Why the flat nose on .40S&W ammo?

[Emptymag]

As I'm still fairly new to the .40 cal, I'm wondering if anyone could explain why all of the FMJ ammo I've seen has a flat nose.

Feed issues?
Easy to identify for those who can't read the "fine print" on the end of the case?
Less likely to "poke your eye out" than round or pointy ammo?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[KeithPA]

I always run into it in .380. I think it's winchester white box. It feeds fine in my MAC. I've never poked my eye out with it.

I would assume when it hits something it would mushroom more easily since it tip is flat. It would probably be harder for it to richochet inside a target because of the flat tip. Just my guess.

The stuff confused me the first time I saw it.

[Lycanthrope]

As I'm still fairly new to the .40 cal, I'm wondering if anyone could explain why all of the FMJ ammo I've seen has a flat nose.

Feed issues?
Easy to identify for those who can't read the "fine print" on the end of the case?
Less likely to "poke your eye out" than round or pointy ammo?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Because it won't fit in the mags of some guns if they ran a full profile 180gr.

Lycan9mmand.40oftensharesameplatformsthrope

[Chazman321]

My days would be happy if I could find a .40 barrel that fit my Ruger... lol

[Karys]

Because it won't fit in the mags of some guns if they ran a full profile 180gr.

Lycan9mmand.40oftensharesameplatformsthrope

I've never heard that explanation before but it makes total sense.

Thank you Mr. Lycanwealthofinformationthrope.

[LorDiego01]

The attentive people at wallmart once sold me several boxes of .45, and one turned out to be a .40

I thought it felt weird as I was loading it on my XD .45, but didnt think twice of it.

I then thought it was weird that my gun wouldn't cycle after the first shot.

Yep folks, in my infinite wisdom, I fired a .40 out of my .45 AND hit the damn target in the center at about 20 feet or so. The brass mushroomed out and cracked, and I still keep it on the box my XD came in, just to remind me that stupid mistakes could be very costly.

The only damage done was to my pride and ego, since my shooting buddies will never let me forget that one.

[Lycanthrope]

I've never heard that explanation before but it makes total sense.

Thank you Mr. Lycanwealthofinformationthrope.

And conversely, I run my .40's out to 1.20 OAL (close to 10mm size) so they fill up the mags in my 1911 style gun.....since it was built for the .45 length.

Chaz, check some Ruger sites, but a .40 barrel may just be a drop in part for that.

[Emptymag]

Because it won't fit in the mags of some guns if they ran a full profile 180gr.

Lycan9mmand.40oftensharesameplatformsthrope

So does that mean the round has been limited in it's effectiveness because they (manufacturers) need to essentially cram it into a 9mm gun?

Kinda like putting a Cavalier engine in a Corvette to save money since it fits into both engine bays?



No wonder everyone's selling them!

[WWGunslinger]

I noticed that on a few boxes of .380 Whinchester White box ammo that I got awhile back. It said something about clean something or other. I thought maybe that was had to do with the flat nose.

[gold cup abuser]

well let me take a stab at this........

when the Beretta M9 was being tested the Air Force also developed a new 9mm round, it was a flat point.

the Air Force said that in their testing the flat point gave better terminal balistics than traditional ball ammo and did not over penetrate targets like 9mm ball ammo does.

the M9 was supposed to be issued with the FLAT point 9mm that the Air Force developed, but I never saw that come to pass while I was in service.

Just a guess that this old study was used by the ammo makers...

The flat points cant be issued just on the basis of easy feeding, as that profile is almost as bad if not worse than a hollow point.......

this is just a guess from my old and musty brain cells

ymmv