Fmj Vs Jhp

[XXDD-9]

What's difference between FMJ and JHP?
I mean, if I want to do personal protection, do I really need to use JHP?

[ichy_trigger]

A hollow point will expend to a much larger diameter once it contacts tissue, will transfer more of its energy, and is more destructive which helps shut down the immediate threat. FMG rounds are more likely to richoche' and over penetrate.

[fivehourfrenzy]

FMJ = full metal jacket. The Hague Convention requires military to use FMJ ammunition in warfare. A FMJ (also referred to as ball ammo) has no exposed lead and does not expand on impact.

JHP = jacketed hollow point. It has a brass or nickel jacket around the lead core, but leaves a cavity at the front to cause expansion, otherwise known as "mushrooming."

FMJ is notorious for perforating human targets. This means it exits the body and keeps going. That along is one reason why you should never use them for a SD round. In the event you use FMJ bullets on someone, you might hit them, but hit someone else behind them.

JHP rely on expansion. They expand to "transfer energy" into the body, meaning they come to a complete halt in the body. When they expand, they become wider, meaning they have a larger frontal area to crush tissue and/or vital organs. They also have a higher chance of hitting an artery or vital organ that an unexpanded FMJ may have barely missed.

There is much debate on lethality of which to use. JHPs are tested by the FBI for penetration depths. They require 13-16" of penetration to be considered optimal. This being the thought that if you were to shoot someone from the side, the bullet may need to pass through their arm before hitting COM (center of mass, or torso) to get to vital organs.

The more a bullet expands, the less it will penetrate. The trick to finding the "golden bullet" is to use expanding bullets that will use all of their kinetic energy to crush tissue and internal organs (maximum wound trauma), but will still penetrate enough to strike vitals. Having a bullet that expanded to 400% its original diameter would make an enormous hole, but wouldn't go more than a few inches into the body before stopping. This isn't enough to strike vitals. A FMJ does not expand, so it continues through the body and often exits the body and keeps going. In other words, it still retains energy after exiting the body, which is energy that could've been used to crush more tissue and cause more wound trauma.

Once you find a bullet that will expand (meaning it will stop in the body), you need to control expansion so that it expands, but doesn't expand to the point that severely hinders the bullet's penetration.

Literally any modern JHP is good enough. Hornady TAP, Winchester Ranger, Corbon DPX, Federal Hydra-shok, Speer Gold Dot, Remington Golden Saber, etc. Try a few out, see how they group and make sure they feed reliably in your handgun. Find the proper weight and pressure that you feel comfortable shooting, and trust your life with them.

But for the record, never carry FMJ unless that's all you have. JHPs are the only way to go for SD.

[fredj338]

There is no downside to a JHP. If it fails to expand, it acts like a FMJ. A FMJ never expands. An expanding round can double in diameter. Bigger holes equal more damage equal quicker end to the fight. ANY JHP is better than a FMJ IMO. You don't NEED the latest & greatest but there is no downside to buying a box for SD/HD & practiceing w/ FMJ.

[digitalexplr]

FMJ's are cheaper than most JHP's so are therefore often used as range rounds. If you have nothing else to feed your XD at the moment, FMJ's will work as SD rounds. They are full load and are lethal. There is a greater chance of overpenetration. However, overpenetration is overhyped, too. There much more danger to hitting a bystander with a missed shot than hitting them with a round that goes through your target BG.

Just remember, shot placement, shot placement, shot placement.