Shawn Dodson
Member
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2002
- Messages
- 3,193
A flat nose FMJ bullet crushes a greater diameter of soft tissues as it penetrates than a round nose FMJ bullet. The round nose bullet allows soft tissues to stretch and flow around its smooth contours with little more than abrasion damage whereas the flat nose crushes tissues directly in the bullets path. The flat nose also propels soft tissues radially outward, creating a temporary cavity that envelops the bullet which decreases drag and allows the bullet to penetrate deeper than a round nose bullet FMJ of the same diameter, weight and velocity.
These effects can be seen on a paper target - a round nose bullet creates several stellate (star-like) tears in the paper. The torn paper can be moved back into original position and very little is missing. However with a flat nose bullet there's a hole that's been punched out with stellate tears around the periphery. The hole is paper that has been permanently disintegrated and removed.
The sharper the shoulder between the meplat and ogive the more effective the bullet's crushing and cutting mechanisms. The flat meplat crushes. The sharp shoulder cuts.
These effects can be seen on a paper target - a round nose bullet creates several stellate (star-like) tears in the paper. The torn paper can be moved back into original position and very little is missing. However with a flat nose bullet there's a hole that's been punched out with stellate tears around the periphery. The hole is paper that has been permanently disintegrated and removed.
The sharper the shoulder between the meplat and ogive the more effective the bullet's crushing and cutting mechanisms. The flat meplat crushes. The sharp shoulder cuts.
