The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Will the military ever reconsider using hollowpoint or expanding bullets?

JohnH1963 · March 13, 2010, 06:05 PM

I want to keep on topic with this thread so let me provide a few examples of what I am talking about...

I guess from a soldier's standpoint, they tend to fire at people who are hiding behind cover. For example...4 Taliban fighters run into a house seeking cover and then proceed to fire from covered positions within the house. Which ammo would you want during this occasion? Easy, FMJ.

Another example...A man runs into a house pursued by 3 officers in a densely populated urban neighborhood and then proceeds to fire at them from a covered position inside the house. In this situation, the officers are responsible for every bullet they fire so they would want hollowpoint bullets sacrificing the extra penetration...

I have not been to Afghanistan or Iraq so I am just sitting here guessing and imagining the different scenarios. I am wondering what the viewpoint of soldiers and officers might be.

A FMJ .45 round will penetrate about 27 inches of gelatin meaning it will go in one guy and out the other. I can see the case for using that round to fire upon persons behind cover and where you dont have as much liability involved...a hollowpoint only goes through 12-14 inches...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.45_ACP

That would be scary for me to use the FMJ .45 knowing that it would probably go right through someone.

March 13, 2010, 06:05 PM	#3
JohnH1963 Junior member Join Date: October 22, 2008 Posts: 416	I want to keep on topic with this thread so let me provide a few examples of what I am talking about... I guess from a soldier's standpoint, they tend to fire at people who are hiding behind cover. For example...4 Taliban fighters run into a house seeking cover and then proceed to fire from covered positions within the house. Which ammo would you want during this occasion? Easy, FMJ. Another example...A man runs into a house pursued by 3 officers in a densely populated urban neighborhood and then proceeds to fire at them from a covered position inside the house. In this situation, the officers are responsible for every bullet they fire so they would want hollowpoint bullets sacrificing the extra penetration... I have not been to Afghanistan or Iraq so I am just sitting here guessing and imagining the different scenarios. I am wondering what the viewpoint of soldiers and officers might be. A FMJ .45 round will penetrate about 27 inches of gelatin meaning it will go in one guy and out the other. I can see the case for using that round to fire upon persons behind cover and where you dont have as much liability involved...a hollowpoint only goes through 12-14 inches... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.45_ACP That would be scary for me to use the FMJ .45 knowing that it would probably go right through someone.