Are dumb-dumbs legal?

[jpsimms]

Hi guys,
I was just curious if dumb-dumbs are legal. I live in Or. and a friend uses them and gave me some, but I dont know the laws regarding this. Also are there any other types of ammo not legal either federally or by state law? I am most interested in Or. but any other state's laws may be helpful to know as well.

Sorry if this has been addressed before, and thank you for responses.

JP

 

[nalioth]

Not sure what you're asking.

If you're referring to dumdum bullets, that's just another name for a hollow point.

 

[hksw]

Are you refering to hollow points or actual dum-dum ammo from Dum Dum, India? (In either case should be legal unless your local government has some law against hollow points.)

 

[Mojo-jo-jo]

"Dum-dum" bullets are expanding bullets, usually (but not always) referring to the variety home-made by cutting into the tip of a unjacketed lead bullet.

If you are, in fact, using the home-made variety, go with a reputable commercial semi-jacked hollow point instead. The home-made variety are an interesting Hollywood plot twist, but really not any more effective than a round-nose lead bullet.

Hollow point bullets are legal for all appropriate uses except in the state of New Jersey. In fact, they are required for hunting in most (if not all) states.

The state of New Jersey places restrictions on the use of hollow point ammunition. It can be possessed in your home, while hunting, to and form the range and while target shooting. However carrying of a weapon loaded with hollow point or other defensive uses are prohibited except for police officers.

You are fine in Oregon.

 

[Titan6]

According to the Great Gazoo Dumb Dumbs are legal but nothing but trouble.

 

[hitbackfirst]

Unfortunately they are legal... They show up at the polls every year and send more of them to congress!

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

If you're talking about cutting into a regular bullet to make it expand, just go with real hollow points. boxoftruth.com did a segment on homemade expanding bullets. IIRC, they are not very effective. Plus a prosecutor will have a blast ripping into you for trying to make your bullets more deadly.

 

[hankdatank1362]

In fact, they are required for hunting in most (if not all) states.

Really? No state I've ever hunted in has such a law on their books.

 

[Funderb]

yeah hank,
for hunting in every state in the us you cannot use FMJ
rounds.
Thus, "dum-dums" are required, as it is a blanket term for all expanding bullets.

 

[csmkersh]

*

The original Dum Dums were soft lead rifle cartridges made at the Dumdum Arsenal in India. Caused a riot when the workers discovered the lube was animal fat.

"Modern" dumdums are nothing more than either round nosed lead with an "X" cut in the nose or FMJ that have had the nose clipped.

And, yes, they are legal, but in rifle, get Sierra Match Kings like the military uses in their sniper rounds or any of the hollow point handgun loads currently manufactured.
​

 

[misANTHrope]

yeah hank,
for hunting in every state in the us you cannot use FMJ
rounds.
Thus, "dum-dums" are required, as it is a blanket term for all expanding bullets.

Expanding projectiles are generally required. "Hollow-point" projectiles are not, which was the statement that was made.

Granted, it's splitting hairs.

 

[hankdatank1362]

Ahhhh. Gotcha.


My bad.

 

[jpsimms]

yeah, I meant cutting into the bullet, and I know they are not too effective, my question was whether or not it's ok to change factory ammo, I suppose I have my answer.

Thanks

 

[csmkersh]

yeah hank,
for hunting in every state in the us you cannot use FMJ

Texas has no such prohibition. Yes, we prohibit hunting with full autos or suppressed firearms, but FMJ are not banned. Check Texas' Means and Methods on-line
​

 

[Don Gwinn]

I don't think there's a state in the union where it makes a legal difference whether you modify your factory ammunition.

 

[LawBot5000]

NJ outlaws JHPs for self defense use but I'm not sure what dum-dum's would qualify as. Some might calls them HPs, but it might be more correct to call them semi-wadcutters or soft points.

But dum-dums are a primitive version of the modern soft point ammo that you use for hunting. The british did it because the 303 british FMJ round was a weak wounder compared to big bore rifles they had been using.

I wouldn't do the dum-dum thing for two reasons:
1) it doesn't work as well as modern self defense ammo. The modern stuff is WAY better. IMO, you are best off using either FMJ or finding out what the local cops use and copying them. When a lawyer asks "why did you choose to use Acme Mega-Deadly in your gun?" you can answer "I asked some cops I was shooting with and they said it was what their department issues."
2) it makes you look like a raving psychotic/vigilante who is trying to make his bullets inflict extra harm and suffering. Even though your stuff isn't as deadly as off the shelf gold dot/ranger/hydra-shok or even cheapie UMC JHP, the first lawyer for an adverse party who finds out that you were shooting special handmade bullets for enhanced deadliness will find a way to trot out an army of expert witnesses to testify about what you've done. The jury might end up judging your odd choice of projectile rather than the actions of the guy who attacked you in the first place.

 

[Cannonball888]

My father told me he knew many WII soldiers who made dum-dums in spite of the Geneva Convention rules.

 

[LawBot5000]

Because 30-06 doesn't hit hard enough?

Though in fairness, I could see slicing around the middle of the projectile to weaken the jacket holding the round together so that it breaks apart on yawing. Dunno how well it would work, but it would be much harder to detect and probably more effective.

 

[Titan6]

I don't think there's a state in the union where it makes a legal difference whether you modify your factory ammunition.

Unless you are making armor piercing ammunition, specially designed to kill police.

 

[Funderb]

Because 30-06 doesn't hit hard enough?

probably the ones using the .30carbine.
I'd modify that bullet if i wanted to kill anything!
ha.

 

[TBeck]

I was just curious if dumb-dumbs are legal.

Yep. Congress is full of them. We need to pass a law soon, before somebody gets hurt.

 

[Antipasta]

New Jersey doesn't prohibit them for SD purposes in the home, which is the only place you can defend yourself with a gun since there is no CCW. Their use during the commission of a crime is prohibited and does add extra years to a sentence.

 

[takhtakaal]

I thought Dum Dums were only legal in the movies?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWiU_HIZ4Jc

 

[csmkersh]

New Jersey doesn't prohibit them for SD purposes in the home, which is the only place you can defend yourself with a gun since there is no CCW.

Sure New Jersey has CCW permits. Problem is the state is a "may issue" state which, in practicality, means no issue to the non-politically connected.
​

 

[Bezoar]

dum dum is a general term used for hte orignial hollow point bullets used in hte webley revolver and enfield rifle that were made in inda at the arsenal in Dum Dum.

however ive seen old photos of bullets called dum dums that had a small explosive charge in the bullet that exploded on contact. that would be illegal to own or use, one of the NFA?AOW facts of life.