Out of curiosity and to stir the pot a bit- What is the best kind of .40 ammunition for self defense? FMJ, Hollow Points, What?

Although I haven't been shooting very long, based on everything I've read and been told...the answer is hollow point. Now what type of hollow point can be a long discussion.

For me I use an winchester PDX1 bonded 180gr. JHP. I like the heavy bullets.
My spare mag / reload is always FMJ hardball, gives me the option if jhp`s not working out. Also I could swap mags if needed to repel a large animal attack, jhp dont work well on bears,hogs,moose, rabid deer, etc. JMHO

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2nd Admen.-Right to bear AR 's

It’s all about shot placement. Any bullet will do the trick if delivered on target. Practice makes perfect.

Generally speaking, hollow point ammo is best for self defense in ANY caliber. The bullet creates a great deal more tissue damage and shock, than it's FMJ counterpart, as it dumps all of it's energy within it's intended target. This phenomenon, in a adequate S/D caliber cartridge such as a .40, has the goal of neutralizing the threat through death or severe incapacity with one round. The FMJ, in a major caliber,very often passes right through a body (sometimes hitting nothing vital) and may injure an unintended victim. There is much data available that charts "one shot stops" by caliber. The military is more interested in wounding people, since a wounded man takes at least another person (or more) to carry him out of the firefight and tend to him. Thus, firepower superiority is maintained. Hollow Point ammo was outlawed for military use by the Geneva Convention due to it's lethality and the resultant diminished chance for recovery of wounded combatants. BTW QD McGraw, welcome to the Forum.....

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

I agree with everything said so far. My thinking here in Wi with all the heavy winter layers being worn, as well as a heavy winter coat, wouldn't a 180 grain FMJ be superior because of the added penetration? Provided the shot was on target? Could the heavy clothing reduce penetration enough to make the FMJ superior in a scenario like that?
spricks

For self defense the Hp is better. I personally use 165 grain in summer and 180 in the winter. I want the heavier round for the extra penetration on winter clothes but the lighter round for summer. I dont normally use heavier rounds in summer for fear of overpenetration. It really comes down to you.

IF you are concerned with the possibility of the HP cavity clogging up with fabric in the winter, you should check out the PowRball ammo line by CorBon. This ammo features a polymer ball in the HP cavity that ensures reliable feeding in semi-autos, reliable expansion, and eliminates the clogging problem.....

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

Had to get The Wife to read this also and she is still ROFLHAO! The 15.0 Gn. differential must be like "Not Wearing White After Labor Day" she said!

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John McCaw
FFL/SOT2

GREAT analogy on your wife's part, John.........

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

I know I am going to catch flak on this but I have to look at the recent advances in controlled expansion like with the latest in solid copper bullets.

I also remember when bodyshops actually used lead as body filler, shows my age huh?

As a reloader in the last couple of years I have been impressed with the Barnes rifle bullets, and when last years shortages forced me to seek alternative components I bough quite a few boxes of the Barnes M/LE (XPB) pistol bullets.

Hardly anyone reloads these, Barnes has data, a bit conservative I personally think, but I am working up a load right now in .45auto to duplicate the Corbon DPX of a 185gr. at 1070fps. The .45 to me is an excellent case that can handle a little bit of overpressure, on the other hand I'm cautious about doing the .40s&w just yet, I will for the 10mm as its designed for max loads.

But more to the point is that in the latest tests the Barnes with its really deep cavity hasn't shown problems with fiber clogging, it has better obstacle penetration AND continued expansion without over penetration, and hardly any fragmentation. Not a magic pill but a definite performer.

All copper slugs are getting a bad rap, yes they are expensive, are they a novelty? I don't think so, will they be tomorrows bullets?

Who can say? But I will say this, unless you are very wealthy and willing to pay maybe as much as $2 per shot they are pretty expensive range ammo, for that I'll use the traditional stuff.

Welcome to the Forum Silverado--you ol' geezer. I was drivin' lead sleds in the 1950's myself. In any event, I like Barnes bullets myself and would have no qualms using any of their products. The only negative that I've ever heard was their price. That copper bullet may very well be the bullet of the future....

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

HP

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Don't look, reload and shoot!

HP has a higher mortality factor, a FMJ will keep going until its either ballistically slows down or hits something solid and then it usually takes off in another direction.

These newer copper bullets though are what I would call a ballistically engineered projectile, that when loaded to a certain speed do go past some obstacles like sheetmetal or glass at an angle but also do what they are designed to and thats to act like a propeller blade. A larger wound channel than a JHP or even a wadcutter.

No I don't work for Barnes but I have seen what they do, for hunting they have been called the one shot kill. Barnes even has a free video of dangerous game and the one shot kill effect.

And hello One Eye Joe, if this was an M1A/M14 forum I bet that would be interesting? yeah I have one but for that rifle I post at the M-14 Firing Line.

One of the most important reasons law enforcement uses JHP ammo is the fact that they don't want over-penetration when shooting the bad guy. Better to have the bullet's energy stay in the intended target and not go through and hit an old lady at the bus stop. As stated by others here, the JHP is going to stop the threat much better than a FMJ. Use the FMJ for paper and JHP for carry. Don't get too concerned about the newest and latest round out there. Most of them will do the job, especially in the .40S&W.

Also, the military likes the more reliable feeding that ball ammo gives even in fouled conditions, and penetration of barriers like helmets. With the .45 round the lack of expansion wasn't really a problem, the hole it made was huge. The 9mm may need the help of expansion.

ps...the Hague Convention banned hollowpoint ammo.

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Jon

I like the hollow point it's what i carry in my SD40.

jhp for sd and fmj for hunting and i prefer led because if i happen to have crappy shot placement the bg will still get sick as hell with a peice of raw led floating around in there a$$

I personally like FMJ but like one guy said it is all about shot placement! It doesnt matter what cal. Or style of round if you dont hit a vital he probibly wont drop. I know i took a 40 s&w fedral 165gr. Jhp in the stomach. It went in at angle and went through about six inches the exited i didnt even feel it my buddy had to tell me i was shot let alone knock me down. I walked to his truck he drove me to E.R. and I walked up to front desk. It happened indoors lets say he isnt such a good friend (accident on his part) i was sitting on his couch when it happened and after going through 6 in of fat, he found round on coutch wouldnt even go through fabric. I only tell that story to you all so you know i dont hang out with his dumbass anymore but also when i say dont get hung up on jhp or fmj no automatic is a powerful round. With out marksmenship and shot placement it really doesnt matter so worry more about getting to range and shoot bad guy with whatever is in your gun!!!!

personally i prefer JHP. critical duty (mainly what i carry), speer gold dot, winchester ranger, federal HST, and i have been carrying a mag of DRT as of late

i keep the FMJ on the range and not as a carry load due to the fact that its a .40 cal. now if it were a 380 or below i would keep FMJ in it as i will need as much penetration as possible. 40 cal doesnt have those issues

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Fugitive Recovery Agent

So are you really saying that FMJ's will perform just as well as JHP's? Please, enlighten us...

With good shot placement.............

A bullet through a lung or your heat, a hit spine, broken leg or arm bones, Main Artery, pretty much puts you in......

Deep, Do Do !!

Be it a HP or penetrating FMJ.

Quality HP

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