[jackhart]

hey guys, what is the practical difference between jhp and fmj ammo? is one preferable over another for any given reason? please school me, as i recently bought (but have not yet picked up) my first handgun (FN P40) and i am anticipating having to pick up ammo soon. hell, i don't even know if i have a choice in .40 s&w.

thanks.

 

[monkeyhouse]

as far as i know, a FMJ will get you more penetration, and a HP will cause more damage but withless penetration.

 

[monkeyhouse]

either will kill equally

 

[El Bicho]

I'm stealing this from Wikipedia, but from what I know about firearms, it rings true:


FMJ Advantages:

* Because FMJ bullets do not expand, they are more effective at piercing armor.
* They are more durable and withstand rough handling on the battlefield.
* Their rounded tips permit proper transit up the feed ramp, whereas the usage of hollow point bullets can cause failures to feed.

FMJ Disadvantages

Because FMJ bullets do not expand, they are much less likely to stop an enemy combatant. Hunters are, in some locations, not allowed to use FMJ rounds due to their perceived limited stopping power and propensity to ricochet.

Hollowpoints (jacketed or otherwise):

A hollow point, also called a hollow tip, is a bullet that has a pit, or hollowed out shape, in its tip, generally intended to cause the bullet to expand upon entering a target in order to decrease penetration and disrupt more tissue as it travels through the target. As a side effect, hollow-point bullets can offer improved accuracy by shifting the center of gravity of the bullet rearwards[1]. Jacketed hollow points (JHPs) or plated hollow points are covered in a coating of harder metal to increase bullet strength and to prevent fouling the barrel with lead stripped from the bullet. The term hollow-cavity bullet is used to describe a hollow point where the hollow is unusually large, sometimes dominating the volume of the bullet, and causes extreme expansion or fragmentation on impact

Check out the Wikipedia articles, they're pretty good.

BTW, I carry JHP in my guns for defense, FMJs or SWC (semi-wad cutter) for plinking and target practice.

Will

 

[USMC_Fords]

fmj for practice(cheaper) HP for self defence(stops badguys better and less likely to penetrate and hurt someone else)

 

[MYXD40]

fmj for practice(cheaper) HP for self defence(stops badguys better and less likely to penetrate and hurt someone else)

^says it best. as long as you shoot in the right spot, you'll jack someone up.
But I perfer HP bullets against FMJ bullets simply because I dont want the bullet to go through the bad guy and into someone else. Most self defense situations occure around 7ft..not far for 1000fps+ bullet to travel

 

[bnkrtstk]

If you're shooting paper use FMJ's. If you're shooting something living use JHP's. If you anticipate having to use it in your house, use JHP's or frangible.

 

[sewiv]

FMJs go right on through, not transferring much energy to the target in the process. JHPs expand and stop, transferring ALL their energy to the target. If your goal is over-penetration and killing the neighbors, use FMJ for self-defense. If not, use JHPs.

I believe it was Ayoob that suggested asking the local police what load they carry, and carrying exactly the same load. It'll be a JHP of some sort.

 

[jackhart]

thanks for the education. so i take it jhp ammo is more expensive, hence using fmj ammo for target practice?

 

[Ptack1]

Usually JHP's are a bit more pricey, then FMJ's.

Make sure to practice at least a little with your home defense (JHP) loads, you need to know how those shoot in your gun as well as the cheap FMJ's for practice.

For punching paper SWC or hard cast LSWC make more visible holes. They are jacketed semi-wad cutters, or lead semi wad cutters (respectivley). They make nice holes in paper:thumbup.

 

[bnkrtstk]

thanks for the education. so i take it jhp ammo is more expensive, hence using fmj ammo for target practice?

Yes, expect to pay @ $1 or more per round of JHP. The Federal Hydra Shoks I carry in my .40 are $25 for a box of 20. The FMJ's are @ $12/box of 50 depending on where I buy them.

 

[MYXD40]

I forgot practice is good with both, if you can afford it. I spend roughly about $80 a week on ammo for my guns so I try to stay shy from HP rounds.

But anyway, the HP rounds I pop off are 185gr and the FMJ rounds I get at wallyworld for $22 per 100 pack, are 165gr.. you can feel a kick difference between the two..at least I can. Thats why its good to practice with both

 

[Yomrd]

I love the way HPs explode off the trap!!!! I shoot silver bear hps with my arsenal ak47, fmj with my ss factory folder mini 14 and fmj with my 45. I prefer hps for the 45 too, but theyre expensive. Either way, order online bulk and buy 1000 rounds at a time.

 

[tagto138]

if you are going to use it in your house frangible is the best bet. something like glazer blue safety rounds. the rest is preference. shoot what you carry. if that is the intent. since you have a .40 jhps are excellent and if you ever get into reloading(shooting can get addictive) you can buy blk of just about anything on the market.

 

[jackhart]

gotcha. thanks for all the good advice :beer

 

[El Bicho]

Check out these bad boys. They're marketing them as "anti-terrorist rounds" but they remind me a lot of the old Black Talons. They also have one that is frangible (designed to break up on impact with a hard surface and therefore perhaps safer in a building or on an airplane). I'm gonna have to try them.

http://www.extremeshockusa.com/cgistore/store.cgi?page=/new/product_info.html&setup=1&cart_id=

Will

 

[USMC_Fords]

dont get those. huge rip off. just a bunch of fancy shit with BS advertising

 

[bnkrtstk]

Dave,

FYI, Cabelas has 155gr Winchester Ranger JHP's on sale for $13/box of 50 rigth now. I bought three boxes of it and two FMJ. I also a shooters pack for your FN. It has a holster and mag pouch. That's if you were looking to take a road trip.

 

[jackhart]

thanks steve. i got the shooters pack free when i bought the FN, it's waiting for me at bass pro.

that's a ridiculous price on those winchesters. i was thinking about a trip to rausch creek this month, quick stop at cabelas is right on the way, isn't it? hmmmmm.

 

[El Bicho]

dont get those. huge rip off. just a bunch of fancy shit with BS advertising

Could be, never tried them. What have you tested them in to come to this conclusion. I've looked for conclusive tests, but haven't been able to find any of the hollowpoints, just a couple of tests of the frangible rounds, which pretty much concluded that yeah, they're frangible.

Will