Question: Mixing Hollow Points with Full Metal Jackets?

Im keeping hollow points in my 9mm-17 rounds. But, Ive been hearing some folks mix them up. As in 3 HPS, then 3 FMJ's, then one then the other.

I understand the reasoning to do so both ways. For me, I think just hollow points in my 17 round mags.

But, I wonder if anyone has any good arguments going either way.

Thanks for any input

reply to post by mysterioustranger



Why would you mix them up? You'd have no idea what kind of bullet is in the chamber at any given time. If you want different bullets, put them in different mags.

reply to post by mysterioustranger


I don't see any reasoning behind mixing HP and FMJ in a mag, unless if you're at the range. If you want to feel the difference in recoil between both loads, then by all means, mix and match them in a mag while at the range. Other than that, I cant really see a reason to mix them up.

I say, keep doing what you're doing, staying with the HP (assuming this is your CHL/home defense gun). Stick with FMJ for range ammo.

ETA - This is coming from my own viewpoint and how I use my firearms. If I have to use a firearm in self-defense, I want my round to stop and dump all of its energy into the first target it hits, rather than taking the chance of sailing through an object and hitting something behind it.

reply to post by mysterioustranger

fmj vs hp you make the call thats better
then there is knock down power

reply to post by JohnnySasaki


No It's actually very common. In a high stress self defense situation theres not going to be enough time to decide what is the best bullet for that situation.

I personally like to alternate 1 or 2 each back and fourth, that way there is a mix of expansion (HP) and penetration (FMJ) in my EDC 1911 because that gives you the best chances.
It really depends on the caliber. In .380, being there isn't much powder behind a .380, it would be better to keep it to just FMJ to maximize stopping power.

As far as 9mm goes, it depends where this firearm will be kept and used for. I would stick with HP if it's a home defense weapon since that will lower the chances of over penetration through walls, etc. Both rounds will stop an attacker if need be. Don't waste HP at the range other than getting a feel for them, unless you like using more expensive ammo at the range.

reply to post by mysterioustranger


Waste the FMJ as a warning shot, fill the balance with FHPs. I did that in my 9P and 44, except a bit worse than FHPs and it worked out very well.

Cheers - Dave

Fmj unless you never leav your home why punch holes in the wall? oh ya get him her before they get you

bobs_uruncle
reply to post by mysterioustranger

 

Waste the FMJ as a warning shot, fill the balance with FHPs. I did that in my 9P and 44, except a bit worse than FHPs and it worked out very well.

Cheers - Dave

Never fire warning shots. You should only discharge your firearm if you intend to kill in self defense. Unless of course, you're at the range. I've read stories of people going to jail for firing warning shots.

reply to post by JohnnySasaki

Never fire warning shots. You should only discharge your firearm if you intend to kill in self defense.

I 2nd this. Warning shots are a definite no-no. Only shoot when you absolutely have to neutralize the threat.

Why would a full metal jacket round ever have an advantage over a hollow point in a real world application for a hand gun?

Full metal jacket goes through human targets - you could hit someone behind them & you reduce the inertial transfer of the bullet because some of the energy is not stopping in your target (reduced stopping power)

Hollow points on the other hand are designed for maximum tissue damage and have more of a tendency to stop in the target

coldkidc
Why would a full metal jacket round ever have an advantage over a hollow point in a real world application for a hand gun?

Full metal jacket goes through human targets - you could hit someone behind them & you reduce the inertial transfer of the bullet because some of the energy is not stopping in your target (reduced stopping power)

Hollow points on the other hand are designed for maximum tissue damage and have more of a tendency to stop in the target

Exactly. There's really no reason to ever want/need a FMJ in a self defense scenario. The only reason you would ever use them is if you didn't have any hollow points. I would not suggest you mix FMJ's with hollow points in your mags. I would not suggest you mix any variety of bullets in your mags either. It just doesn't make any logical sense.

You need to determine what the gun in question is for and then pick a round for that application. If there are multiple applications, and you want to have a choice of rounds, load them in different mags.

This is gun ownership 101 here, not rocket science.

For the sake of argument....

You could say a fmj is more accurate, or carries out to a longer range to use for the last few rounds with more time to aim....or, maybe you *want* to punch holes in things, say if the perp hid behind something or ran away with a "hostage" or got inside an automobile.

Just sayin'

Personally, I have mixed rounds in my pump shotgun when in grizzly territory....one double ought buck, a slug, a double ought...the last round being an S&W car stopper I got somewhere....woe betide if a bar ever gets close enough to squeeze it off, itll obliterate an engine block......
But id would be somewhat leery of mixing pisto;a ammo fpr fear of possible feed or ejection problems, never mind which round is up the spout.....roulette anyone?
The multi mag idea seems best....but they could also be mixed up in a tense moment Were the hollow points in my shirt or my ass pocket now...let me see.......................
And one other thing....doesnt anybody shoot 38 super?
That has to be the ultimate all round around for all round duty, in my humble est.
My best 38 sup would shoot dead flat almost at 100 yds through a 5 in bbl and 4 port comp.....
At 1300 fps...they have 9mm beat to hell......

reply to post by coldkidc

Why would a full metal jacket round ever have an advantage over a hollow point in a real world application for a hand gun?

The thought is that in a real life situation someone could move behind cover and the FMJ is going to be able to penetrate that cover when a hollow point can't.

I would argue against it for a few reasons.

-You're not going to get much penetration out of an FMJ pistol round. It's not a rifle. It's not going to be like the movies where you can shoot through walls and know where someone is, and a lot of cover is going to be adequate in blocking the round.

-It's going to make you think about something else that you shouldn't be thinking about in that situation (which round am I on, is that cover too thick to penetrate).

-Gives the likely chance of over penetration.

-Point of aim is going to be different when you start mixing ammo. Your aim is already going to be shaky, might as well not add another component that makes you have to adjust. Especially not every X amount of rounds.

-Most incidents with handguns happen at close range, and at close range you want stopping power. FMJ will zip through while a hollow point is going to expand and cause the most trauma. 'Knockdown power' is pretty much a myth unless you get into some real large calibers, and even then you have to remember that whoever you shoot is going to get less 'push' (recoil) than you are (someone will argue with me, look it up). You want instant trauma, the most blood loss per shot. No one here is good enough with a handgun to claim they can make headshots at will in a real world scenario.

Suggesting that you carry another mag full of FMJ is fine, I guess... I would rather carry another mag of hollow points. I know some CPL guys carry 2 additional magazines or more (I think 2 is getting into weird territory). I'll carry the baby Glock or the 19, but rarely does the 17 leave the house, and I can't remember the last time I had an extra mag on me. I usually just throw a .38 in my pocket and endure the lusty glances. No ladies, it's not a banana or anything special, just a S&W and Domo's complete denial he's put on a few. RAWR.

FMJ might penetrate body armor and potential cover meterial up to a certain strength.

You will not penetrate Class III body armor with HP ammo.

reply to post by H1ght3chHippie


So this is a self defence scenario.. and you're shooting through things to kill someone.

How many of you guys have actually killed people?

THis is just god damned scary....

reply to post by winofiend

Oh come on, thats Joe Bro Biden's pro advice! Shoot through the door, or wall, or anything!
No but seriously.. Calm down, I've killed no one nor do I want to. And that post about body armor.. I don't see myself ever needing bullets that go through body armor..Ever. I was speaking strictly about realistic firearms self/home defense, not 007 missions. My point was avoiding bullets going through walls, you know in case you don't want to hit your family members.

Mixing rounds can only induce unnecessary variability in to your groups.
Load with what you practice with, otherwise you're not shooting your best.

Domo1
-You're not going to get much penetration out of an FMJ pistol round. It's not a rifle. It's not going to be like the movies where you can shoot through walls and know where someone is, and a lot of cover is going to be adequate in blocking the round.

This is wrong. Even with small caliber pistol rounds (and yes, even hollow points), the bullet is going to pass through just about anything, including whatever's behind it. In the movies, everything seems to stop bullets. I've seen, on quite a few occasions, people spraying bullets into a couch and have the person hiding behind it come out unscathed. That's a joke. You're going to need quite a bit of dense material in between you and the bullet if you have any hope of stopping it. A wall is not enough. Neither is a car, unless the engine is between you and the bullet, and even then it only takes a medium power rifle to punch through the engine block.

The kinetic energy of a solid chunk of lead and copper traveling anywhere from 800-3000+fps is a lot harder to stop than most people seem to think.

That being said, in a self defense scenario, you should not be attempting to shoot though things to kill your attacker. Only shoot at what you can hit, and you better be able to prove your life was in immediate danger. Someone hiding behind cover, or someone driving away in their car is not posing you an immediate threat.

So, if you don't know what you're talking about, please don't pretend like you do online and try and give people advice. They're liable to take it. This is how you end up with so many ignorant people. It's one thing about anything else, but on the subject of gun handling, and self defense scenarios, please leave it to people who know what they're talking about. Just about everyone in this thread seems to have an opinion on the subject, and just about every post I've read is wrong in some form or another.

As a disclaimer, I am NOT an expert on self defense (although I clearly know quite a bit more than most, if not everyone in this thread). I DO, on the other hand, know what I'm talking about when it comes to guns.

Based on training I've received in defensive hand-gunning (civilian type, not police or military), my advice is to "not" mix and match.

The reason is because if you ever do find yourself having do defend your action in court, you will at some point need to be able to articulate why you did what you did. Even a wimp prosecutor will for sure try to use the stacking against you. "....and as we see in the other magazine he was carrying he stacked them in a particular order, a pattern that he believed would increase his chances for a kill!..." etc, etc, they are far more imaginative than I.

In the gravest extreme, the goal should always be to stop the threat. Nothing more.

Don't invite trouble. Pick a known good defense round for carrying, and buy the cheap stuff for the range.