Ammo Question

FRIAR · 10-27-2006, 07:14 PM

What is the general difference between a 'total metal jacket' and a 'jacketed hollow point?' Is it simply a non hollow point vs. a hollow point?

DM · 10-27-2006, 07:33 PM

There are 3 common types of bullets... "Full metal jacketed" (FMJ), soft point (SP) and hollow point (HP).

FMJ's are also called armor pierceing, andgenerally have a core of steel to make them penetrate.

SP is a jacketed bullet with the lead core going all the way to the nose, or even sticking out exposed.

HP is the same as a SP except the lead core does NOT go all the way to the nose, and the jacket is open on the nose leaveing a hollow point...

DM

longrifle1000 · 10-27-2006, 07:51 PM

Quote:

FMJ's are also called armor pierceing, andgenerally have a core of steel to make them penetrate.

Generally FMJ bullets are a lead core with a copper jacket. They do NOT normally have steel cores. And they are either pointed or have a flat tip.

ranger140892 · 10-27-2006, 08:50 PM

Both are copper jacketed, neither have lead tips.
Typically, a jacketed hollow point has a lead core and the jacket is formed around it from the bottom up, leaving an opening at the tip. Some jacketed hollow points are designed as target bullets and do not expand well on impact, and should not be used for hunting. Others are meant for varmint type shooting and expand explosively on impact.
Most FMJ's have lead cores and thejacket is formed around it from the tip down, leaving the core exposed at the bottom. Some FMJ's have steel or tungsten core for increased mass. These are designed for deeppenetration.

fornra@yahoo.com · 10-27-2006, 08:57 PM

Well stated!

DM · 10-31-2006, 07:33 AM

I've swaged thousands of .224 bullets useing spent 22lr caseings as the jacket. I'd swage them leaving the tip open (HP) to get fast expansion, or i'd put then into the die backwards and swage them into a kind of FMJ.

All of these bullets were shot in my 222 Rem./12 ga. combination gun that i've hunted small game with a lot and i always carried both types of ammo with me. I could use one or the other depending on how much penetration i wanted depending on what i was shooting at...

DM