FMJ ammo advice, please!

lrrifleman

lrrifleman

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Next week, I intend to attend an adaptive defensive shooting program with live firing. The glitch is, for practice and matches with my wheelguns, I shoot reloads with lead bullets. I try to avoid using any FMJ ammo in any of my revolvers. The problem here is that the host range requires the use of factory loaded ammo.

I plan on picking up some 38s when I get near the range (my pension arrives on day one) for use in the BUG phase. Based on the online prices for the local stores, I can get FMJ 38s at a better price than lead SWC ammo. [Yes,I am frugal, it is a necessity when on a fixed income!]

From what I can see, the FMJ ammo is manufactured by either Remington or Winchester. I have been of the belief that FMJ can be hard and wear rifling quickly. (I don't mind shooting FMJ in a semi-auto, since a barrel swap can be done rather easily. I don't want to replace the barrel on any of my revolvers!)

My question, could I expect that firing under 100 rounds of domestic FMJ ammo will do any harm to an older Smith? My intention is to use my near pristine 36-6.

Thanks in advance for your help!
 
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Steel is much harder than the copper based gilding metal used for bullet jackets. I've never worried about barrel wear. Erosion by hot gasses is what wears out barrels and if you are an IPSC/USPSA shooter who runs 20,000 or more rounds of over pressure 38 Super through a pistol every year, then you worry about barrel wear. The pressure generated by the 130 grain FMJ 38 Special ammo is not going to damage your revolver.
 
Steel is much harder than the copper based gilding metal used for bullet jackets. I've never worried about barrel wear. Erosion by hot gasses is what wears out barrels and if you are an IPSC/USPSA shooter who runs 20,000 or more rounds of over pressure 38 Super through a pistol every year, then you worry about barrel wear. The pressure generated by the 130 grain FMJ 38 Special ammo is not going to damage your revolver. I will say that the lighter weight bullet is likely to strike the target a little lower than 158 grain ammo.
 
Agree with the above - other makers (PMC and Fiocchi come to mind) also make 130 gr FMJ .38 Special.

When you mentioned "older Smith" I was imagining you are going to use a early 20th century revolver, not a late 20th century one. :)
 
deyomatic said:
I wouldn't worry about it, either. Why not Lead Round Nose, though, if you are concerned?
Click to expand...

Had handloads been permitted, I would have loaded them. As I mentioned, I am frugal (read CHEAP). Lead bullet ammo is listed for sale near my destination for about $10 a box more than the FMJ ammo. Just trying to stretch my pension.
 
I too am a cheap reloading shooter. I guided people hunting and taught shotgun shooters. The cost of ammo is generally one of the minor costs associated with things like you are going to do. I preferred students and hunters to use factory ammo. Some people that reload aren't as proficient at the practice as you and I are. One bad round can take up your time and mess with your mind. Quite often the cost of travel can be higher than the cost of the ammo. Buy your practice ammo for the event but enjoy learning new techniques. The FMJs won't do a thing to hurt the nice 36-6. I'm jealous. I want one of them!!
 
FMJ.........? No problem.

Get the Federal "Red" coated lead bullets or...........

ask if they will let you shoot the lead factory "Coyboy loads"
that may be cheaper than the 148gr target loads?

Have fun.
 
my old k22 is 71 years old, seen a boxcar load of 22lr ammo over those years through it, as many copper as lead, still is way more accurate than its plastic cousins, and a old coon looking down from a tree at 30 yards, gets shot in the eye he winks first
 
I understand the desire, and even to some degree the need, for some ranges to require factory ammo. What I read on the internet almost every day confirms that some people who handload really don't have any idea what they are doing.

For example I never used to hear about handloaders having squib loads, then doubling down on the stupidity by failing to notice the greatly reduced report, recoil, and failure to feed the next round - and then capping it off by putting another one up the spout blowing up their firearm. The last several years however it has become almost common, or at least not rare.

That amazes me as the only squib I've had in 42 years of hand loading occurred with a factory 9mm round that was in an ammo can that leaked and was submerged for about four days during hurricane Irene. And it happened in a controlled test to assess whether I should just pull the bullets.

For the last 20 of those 42 years I've loaded around 20,000 rounds a year on a manually indexed progressive press. If squibs were just a thing that happens, I'd of had one.

Squibs happen because people are not paying attention and/or lack the brains and/or common sense needed to handload. But I see people handloading today who treat squibs as normal and/or inevitable.

To be fair however, I see unsafe handloading practices far more frequently in the long range rifle crowd, who'll do things like:

- blame incredibly flattened and cratered primers from massively over pressure loads on an overly large hole in the bolt for the firing pin; or

- ask why the primers fall out of the primer pockets in their reloads.

Those folks usually fall into two categories - idiots who are hot rodding their rifles (more often than not 6.5 Creedmoors) at pressures way over SAAMI specs, or idiots who just don't know any better.

----

On the other hand, for most ranges it is not about "safety", it's about money and that money gets made in two ways.

First, they make money on the front end as "no handloads" shakes the customer down and leads to greater ammo sales at the range. Now...I'm not all that opposed to that practice if they sell at reasonable prices that give places a like Walmart a run for their money. However I often see ranges that are price gouging.

Second, they make money on the back end selling the brass as essentially certified once fired brass, when it potentially isn't.

----

In any case...last week I bought 700 rounds of Federal 9mm 115 gr FMJ from two of the local Walmarts since they were selling it for about $1 per 50 rounds more than I can reload it. That went on top of 500 rounds of Remington green and white box 115 gr FMJ I bought a few weeks ago at similar prices.

Both lots will live in .50 caliber ammo cans until the next class or two when, if needed, it can be used to appease petty range gods who insist on factory ammo.

But I gotta be honest, those new boxes will still be stored in those sealed ammo cans when they are empty. If we get back into an ammo shortage situation where 9mm is overpriced again, I'll dig into either the new brass stockpile or the shiny processed once fired brass stockpile and hand load new looking ammo into those used but still new looking boxes.
 
Nevada Ed said:
FMJ.........? No problem.

Get the Federal "Red" coated lead bullets or...........

ask if they will let you shoot the lead factory "Coyboy loads"
that may be cheaper than the 148gr target loads?

Have fun.
Click to expand...

Exposed lead is actually a much bigger safety issue for many ranges. There are a number of indoor ranges I've encountered - once and only once - that lack adequate ventilation and that causes big issues with lead exposure, especially with exposed lead bullets.

I look for two things.

First, if the range has windows that allow you to observe the shooting range, I watch what happens to the smoke when rounds are fired. If the smoke is immediately and aggressively sucked down range, then ventilation is not going to be an issue.

If it's not, then ventilation is an issue, and more often than not you'll see signs forbidding cast bullets, exposed lead bullets, or handloads. Go elsewhere.


Second, I look at that they using for a backstop. There are three common and acceptable types.

If they are using a large pile of ground rubber for a backstop, then there is virtually no lead released as the bullets don't fragment in the rubber backstop material.

If they are using blocks of rubber the bullets end up being encapsulated in the rubber block and again are not a problem. Unless of course the blocks are worn out and/or they are not restacking to move the higher wear blocks from the center to the fringes where they will seldom be hit.

In both the above cases however ventilation is still important to keep the air clean on the firing line.

If they are using steel bullet traps, I pay very close attention to ensure the plates are low angle and their is good ventilation. These systems cost more up front, but they make lead collection very easy, and with positive ventilation uprange exiting through filters downrange from the trap, they are quite safe.

If I see a crappy, poorly maintained back stop - such as a pile of ratty truck tires, I go somewhere else.
 
Will your BUG shoot the factory ammo to the same (or close enough)POA/POI as your handloads, or does it have adjustable sights?
 
The white box 130 grain .38 Winchester FMJ rounds are very tame. If you can find any left at Wallymart, you'll be good to go.
 
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