Why buy FMJ handgun bullets?

Status
Not open for further replies.
A

Armed012002

Member.
Joined
Jan 11, 2009
Messages
279
I'm surprised to see the difference in prices between JHP vs. FMJ.

.45 ACP per 1,000:

Remington 230 gr. .45 caliber FMJ $164
Winchester 230 gr. .45 caliber FMJ $174
Hornady 230 gr. .45 caliber FMJ $188
Hornady XTP 230 gr. .45 caliber JHP $198
Remington Golden Saber 230 gr. .45 caliber JHP $206
Speer Gold Dot 230 gr. .45 caliber JHP $300

9mm per 1,000:

Winchester 124 gr. 9mm FMJ $107
Remington 124 gr. 9mm FMJ $118
Hornady 124 gr. 9mm FMJ $132
Remington Golden Saber 124 gr. $127
Hornady XTP 124 gr. 9mm JHP $150
Speer Gold Dot 124 gr. 9mm JHP $205

Based on MidwayUSA prices, for $10 to $30 more you can buy XTP or Golden Saber bullets.

That's one to three cents more per bullet.

Why buy FMJ bullets when you can reload JHP for roughly the same price?
 
Some people are so cheap they would dig those FMJ's out of the berm and reuse them if they could.
 
918v said:
Some people are so cheap they would dig those FMJ's out of the berm and reuse them if they could.
Click to expand...
Heck ya! Why not? hehe.

Also, why buy the more expensive bullets when its just ammo for practicing? Or am I missing something? Spending the money on HPs is just a waste as far as I can tell.
 
Some people are so cheap they would dig those FMJ's out of the berm and reuse them if they could.
Click to expand...

I got started reloading helping recover lead bullets when I was a kid. We called it using what we could afford. If we could shoot the same bullet two or three times we got to shoot two or three times as much.
 
Why shoot Gold Dots into a dirt berm, when you can shoot FMJ for 1/2 the price??

I did HAVE to buy GDs for my Makarov, as thats all that was available at the time, but now lead is plentifull;)
 
simply for lead in air contamination at indoor ranges. Plus some finicky pistols do not ramp load well with soft tip or lead. Some department and military only allow FMJ as well, so best to train with what is allowed. Also leading of the barrel can be a concern when using lead at high pressures. Otherwise, it is simply a matter of choice and ecoonomy.
 
You are asking the wrong question: Why spend 1-3 cents more, when I could load FMJ for less?
 
A 10 percent savings is 10 percent more shooting. Hollow points don't expand well when shot through paper.
 
In my case, there are two reasons:


  • .45 230gr FMJ ball from Precision Delta is a helluva lot cheaper than what you've listed from other manufacturers above ($119 per 1K)
  • The weekly plate shoots at my range prohibit JHP due to their tendency for splashback on steel. And that's where most of my ammo dollar gets spent.
 
I try to keep the most inexpensive projectile that is = to what I will be shooting for SD and FMJ with the same propellant in same weight is close enough. Otherwise it would be all lead or plated lead for my firearms.:D
 
I buy Prec. D. 9mm/FMJ @77.00/1000, delivered. Let's see, if I buy 5000 it comes to around 400.00, Rem GS @ Midway is 127.00/1000 + s/h=~630.00 so I can actually buy almost 3000 more from PD for the same money.
 
One to three cents more per bullet times a thousand is $10 to $30.
And 1000 does not last me 1 month. Multiply that by 12 months and that 1 to 3 cents adds up.
 
I always wonderd why people load hollow points that work like FMJ. Like montana gold. I hear they fly pretty well? If i'm loading JHP's i want some expansion.
 
Because some indoor ranges do not allow hollow point or lead bullets and require FMJ.
 
Saving 3 cents a round on bullets pays for the primer. Besides, at plinking velocities most hollow-points do not expand reliably anyway. Paper and bowling pins do not care at all what they get shot with, and since they are not an immediate threat, the whole penetration vs expansion thingy is moot.
 
simply for lead in air contamination at indoor ranges. Plus some finicky pistols do not ramp load well with soft tip or lead. Some department and military only allow FMJ as well, so best to train with what is allowed. Also leading of the barrel can be a concern when using lead at high pressures. Otherwise, it is simply a matter of choice and economy.
Click to expand...

Internet myth repeated enough times does NOT become fact! FMJ bullets have the lead base exposed to hot powder gases, so there goes your assertion that you're eliminating lead in the air. Actually, the HP bullet has a solid copper base, it would be better for less-lead shooting.

Properly cast and lubed lead boolits do not lead up a barrel. Either learn how to do it right, or stop bad-mouthing lead boolits.

If an auto pistol doesn't shoot HP or lead because of ramp problems, then get it fixed. A good pistol smith will polish or alter the feed ramp or magazines so it WILL shoot SWC, lead RN, or HP bullets.:scrutiny:
 
Why spend the extra cash on Hollow points when I am just killing paper. If I decided to carry some day I will be using factory ammo as my carry ammo.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

D
  • Locked
9mm Golden Saber oal?
Replies
4
Views
1K
CZ57
C
LiveLife
  • Locked
Not all 9mm jacketed/plated bullets are sized the same
2
Replies
37
Views
6K
Walkalong
Walkalong
T
  • Locked
Powder Choice
Replies
19
Views
1K
Longbow
L
S
  • Locked
OAL data for Dardas Bullets?
Replies
3
Views
827
rcmodel
R
J
  • Locked
Looking for Load Data on two Precision Delta FMJ bullets
Replies
7
Views
2K
joecil
J
Back
Top