Frangible Bullets

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My 1st experience shooting "real" handguns was on the Seaside Heights boardwalk in the mid 1960's. Model 17 and Model 18, 6 shots for a quarter (rifles held 12 for the same quarter). Attendant filled 2 wheelbarrows with sawdust at closing. I think the OP is talking about current centerfire offerings. Joe

Winchester Ranger 223 Remington Ammo SinterFire 55 Gr Frangible - Ammo Deals
 
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I’ve used frangibles in a 6.8 SPC II for fox and coyote. They worked ok .
 
I bought some 38 when it was all I could get during Covid. 130gr . Low recoil and shot to point of aim in model 10 and 36. My understanding is it’s designed for indoor ranges.
 
See: Frangible | HSM Ammunition

Frangible bullets will penetrate tissue, but they require a fairly hard surface to fragment, such as concrete or metal. They will normally break up and not ricochet off a hard surface, such as gravel, concrete, or metal, even with a shallow impact angle. If you are concerned about wallboard or wood, you will probably get some penetration.

You should contact the manufacturer regarding suitability for your application. And I think Glasers are still available.
Is The Glaser Safety Slug Good for Self Defense? | An Official Journal Of The NRA

My personal experience has mainly involved shooting range concerns, principally being ricochet prevention and elimination of lead contamination.
 
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A major manufacturer of frangible ammo is Ruag or Geco. Essentially the same company. Polymer-copper based projectiles.

Designed to minimize damage to steel targets, reduce over penetration, eliminate lead contamination and reduce risk of ricochets and lead splatter.
 
Yeah to above. I've got about 9 cases of 9mm frangible, down from the 15 I purchased for 9.99 a box. Stuff shoots absolutely flawlessly, my ar pistol with 10.5" bbl chambered in 223 wylde is loaded with frangible loads for home use.
 
I won’t get into details, but some time back, in the late 1990s, the SEALs actually used some 5.56 frangible ammunition on live targets in a hostile environment. The results were devastating, but from what I have understood it was used only that one time before that ammunition was pulled from service. But who knows what the current situation is?
 
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DeWalt,
You bring up an interesting development. Many militaries are looking at frangibles for urban combat. Especially for heavy weapons like the 50 BMG.
The regular steel core ammo is notorious for over penetration and ricochet issues causing collateral damage in urban environments. Even frangibles in this caliber are devastating on soft and light armor targets. They are also looking at it for the same reasons in sniper applications.
 
I am Safety Person for my Security / Safety Team I am concerned about over penetration inside a crowded service (3 on Sundays).
Team Members CCW 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45acp.

It is designed for practice on steel targets. It is not designed for use on people. Several PDs have used it for duty and found that it does through soft tissue like FMJs.
 
It is designed for practice on steel targets. It is not designed for use on people. Several PDs have used it for duty and found that it does through soft tissue like FMJs.

I have read reports that when hitting someone wearing a heavy leather jacket, the bullet breaks up and does not penetrate the leather.

I have no first hand information so....
 
There are generally two types of frangible handgun bullets. The sintered copper bullet is made with powdered copper with some Tin powder added as an adhesive. The mixture is pressed into a mold under high temperature and pressure. The other uses copper powder in a polymer matrix, but similarly manufactured. Obviously the manufacturing technology required is not nearly as simple as might be implied, and the current state of manufacture has been greatly refined over the past 30 or so years. When I first became involved back in the mid-1990s, there were many problems to be overcome, accuracy performance being a big one. Regarding frangible bullet breakup on a leather jacket, that is highly doubtful, if not laughable, but anyone anticipating using frangible for defensive purposes is advised to perform some simple penetration testing on various materials beforehand - leather, denim, wood, books, glass, etc. Also, different makes, diameters, velocities, and weights of frangible bullets are likely to perform differently in penetration of common materials. As previously stated, frangible bullets were not designed nor intended for defensive use but rather to break up on impact with hard surfaces, so you are on your own for “off label” use.
 
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I guess it’s futile to ask, but is there still a source for the old 22 Short shooting gallery loads with the bullets made sintered lead dust? I guess anymore Karen would get her panties in a wad about any kind of “real guns” in a shooting gallery, before even considering lead dust!

A highlight for me of the NRA Museum in Fairfax is the shooting gallery… it moves, but they won’t let you shoot at it! :(

Froggie
 

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