FMJ for self-defense?

[dragonofpa]

Since JHP are so expensive, it seems impracticle to practice shoot as many as I'd like every week. I don't want to carry rounds I haven't had extensive practice with. In addition, I have read some information which indicates JHP may be nothing more than a scam that is scarecly more effective than FMJ at stopping a person.

What are your thoughts on using FMJ for self-defense?

[MarcS]

you don't have to practice with hollowpoints every week, just run a few boxes through to make sure your gun functions with them, then use fmj for practice. The difference in handling is nil if you pick the right ammo.

other than that, everything you'd ever want to know about handgun wounding factors is in here http://www.firearmstactical.com/pdf/fbi-hwfe.pdf

any questions or clarifications, feel free to ask

[dragonofpa]

MarcS is my hero!

[mauser]

Originally Posted by MarcS

you don't have to practice with hollowpoints every week, just run some through to make sure your gun functions with them, then use fmj for practice. The difference in handling is nil if you pick the right ammo.

Bingo!
Practice with what you can afford, carry what you KNOW is good. Knowing that it's good means knowing that it will function reliably in your gun. You will have to run a lot of it through your gun to know that it's good, but you don't have to practice exclusively with it. If you're on target at 25 yards with both, and you know that your gun doesn't malfunction with the "expensive stuff", practice with the cheap stuff, but shoot enough good stuff to keep your confidence level up.

[fingers80002]

fmj's just put hole, that's why the military has to use them, they wound, they don't kill.

[brian]

also depends on the caliber in question.
some of teh lighter calibers do not show good performance with jhp's.

[MarcS]

Originally Posted by mauser

You will have to run a lot of it through your gun to know that it's good.

Even that is relative. I know some people tell you to put 500-1000 rounds through to be sure, but frankly, i think that's overkill. If you're using a picky gun, it's probably good to be extra sure. I ran 100 rounds of winchester rangers through my glock 19 (since then probably a couple hundred more cycling my carry ammo) and i was plenty confident, but that gun eats anything. If i was using something like a micro compact 1911, i'd probably want to be extra sure as they can be picky about what they eat

[MarcS]

Originally Posted by brian

also depends on the caliber in question.
some of teh lighter calibers do not show good performance with jhp's.

that's absolutely correct. If people read the links i post they would know that. a 380, for example, will not have sufficient penetration if it expands, so i suggest using FMJ's in those circumstances.

Originally Posted by fingers80002

fmj's just put hole, that's why the military has to use them, they wound, they don't kill.

shot placement kills, penetration kills, expansion is just icing on the cake. Believe it or not, JHP's just make (slightly larger) holes too...all bullets just make holes. I would still recommend using hollowpoints in any caliber that can achieve sufficient penetration using them.

[fingers80002]

Originally Posted by MarcS

that's absolutely correct. If people read the links i post they would know that. a 380, for example, will not have sufficient penetration if it expands, so i suggest using FMJ's in those circumstances.



shot placement kills, penetration kills, expansion is just icing on the cake. Believe it or not, JHP's just make (slightly larger) holes too...all bullets just make holes. I would still recommend using hollowpoints in any caliber that can achieve sufficient penetration using them.

I see you are a glock owner, I will not go any further with this.

[MarcS]

Originally Posted by fingers80002

I see you are a glock owner, I will not go any further with this.

That's good, I'm tired of explaining to people why they're wrong.