshow this past weekend, btw? I missed it.:fire:

[Sean Smith]

A clogged hollowpoint acts like FMJ. Therefore, there is no reason to use FMJ instead of hollowpoints because you are afraid they will get clogged... you are merely guaranteeing the bad outcome you were worried might happen with the hollowpoints.

In general, I've always been amused by the argument against hollowpoints that they "don't always expand." Well, duh. But FMJ will never expand. When hollowpoints fail, they are still no worse than FMJ.

[enfield]

A clogged hollowpoint acts like FMJ.

I'll accept that as a generalization, but not as a law. Data I've seen says it's not true for .380 ACP. A clogged .380 HP doesn't penetrate the same as an unclogged one, or a FMJ. I wish I could find the link to the test data, maybe it's on my laptop . . .

[Sean Smith]

A bunch of the tests over at Ammolab.com show that hollowpoints shot into heavily clothed gelatin "fail" by over-penetrating and under-expanding.