DUMB QUESION HERE BUT

[Nomadic Vagabond]

I noticed the OP is from New Jersey.
Better read the state law on hollowpoint ammunition in that state:

New Jersey State Police - Transportation and Use of Hollow Point Ammunition by Sportsmen

Yes, OP is from NJ...

-Cliff's Notes-

Basically, you can only carry hollow points 1) at home and 2) directly to the range and back - that's it. Otherwise, it's a felony with something rediculous like a 3 year mandatory minimum sentence. You can't even carry hollow points in NJ if you have a concealed carry permit, which is pretty much impossible to get to begin with. Brian Aitken served time for just having hollow points in his car.

The short answer is use Hornady Critical Defense bullets at home if you want a decent self-defense bullet that is NJ-legal. These have a polymer plug in the tip which doesn't technically categorize them as hollow points. I would absolutely use that at home and NOT FMJ ammo.

 

[Rastoff]

Wow, NJ laws are worse than CA laws. That's ridiculous.

I saw this in the law posted above:

These conditions for use and transport of hollow nose ammunition are consistent with the legislative intent to restrict the use of such ammunition to a limited number of people.

They wrote right in the law that their intent is to limit the ability to get ammo.

 

[Rpg]

You are fine with any ammo that reliably works in your pistol AND that you can shoot.

Forget about the 'gee whiz' ammo.

Just hit what you're shooting at.

Use the ammo that works AND that you shoot most: it is almost certainly the ammo you shoot best.

 

[WA101]

I think that training is far more important than ammo selection (JHP vs FMJ). After all, the real objective should you get into a gun fight is to not get shot. The type of ammo in your gun won't prevent getting shot. Tactics and knowing how to use your gun in a self defense situation is far more important.

I only have FMJ because that's what I use at the range to practice and train with. In the the very rare event that I would actually need to use my gun, FMJ will work just fine if I can deploy it in a manner consistent with my training.


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[ginzo]

I forgot to mention, my backup/spare mag is full of JHP. Only my primary is Hornady Critical Defense

I am retired law enforcement officer, having joined in 1971. I was always issued hollow point ammunition for my service revolver and later my service pistol. If hollow points were good enough for law enforcement, then it's good enough for me. I always keep a loaded magazine with hollow points and one in the tube. I don't give warnings. The only warning they will get is if and when they break into my house. Warning over!

Less toxic in FL.

Gotta love stand your ground. That DOES NOT give you the RIGHT to shoot anyone and unfortunately the Judicial system and lawyers abuse this law. It is currently being fine tuned to be more definitive as to eliminate the George Zimmerman types. There is a difference in Stand Your Ground and self defense shootings.

Stand your ground doesn't normally get to trial, but idiots who become cowboys have to plead self defense and it makes it hard on all of the rest of us who just want to live in a safe environment.

(I now have stepped down off my soapbox) thank you for your time.

the comment above that every bullet comes with a lawyers name attached to it..

Ive been reading what I can about self defense home defense... basically what ive read is that your screwed either way.. if you shoot someone who breaks into your home your basically going to jail in new jersey.. and if you do intend to shoot someone whos breaking into your home.. Ive read hed better have a weapon of some sort in which your life felt threatened.. and if you do shoot said individual youd better shoot him when hes facing you and not running away.. am I right to be thinking all this

 

[Edmo]

One advantage to hollow points is that they will expand and that will help to keep the bullet from going all the way through the bad guy. Its best if the bullet stays in the person who you had to shoot to minimize risk to bystanders.

Most of us have an overly optimistic perception of our accuracy potential during a dynamic, high-stress situation. "How could I miss at such close range?"

Your statement about expansion and the resulting reduction in penetration are spot on. However, this theory of minimized risk to bystanders assumes every round fired finds it's mark.

Truely, the biggest risk to bystanders are the misses which never hit the bad guy and are still zipping along at full velocity.

Edmo

 

[CTG_COLLECTOR]

I recently bought a 1000 rds of American eagle 180 grain fmj for target load

and then someone asked me if I had hollow points in my home for self protection.. Am I missing something here mistake me if im wrong im a few month old 1st pistol gun owner. But wont target load hurt just as much If god forbid I had to use it in a self defense situation...


Thanks..

Please check out the following links:

Massad Ayoob

Defense Loads of Choice: The Word from the Street | Tactical Life

It wouldn't hurt others to read the info provided in the above links too. Many people are woefully (and for some are just willfully) ignorant about the use of FMJ/Solid bullets for SD purposes.

 

[LRNFP]

You asked a question that has too many answers. If you only had a muzzle loader that's what you'd use. Use what you have and don't get confused. Most of my bullets are lead and not hollow points so that's what I use. If you get expensive ammo it won't get used for a lot practice. I read that wad or semi wad cutters have better shocking power, Hollow points don't always expand.

 

[Jellybean]

thanks guys ... I don't want any arguments im asking cause I really wants to know..

I have already put nearly 500 rds thru my 40 I bought the 1000 rds from cheap ammo and a excellent price ... my range does not allow hollow points to be fired there.. I don't know why.. but my gun has shot everything without a problem except for the Winchester winclean rounds... had many FTF with the hard primers..

Hollow points are fine, if they work, which in more cases than not they don't. But then there is no single bullet type that will be the best choice in every situation. The truth is that hollow points are not that much better than all the rest if they work, and are a lot worse than some if they don't.

The police, and many others, have been led to believe they are great by the ammo makers and their representatives because they charge such a large sum for them. Now they have a false sense of security thinking that because their high magazine capacity guns are loaded with hollow points, they are better off and don't have to worry about how bad their shooting skills are. But they are mistaken, often fatally. What you carry in what makes no difference in a real world shooting, it's how you use them.

 

[Cal_Abe]

I currently have my mags full of hps. I personally was really concerned with penetration since we don't have large properties and our homes are so close together. Fmjs tend to penetrate more which equals to potential legal consequences for me.

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[Rastoff]

I find the direction of this thread interesting.

In another thread, I mentioned that I would carry FMJ or hardball ammo in a .40S&W gun. Another member literally came unglued at the prospect that anyone would carry anything other than hollow points. So, I find it interesting that in this thread we have many who recommend standard ammo along with hollow points.

 

[shouldazagged]

That's enough for me. Use whatever the hell makes you feel confident and shoots well in your guns. This is becoming the same old same old. See you folks.

 

[sgtsandman]

Just another tip to add. There is case law showing that people who used reloaded ammunition with cast lead bullets instead of factory ammunition, hollow point or otherwise, have been convicted of murder (somehow cast bullets in reloaded ammo shows intent to kill) in self defense situations. Long story short, make sure you have factory ammo in your firearm outside of the range, ball ammo or jacketed hollow point, whatever your State allows.

 

[Rastoff]

Oh, you'll have to post a link to that case law. Otherwise, I say BS.

 

[mountaineer40]

I'd get some hollow points. I like the Speer Gold Dots and Federal HST. Hornady is another great option and PDX1 is really good too. I like heavy for caliber (180 Grain) and bonded bullets. A lot of good stuff out there.

 

[Signal_20]

The military has pretty good luck using FMJ bullets, just sayin.

Jim

 

[CTG_COLLECTOR]

The military has pretty good luck using FMJ bullets, just sayin.

Jim

The U.S. military uses FMJ bullets because they follow the treaties set forth under The Hague Accords of 1899 that prohibits the use of soft lead, exposed lead tip and hollow cavity "expanding" or "Dum Dum" bullets against military combatants during international warfare.

These accords do not prohibit the use of "expanding" bullets by a country's internal law enforcement personnel or by civilians.

Your attempt to try and justify the use of FMJ ammunition by either LE and/or lawfully armed citizens by saying FMJ ammunition works well for our military personnel engaged in warfare with enemy combatants is like trying to compare apples to automobiles. It's not even in the same ballpark.

 

[Gyrene6891]

Here is my 2 cents. Colder times with heaver clothing FMJ, Warmer times with thinner clothing HP. Always know where the other bedrooms in the house are with respect to where you are. If the BG is between you and the kids room DO NOT SHOOT! If no kids hole up in a corner behind whatever cover you have and call 911. Someone questioned direction BG is facing. you can only shoot if your or someone else's life is in danger, if he BG is running away from you then your life is not threatened, no shoot. As a final note PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!!

 

[alwslate]

Whatever the reason for using them the reputation of the 1911 .45 acp
as a very effective combat handgun was built on FMJ ammo. Worldwide
the most common handgun and sub machine round has been the 9 mm
with FMJ ammo for many years. If FMJ ammo was ineffective against
human targets you would think the armed forces of the world would
have figured it out by now.

 

[jb10]

" and never chamber a round twice unless it is an emergency."

I have always used HP ammo for home defense but I am curious about the above statement. I have always kept one chambered and when I go to the range I swap out to FMJ and after practice I hand chamber the first round and reinsert the mag fully loaded with HP.