Why should I use hollow points?

The ammo I carry in my main CCW, a Taurus 450, is somewhat 'mission specific'. When the weather is warm and I'm in town I carry 225gr Silvertips. In the woods and in the winter when I might need more penetration, I carry 260 LSWC handloads.

Biker

Common knowledge amonst shooters that hollowpoints are designed to mushroom on impact to lessen overpenetration and create a larger wound channel and more energy dump to devestate flesh, bone, and organs and cause maximum disruption without through and through.

Conversely fmj are designed for deeper penetration.

Seems to me there is wisdom carrying for what the weather or conditions dictate.

For cold weather carry you should consider that your armed attacker may have heavy denim, leather, or other clothing. Thus a fmj may be more appropriate.

For warm weather your attacker may be lightly clothed so an HP might be a good choice.

Also, if you carry extra ammo, consider carrying the opposite of what you have in your gun; for instance if you load with fmj consider carrying spare HPs.

View attachment 41349

FMJ RN = Full Metal Jacket Round Nose
HP = Hollow Point
FMJ FP = Full Metal Jacket Flat Point


Personally, I want a more predictable and consistant projectile, and I think I've found it in solid, soft-lead, copper plated bullets having flat points.

In my Glock 19 for self defense I use Speer Gold Dots 124 gr JHP's? Why? Because my wife and I live in an apartment and I want an ammo that won't blast through my neighbors wall. Will HP's do that? Sure they will. Bottom line. Shot placement is everything. Don't miss!

FWIW, beyond the over pentration issue, JHP or SP's are less likely to ricochette, which may be an issue in a crowded environment.

Personally, I carry premium JHP ammo. I figure if it expands properly, I'm ahead of the curve, and if it doesn't, well, I'm no worse off that if I had used FMJ to begin with. And all'n'all, shot placement still matters more than anything else.

They might expand causing a bigger wound channel and drop more energy in side the BG. If it does not expand, it is expensive FMJ!

so it is not a good idea to carry hollow points in a semi auto?

that is up for you to decide

fmj
+a bit more reliable feeding (n/a if you find a reliable feeding jhp)
+penetrates stuff better (doors, windows, arms)
+cheaper

jhp
+can expand nicely
+less likely to make "glancing" blows on cranium
+has a better chance of stopping inside of BG


like someone said and others will again and again, if you can put the bullets where they need to be quickly, the only thing that really matters about your ammo and firearm is reliability (and adequate penetration power). the choice of hollowpoint or not is up to you, depending on what you value/want out of you guns performance.

He used FMJ because by law, he had to, all military does. In the military it is referred to as "hardball" and all small arms from pistols to rifles are hardball ammo when you are speaking military.

Click to expand...

doesn't this have something to do with the Geneva Convention? aka Laws Of War?

something about how it's more "humane" to shoot a person with a solid bullet cause it might cause less damage if it just flies thru them, as opposed to fragmenting or mushrooming and tearing everything apart.

I might be wrong, but I think it does.

I rely on HP

(higher power)

I trust God but I load my Glock with gold dot .40S&w...
I did a field test with a thick hard covered book from 30 yards
and the .40 made huge exit holes, bigger then .38, .9mm, .357....
only thing is we also had a K98 and we shot a .8mm those exit holes were even bigger

ummm...

because there can be (at best) one winner...and you want to be it?



If not...never mind.

FMJ for me is just fine.

Everywhere that I ever been in the militery "hardball ammunition" was referred as
Ball ammunition.

IMHO today's JHP ammo from the major manufacturers is all good - Hydra-Shok, Golden Saber, Gold Dot, Ranger SXT, even the ordinary "JHP" . . . I suggest you go with whatever is most reliable in your particular handgun.

Using "+P" or "+P+" is a worthwhile upgrade if you have a sturdy gun.

If a JHP expands, you're ahead of the game. If it doesn't, you're no worse off than if you had ball.

There's something to be said for alternating ammo, or having a more penetrating load in your extra mag, on the theory that if you do need more than the statistical average of 2.7 shots, your opponents are probably behind cover.

FWIW, I use Remington 115 JHP +P in my Browning, Speer 115 Gold Dot +P+ in my Glock, Remington 230 Golden Saber in my .45, and Winchester 145 STHP in my 340SC. I just picked up some Winchester Ranger 127 JHP +P+ which I'll be trying in my Glock, as the Speer +P+ load is getting harder to find.

If you are going to use hollow points, a little research goes a long way.

If you plan to reload, try and get an idea of the velocity numbers for the bullet you want to use.
It's pretty common to drive the hp too fast, leaving you with fragmentation and shallow-penetration or over-expansion also giving shallow-penetration.

Ammo manufacturers are not magicians either. Some, IMO, are outright crooks, often citing very high velocity figures (to elicit sales no doubt) on a bullet design meant for much lower velocity, again left with frag and/or shallow penetration.

Try and find up-to-date gelatin test data.

Best of luck on the rickety road to HP performance.

I use .45 hydra-shok in my Kimber Ultra Carry II

Just because no one has mentioned it:

Federal's HST.

It is the choice of LEO in my area.
I find it very rare that modern firearms will not feed hollow points.
You might have problems with semi-wad cutters, but HP's should feed just fine.



These are all 180 grain 40 S&W.
top row, left to right:
Federal HST Corbon (don't remember the model#) Speer Gold-Dot Winchester SXT

Bottom row:
Federal Hydra-Shok Remmington Golden Saber Federal Expanding full metal Jacket (EFMJ)

All were fired by myself into 10% calibrated ballistic gelatin.

And for you .45 folks: