Anyone use FMJ ammo as their carry ammo?

[MinnMooney]

I can see absolutely NO good reason for FMJ as 'carry' ammo. It penetrates walls & punches little tiny holes through body cavities without much real stopping power.

One reply was "I do 'cause it feeds through my gun while HP's don't." Then get a D-E-P-E-N-D-A-B-L-E handgun......... good grief, how elementary is that?!

 

[Onmilo]

I know of but one local case where a bullet completely penetrated a skinny burgler and hit the second skinny burgler standing behind the first skinny burgler killing the second and wounding the first.

I also now know exactly what cartridge was used in this shooting.
I won't name the manufacturer but I will tell the cartridge details,,,,

.40 caliber,,, 180 grain,,,jacketed HOLLOW POINT.

Pistol used was a Glock 22.

Unless you are using a total metal jacket FMJ, many FMJ open base bullets break up in soft tissue and do not "over penetrate".

 

[Balrog]

Which is better 9mm or 45 ACP?

 

[Erik M]

Oh man, not that can o' worms again

 

[Al Thompson]

Unless you are using a total metal jacket FMJ, many FMJ open base bullets break up in soft tissue and do not "over penetrate".

Got any data to support that statement?

FYI, 180 .40 and 230 .45 have about the same sectional density, so a shoot through on a skinny guy is not surprising. You think a FMJ wouldn't have done that?

 

[Deanimator]

Unless you are using a total metal jacket FMJ, many FMJ open base bullets break up in soft tissue and do not "over penetrate".

Got any data to support that statement?

Whether he knows it or not, he's talking about FMJ... RIFLE BULLETS.

The typical high velocity FMJ rifle bullet will turn base first upon entering the body, breaking apart at the cannelure, and often fragmenting.

I don't know about you, but I don't carry an M-4 for self-defense, nor a G-3 or AK-74. His "point" is completely irrelevant to the gist of the discussion.

 

[RockyMtnTactical]

I dont carry FMJ in my carry gun unless I am in the woods.

 

[PR-NJ]

Assuming I could get a CCW permit in New Jersey -- which I can't (no citizen can) -- I'd have to use FMJ bullets, since hollow-point bullets are for the most part illegal for non-LEOs. Knuckleheads in Trenton...

 

[ljnowell]

Still raging strong. I heard a new one though. It punches little bitty holes. I havent ever seen a .451" little bitty hole before.

 

[wally]

Thinking you won't hit bystanders just because you're using HPs is a false sense of security.

What criminals will attack you when you are in a crowd? Definitely an issue for the police when chasing bad guys, but I'm afraid if I'm attacked any "bystanders" are more likely to be accomplices than innocents

 

[CraigC]

I havent ever seen a .451" little bitty hole before.

Compared to a good SWC or JHP, yes, dismal. Forty five hardball certainly does not produce a .451" hole. Even a JHP that does not expand is infinitely better than hardball. Seriously, I don't know where this 'myth' comes from but if you believe it, you really need to do some testing of your own on something besides paper.

 

[orionengnr]

I only read the first two pages, and I couldn't stand any more...there was a serious collection of stupidity in those two pages.

FMJ ammo?
No.
Period.
Regardless of caliber.

If you insist on carrying an inadequate caliber, do as you will at your own risk.

If you carry an adequate caliber (9mm or greater) then you can use good quality JHPs with a degree of confidence.

There is no "magic bullet". But there is a difference between "pea shooter" and "defensive pistol".

You have to decide where that line lies....each of us does, and has.

 

[bigfatdave]

Still raging strong. I heard a new one though. It punches little bitty holes. I havent ever seen a .451" little bitty hole before.

Full metal jacketed round-nose ammunition does not drill out a hole.
It does not leave a cavity, it makes icepick-like wounds.

Why does this myth persist? Is it just trolling?

 

[ljnowell]

Compared to a good SWC or JHP, yes, dismal. Forty five hardball certainly does not produce a .451" hole. Even a JHP that does not expand is infinitely better than hardball. Seriously, I don't know where this 'myth' comes from but if you believe it, you really need to do some testing of your own on something besides paper.

No kiddin'? I think we all know this, its a statement made in jest. I find it insulting that you would take the time to post something like that. Talking down to people isnt high road at all, especially when you dont know the persons background. I would guess that I have cut up and butchered hundreds of deer shot with a variety of hollowpoint, SWC, flat nosed ammo. I am well aware of how it works.

Perhaps you should get out and do some testing too. That hollowpoint isnt an instant stop huge wound cavity either. Its better, but that is a comparison statement. I will use any ammo that I have loaded and not worry about its effectiveness.

 

[ljnowell]

Full metal jacketed round-nose ammunition does not drill out a hole.
It does not leave a cavity, it makes icepick-like wounds.

Why does this myth persist? Is it just trolling?

Now I am a troll? Really? You should be ashamed of yourself for posting that on the high road. No one implied that a permanant wound cavity of .451 would exist, I know that I certainly didnt, though it didnt stop you from making a snarky comment and pretending that I did.

 

[Hot brass]

Used to, not anymore. but I would not feel undergunned if all I had were 45acp fmj bullets to carry.

 

[PH/CIB]

FMJ Versus Hollowpoints

The reason I Dutch Load, alternating hollowpoints and full metal jacketed rounds in the magazine, is because in all the firefights I have been in, the Military with rifles, people being shot at take cover, a hollowpoint is best if a clear shot, but what if your attacker is behind a tree, or bushes, or a wall, or a car door, or a windshield, or wearing a bullet proof (resistent) vest or heavy clothing. or some other form of hard cover? I am assuming that a full metal jacket bullet will have a better chance of penetrating cover than a hollowpoint.

 

[mljdeckard]

Whether or not a cavity of .451" remains after the bullet is done, it most certainly does push through .451" of tissue. The temporary shock cavity may be much larger, but most organs are resilient enough to survive this. If the remaining cavity is less than .451", it is because it collapsed on itself, not because the wound channel wasn't cut in the first place. If an object .451" in diameter cuts through a target, it will not make a hole SMALLER than .451".

 

[Onmilo]

I'm not talking about rifle bullets.
I'm talking about pistol bullets.
You want proof?
Go shoot something besides a sand berm at a gun range.
Better idea.
Go talk to your local morgue.

They do the autopsies and dig the bullets out.

I am equally comfortable with a 9mm or a .45 acp, you won't get an arguement on which is better from me.

 

[PH/CIB]

For all of you who will not use FMJ because of overpenetration and worrying about innocent bystanders, well that it commendable. But what if your attacker starts shooting at you from behind hard cover, or you miss and your attacker takes cover behind hard cover and starts shooting at you, if your hollowpoint bullet does not penetrate the hard cover and then penetrate and kill your attacker, or if you don't get lucky and make a head shot, then all I can say is "I hope you like Harp Music!"

That is why I have a hollowpoint in the chamber and followed by FMJ and then alternating hollowpoints and FMJ in the magazine.

For those of you who say you never miss or would not miss during a gunfight, well maybe you won't, but my quess is most of you saying this have never been shot at before.

 

[md7]

I much prefer hollow point ammo for defensive use (thats what I have now) but would use fmj's if thats what or all that I had (beats no bullets at all). That's what I do, not saying that's what everyone should do. You gotta do whatever you feel is right for yourself and what you are comfortable with.

I am assuming that a full metal jacket bullet will have a better chance of penetrating cover than a hollowpoint.

^^^^I am no expert, but this sounds like a pretty good reason for carrying some fmj's along with HP's.

 

[bigfatdave]

Now I am a troll? Really? You should be ashamed of yourself for posting that on the high road. No one implied that a permanent wound cavity of .451 would exist, I know that I certainly didn't, though it didn't stop you from making a snarky comment and pretending that I did.

Perhaps you're taking a snarky comment too seriously yourself?

 

[bigfatdave]

I am assuming that a full metal jacket bullet will have a better chance of penetrating cover than a hollowpoint.

It might, but the cheap plinking stuff from Wal*Mart won't do any better than a quality HP would.

 

[CraigC]

Talking down to people isnt high road at all

I'm not talking down to anyone. Just seems to me that this is a thing of "myth" and to state so is not "talking down", it's presenting facts. Or requesting supporting facts. Anybody have any facts to back up their belief that hardball is a good fight stopper? Or are you just repeating what you've heard???

If an object .451" in diameter cuts through a target, it will not make a hole SMALLER than .451".

Untrue. One word, elasticity. Think about the difference between wadcutters' and roundnose bullets' effect on paper.

 

[Bovice]

I've always heard that the hollowpoint bullets don't really expand well unless they pass through a fluid (like the inside of someone's body) and pretty much act like FMJ through solids.