US Army Considering Switch to Hollow Point Ammunition

Nemo288

Nemo288

Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2011
Messages
2,385
Reaction score
1,531
Location
Badgerland
US Army Considering Switch to Hollow Point Ammunition

From the article:

"But are hollow points legal for military use? That was the question that many industry observers asked after the announcement. Contrary to popular belief, the United States was never a signatory to the 1899 Hague Conventions article section that outlawed so-called “dum dum” bullets, or expanding ammunition. Furthermore, that specific section of Article IV that concerns the use of expanding bullets only applies to wars between signatory powers, which is not likely to occur anytime soon. The United States was the only major power at the time to decline signing the article."

Some of our NATO buddies are going to have a fit.
And anyone else who pretends the U.N. is relevant.
 
Last edited:
Register to hide this ad
Probably some OSHA concern over penetration. Can't have an unsafe work environment, after all. I'm surprised that they still allow lead styphnate primers.
 
The articles on the subject mentioned something along the lines of HP ammunition being "special purpose"; perhaps this means only for specific missions or personnel.
 
Not being a conspiracy nut I would never consider the possibility that this might be an attempt to create another ammo shortage.
 
I think it is a good idea and long over due. Those we are fighting are not Uniformed combatants of a recognized nation and therefore not entitled to the rules of war.

I read somewhere a while back that a company making ammo was using a Pork product in the bullet coating or otherwise as a lube. I think that should be issued to our troops as well.
 
Naturally, our troops should use whatever fits their needs. That said, remember that with body armor, chest-mounted magazine pouches filled with steel cased ammo, etc., deeper penetration may be needed. Deep penetration is somewhat inconsistent with reliable expansion.
 
YEP! But instead of getting on their lips, they get it, well, somewhere else!
 
poordevil said:
I read somewhere a while back that a company making ammo was using a Pork product in the bullet coating or otherwise as a lube.
Click to expand...

You're referring to the Indian Mutiny of 1857. British Ordnance had come out with a new cartridge for their muskets. The cartridges, in fact, were not greased with pig fat, but with beef fat.

Indian soldiers were becoming increasingly distrustful of their British rulers. The "pork lube" thing was a rumor started by Indian sepoys who believed the British were out to break their caste by having them use cartridges greased with pig fat.

The sepoys' refusal to accept the new cartridge when ordered to do so by their commanders was one of the final straws that broke the camel's back and kicked off the Mutiny.
 
Nemo288 said:
I think he was referring to these guys:
Peace Through Pork - Jihawg Defensive Ammunition
Seems they have disappeared as of last year.

Then there is this stuff:
Silver Bullet Gun Oil
Click to expand...

Yes, well. Maybe you're right. Now that I see them, I look at Jihawg and Silver Bullet as novelty item products, made to garner a quick buck at gun shows and flea markets.

I'm sure both work, but Jihawg lasted about a millisecond in the overall ammo world, and I've never even seen the Silver Bullet stuff at any LGS in my area.

Maybe I took poordevil's post too seriously. And now that I just noticed his second post, I'm sure I did. My mistake.
 
My son has said after many tours that they don't want us to actually kill anyone. . .just wound them. That's why they have to use that awful hardball stuff in combat. It would be really nice to see a load that will have a much higher kill rate.
 
I think we are just talking handgun ammo here.
The .22 and .30 cal rifle ammo is already heading to an all copper bullet which will reduce lethality even more
unless they use some kind of HP design like the Barnes.
 
I believe I once read that wounding a soldier would tie up 3 additional personnel, so a ball round was more effective logistically, or so the logic goes.

Realistically people shoot until the threat is down and neutralized.
 
Nemo288 said:
I think he was referring to these guys:
Peace Through Pork - Jihawg Defensive Ammunition
Seems they have disappeared as of last year.

Then there is this stuff:
Silver Bullet Gun Oil
Click to expand...

Yep this is what I was referring to.

Yes, I know about the Sepoy Rebellion, but these rounds are what I was referring to.

I have an 1861 Enfield Musketoon (carbine) in .577 cal and I use pork lard and bees wax for the lube.

As an aside. It was Mutton fat so as not to offend the Muslims by using pork or the Hindus by using the fat from the Sacred Cow.
 
Last edited:
To me, war is not a game with rules and penalties and points off for this infraction or that infraction. It is brutal, ugly business of the most serious kind. Therefore I never understood the "rules of engagement" concept. While I absolutely don't advocate intentionaly targeting civilians, I believe that if someone takes up arms against us we should hit them with every thing available, hollow point bullets, exploding small arms bullets and any thing else that will quickly prove our point and end the hostilities.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top