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Winterize with FMJ! price/performance survey
buschmaster
Member Posts: 14,229 ✭✭✭
winter is here, and the change in climate means a change in tactics. BG's will surely be wearing winter coats and there is a slightly higher probability that the need for a defensive use of your handgun may occur while you are in your car, as opposed to jogging in the park for example.
some gun writers observe that thugs are opportunists, so they are more likely to take advantage of a situation where there are few people around, therefore overpenetration with FMJ should be actually not much of a concern regarding bystanders... there aren't likely to be many, if any at all.
muzzle flash should be a big consideration because not only are thugs more likely to pounce after dark, but there are a lot more hours of darkness in the winter months. more so the farther north you are. daylight might be from 7:30 to 4:30 and that's it. unfortunately they don't mention muzzle flash in the ads.
winter coats clog JHP, automotive windshields and body panels deform JHP. FMJ is the answer. actually a copper solid is better than FMJ for resisting deformation but FMJ is a lot easier to find.
so, I went to an ammo website and wrote down the info. put it in a spreadsheet. it's 40SW so if you are shooting something else I guess it sucks to be you. however, you can adapt, improvise and overcome! the performance and price are probably the same across calibers. and really, FMJ is not so bad as long as you have a .40 or .45. if you have a 9mm, you're just going to have to adapt some more. like, buy a real gun.
the chart is sorted by kinetic energy first, since penetration of coats and hard thin barriers is most important. power factor not so much, although it does seem to follow KE. then sorted by CPR (cents per round).
here is the chart.
observations:
1. I had heard that PPU was hot. I guess not. 180 grains in the low 900's ft/s is dogging out. can do better than that.
2. I never thought much about Speer Lawman, never heard anything about it; looks plain jane and assumed it would be quite mediocre. but it's at the top of the performance list. good price too.
3. American Eagle was supposed to be good plinker ammo. we see that it does perform well compared to the others, but that's not a plinker price.
4. if you want higher KE, the 155-165 grain 40SW is where it's at.
5. Remington MC is up there at the top of the performance list with Speer Lawman, but I heard it's dirty and has a lot of muzzle flash. price is average.
6. Fiocchi is actually pretty competitive on the price. I thought it would be more. if there is a choice with similar ammo I would go with the Fiocchi for higher quality. and maybe better reloads because I think, I heard, they use Starline brass.
7. S&B is pretty lackluster. they only do 180 grain and there are a lot better choices for that.
8. PMC Bronze in a 300 round Battle Pack (just like the South African .556) is slower and more expensive than regular 50-round boxes.
some gun writers observe that thugs are opportunists, so they are more likely to take advantage of a situation where there are few people around, therefore overpenetration with FMJ should be actually not much of a concern regarding bystanders... there aren't likely to be many, if any at all.
muzzle flash should be a big consideration because not only are thugs more likely to pounce after dark, but there are a lot more hours of darkness in the winter months. more so the farther north you are. daylight might be from 7:30 to 4:30 and that's it. unfortunately they don't mention muzzle flash in the ads.
winter coats clog JHP, automotive windshields and body panels deform JHP. FMJ is the answer. actually a copper solid is better than FMJ for resisting deformation but FMJ is a lot easier to find.
so, I went to an ammo website and wrote down the info. put it in a spreadsheet. it's 40SW so if you are shooting something else I guess it sucks to be you. however, you can adapt, improvise and overcome! the performance and price are probably the same across calibers. and really, FMJ is not so bad as long as you have a .40 or .45. if you have a 9mm, you're just going to have to adapt some more. like, buy a real gun.
the chart is sorted by kinetic energy first, since penetration of coats and hard thin barriers is most important. power factor not so much, although it does seem to follow KE. then sorted by CPR (cents per round).
here is the chart.
observations:
1. I had heard that PPU was hot. I guess not. 180 grains in the low 900's ft/s is dogging out. can do better than that.
2. I never thought much about Speer Lawman, never heard anything about it; looks plain jane and assumed it would be quite mediocre. but it's at the top of the performance list. good price too.
3. American Eagle was supposed to be good plinker ammo. we see that it does perform well compared to the others, but that's not a plinker price.
4. if you want higher KE, the 155-165 grain 40SW is where it's at.
5. Remington MC is up there at the top of the performance list with Speer Lawman, but I heard it's dirty and has a lot of muzzle flash. price is average.
6. Fiocchi is actually pretty competitive on the price. I thought it would be more. if there is a choice with similar ammo I would go with the Fiocchi for higher quality. and maybe better reloads because I think, I heard, they use Starline brass.
7. S&B is pretty lackluster. they only do 180 grain and there are a lot better choices for that.
8. PMC Bronze in a 300 round Battle Pack (just like the South African .556) is slower and more expensive than regular 50-round boxes.
Comments
At which time the JHP BECOMES a FMJ so why bother changing bullet type?
"if you have a 9mm, you're just going to have to adapt some more. like, buy a real gun."
I have yet to find ANYONE who is so confident that the 9mm/38SP is so totally inadequate that they will volunteer to take a couple of rounds to prove this point.
125gr Gold Dot = dead thug in any climate.[:D][xx(]
"winter coats clog JHP, automotive windshields and body panels deform JHP"
At which time the JHP BECOMES a FMJ so why bother changing bullet type?
"if you have a 9mm, you're just going to have to adapt some more. like, buy a real gun."
I have yet to find ANYONE who is so confident that the 9mm/38SP is so totally inadequate that they will volunteer to take a couple of rounds to prove this point.
uuhh...
I don't worry about any of that stuff. I carry a .357 Mag...a caliber for all seasons.
Yeppers. Ending violent discussions since 1935.