Fmj Lrn Lswc Pswc Jhp Bjhp Jsp

[valnar]

Is there a FAQ on the different pistol ammo types? Can anyone give me a rundown of what each one is used for? I know JHP and FMJ, but don't know why you would use lead over copper jacketed, or wadcutter over something else, etc.

LRNFP is a new one to me too. I see it for cowboy shooters. What is it?

Is one style easier to clean vs another when only used for target practice? (therefore stopping power doesn't matter)

-Robert

 

[Bacchus]

I don't know of any FAQs for bullet types. However, I do have a couple of comments about your questions:

Wadcutters are usually used for target practice and competitions. Due to the flat shape of the bullet, they usually make very "clean" holes in paper, making targets easy to score.

Lead bullets are used by those who cast their own. Once you have the tools, casting bullets can be very economical, too. Depending on velocity, lead bullets often leave particles in the bore of the firearm and are usually more difficult to clean than jacketed.

 

[P95Carry]

LRNFP is a new one to me too. I see it for cowboy shooters. What is it?

Valnar .... this is I am pretty sure the lead round nose flat point ....... maybe sounds odd designation but .... it is all but round nose except for a small flat at tip ....... this is so the rounds can sit safely in a tube mag in a lever gun ..... without causing primers to be impacted during shooting.

Other bullet types? ... well as said above ... wad cutters are pretty much for target loads at distances up to maybe 25 yds .. sometimes 50 yds. ballistically of course they lack somewhat but the holes made are very clean edged and in compo's can be gauged easily.

With semi auto's ... the main concern is managing to approximate something like a round nose - even if hollow points, soft points etc ...... all to ensure feed efficiency. The choice of bullet will IMO usually be based mostly on desired primary useage ... target? Hunting? SD? ........

I cast bullets quite a lot . and even for 44 mag for example ... can find that a keith style semi wadcutter with a gas check is pretty much an ideal all round profile ........ good for hunting ... pretty good for accuracy ...... and can still be driven to mag velocities.

Bullet design and choice is quite a big subject and .... also full of varying opinions!!!

 

[valnar]

How about LSWSC an PSWC? Difference?

And if wadcutters are for paper/target practice, why is the .38sp "FBI load" a 158grain LSWC?

Still confused....

-Robert

 

[P95Carry]

Last first ....... well the 38 spl LSWC was used (not sure it is any more) ... cos it is reckoned that a full wad cutter is a good ''stopper'' ........ similar idea was used with ''man stopper'' bullets in .455 Webley .. they were hollow - both ends!!!

I would certainly say that at close ranges, full wad cutters can be pretty useful .... but on balance these days I'd expect them to be mainly target use.

Now the LSWSC .... and PSWC ..... I am not sure right now ...... these are not usual designations I can recall ..... at least not from personal experience. Hopefully someone else might know .. I am sure I should but it escapes me right now.

 

[Chuck Dye]

Valnar,

much of what you seek may be found at

http://www.thefiringline.com/Misc/library/TFL_Primer.htm

along with much other useful information. Bear in mind that many writers freely make up their own descriptions of bullets and thus their own abbreviations. One man’s semipointed semiwadcutter , SPSWC, may be another’s truncated cone semiwadcutter, TCSWC, for instance.

A wadcutter is essentially a cylinder, completely flat across the bow. The ninety degree shoulder cuts neat holes in paper targets and litters the ground with paper circles: wads. Semiwadcutters have various shapes cast into the bow but retain the sharp shoulder and generally leave the neat holes in paper, though they often don’t cut wads as neatly. Semiwadcutters also have somewhat better ballistic coefficients than true wadcutters. Turns out the sharp shoulder of wadcutters and semiwadcutters damages living tissue better than round nosed solids and makes them better hunting bullets. The FBI load is, in essence, a specialized hunting load, as are all self defense loads.

 

[Johnny Guest]

Try these - - -

May not answer all your questions, but better than no reference a-tall.

http://thefiringline.com/Misc/library/TFL_Primer.htm

http://www.thehighroad.org/library/

Best,
Johnny

 

[Standing Wolf]

Give it another twenty minutes or so, and somebody will come up with ABCXYZ bullets.

 

[esheato]

I think I just found it. Laser-Cast in .32 has a 98g bullet in the form of a: WCDBBSGG. The first time I saw that one I stopped in my tracks and just stared at it trying to figure it out...it makes sense once you get there though.

How about the 40 cal/10mm 155g RNSWCBB?

BTW, the PSWC could be a Plated Semi-WadCutter....just my .02.

esheato...

 

[griz]

BB is usually beveled base that makes it easier to load on progressive machines. Now a Round Nose Semi Wad Cutter? It may not be an oxymoron, but it's a new one on me.

 

[valnar]

Thanks for the replies, but I'm still confused on the merits of each design. When I'm looking online to purchase ammo, is there a reason to get one over the other?

I got the wadcutter, but how about its variations?

Here is a statement which may be completely wrong. After reading a bit, it seems that jacketed are always better than lead, especially for high velocity guns and cleaning purposes afterwards.

Now, I'm sure that is not correct, but that's the impression I'm getting, and there are experts here that are saying, "No, no. That's not the case. Well, then why? What makes you pick one style over another for whatever application or gun you are using it for?

'Still in the dark.

-Robert

 

[P95Carry]

Not sure about ''always'' ......... on balance tho I guess it'd be fair to say that the jacketed bullets can be driven to higher velocities without too much fouling ...... (mind you - a good lead (hard cast) can be pushed to approaching the 2,000 mark).

There are tho those who like and choose the cast bullet for reasons of both economy and, even performance with hunting etc ....... talking hand gun here. A 44 mag cast semi wadcutter with a hollow point is a pretty devastating projectile and can be shoved to 1500 with little bother. I shoot cast because they are economical and in most cases do all I want - certainly for practice.

IMO there will always be some leading with cast .. not everyone wants that .... and so the jacket pretty much brings bore fouling down to just minimal copper residue ..... maybe too overall they can be regarded as more consistent, plus the choices of design etc.

I doubt there is a totally definitive answer .. opinion is much to do with it and ..... the perceived ''tool for the job''.