Thread: FMJ on animals

Originally Posted by Toby

Be careful, if you file off too much the lead will leave the barrel and the copper jacket could get stuck in the barrel. Next shot could be your last so check the barrel each shot you fire

Don't think that's quite how it will work mate.

Originally Posted by Matt2308

Don't think that's quite how it will work mate.

It has happened a lot, wether it has killed anyone is another question.

I have my grandfathers old rifle that has a fucked barrel from this happening.
My father just clipped the tips off with side cutters for close bush hunting-one day he took to much off.

Fmj is a misleading name as most jacketed projectiles are formed from "cups" of the jacket material-on fmj the remnants of the open top of the cup is at the back while soft point/hollow point/ballistic tip hunting ammo has it at the front.
So if you take to much off the front the high psi of the propellant could push the core out.

You used to be able to buy kits that took a "safe" amount off and created a hollow point.
I doubt they would be considered safe today.

there was an article in a nz gun mag where they took the projectile out and turned it round and shot it backwards apparently it worked well they were shooting goats with it

Originally Posted by res

It has happened a lot, wether it has killed anyone is another question.

I have my grandfathers old rifle that has a fucked barrel from this happening.
My father just clipped the tips off with side cutters for close bush hunting-one day he took to much off.

Fmj is a misleading name as most jacketed projectiles are formed from "cups" of the jacket material-on fmj the remnants of the open top of the cup is at the back while soft point/hollow point/ballistic tip hunting ammo has it at the front.
So if you take to much off the front the high psi of the propellant could push the core out.

You used to be able to buy kits that took a "safe" amount off and created a hollow point.
I doubt they would be considered safe today.

It's a long time since I loaded with FMJ, but I'm pretty sure that the base was open, which is the reverse of a softpoint, where the copper covers the base. I can see a situation where the jacket could be left in the barrel if both ends are open.

Originally Posted by Yukon

It's a long time since I loaded with FMJ, but I'm pretty sure that the base was open, which is the reverse of a softpoint, where the copper covers the base. I can see a situation where the jacket could be left in the barrel if both ends are open.

Quite right. The construction is shown in a diagram here. If you file the top off an FMJ all that is holding the core into the copper jacket (Or full metal jacket) is the shoulder or taper at the front. With the availability of the SP or HP projectiles I would not suggest altering an FMJ into anything else. The risk of damage to the gun and your person is definitely there if it is done wrong. Note that of you take the tip off a FMJ then all you have is a metal tube open at both ends with a heavy core in the middle. The resistance of the rifling in the barrel pulls the hard metal exterior but if that distorts there is nothing pulling the core back hence where it leaves the possibility of having a jacket left in the barrel after the core is gone.

Originally Posted by timattalon

Quite right. The construction is shown in a diagram here. If you file the top off an FMJ all that is holding the core into the copper jacket (Or full metal jacket) is the shoulder or taper at the front. With the availability of the SP or HP projectiles I would not suggest altering an FMJ into anything else. The risk of damage to the gun and your person is definitely there if it is done wrong. Note that of you take the tip off a FMJ then all you have is a metal tube open at both ends with a heavy core in the middle. The resistance of the rifling in the barrel pulls the hard metal exterior but if that distorts there is nothing pulling the core back hence where it leaves the possibility of having a jacket left in the barrel after the core is gone.

Ive shot some 303s and 308s that had the nose pinched off with some pliers, the ballistics resembled a slinky. If you smacked a goat with them tho it was game over.