Is it true that if the tips are clipped from the milsurp (FMJ) bullets, making them poor man's hollow points, that when fired, the lead core will "squirt" out of the jacket in the bore?
Anyone ever tried this?

I have to wonder, using the laws of physics, how that could happen... The entire bullet is going to be traveling at the same speed. How can the lead core travel faster than the copper jacket?

I used to work with a man who told me that right after WWII, all that was available was FMjs for the .30-'06. He said he would file the tip of the jacket off the bullets, then flatten the tips of the lead. He claimed they worked very well. I am thinking that is as good a reference as any as to whether or not an FMJ will puke its core in the barrel...

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when fired, the lead core will "squirt" out of the jacket in the bore?

I cannot attest to this first hand but I seriously doubt it.....there is no foundation to support this claim.

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Originally posted by No Plea:
Is it true that if the tips are clipped from the milsurp (FMJ) bullets, making them poor man's hollow points, that when fired, the lead core will "squirt" out of the jacket in the bore?
Anyone ever tried this?

I think it was back in the sixties, the NRA did some testing regarding this. If I remember right, there were cases where the core and jacket separated leaving jacket material in the bore. As a kid, I shot a lot of "modified" milsurp ammo because that was all I could afford when it came to centerfire ammo. Never had a problem. I consider myself lucky.

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Originally posted by craigster:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by No Plea:
I think it was back in the sixties, the NRA did some testing regarding this. If I remember right, there were cases where the core and jacket separated leaving jacket material in the bore. .

I've heard of this test but never read it myself and yes it is quite possible. If enough of the tip is removed and the jacket is stopped by the rifling the gas pressure is still acting on the rear of the lead core. If the jacket is being held with a greater force by the rifling than the lead is being held by the jacket than***spurt.

Nice pumpkinseed VD. roger

Yes, I've seen it happen at the range. It even happend unnoticed, so the following shot blew the barrel.

The same effect is also mentioned in the Sierra reloading manual for some revolver loads with soft points at low velocities.

The physics of it are rather simple. If the friction of the jacket is larger than the pressure propelling the bullet, it will get stuck. The lead core, however, will try to keep on travelling ahead (inertia) and may separate from the jacket.

I have never tried this stunt because I know of others who had it happen. The next shot will leave a nice bulge in the barrel - like a snake swallowing a rat.

Bore to jacket friction is a lot higher than core to jacket friction.

But, as Roger says, a lot depends on how much of the tip is removed.

Ray

So you are going on a $10k hunting trip, and you want to save $20 on bullets?

That's human nature, to skimp on recurring costs.

Don't recall saying or even thinking about going anywhere for any amount of money or about saving any money on the cost of bullets. Just asking the question.

No Plea

Welcome to the forum where second guessing sometimes is the name of the game! You did ask a rather straight forward question. The answer is not so straight forward though. Most of the HP foreign 7.62x39 ammo is merely fmj that has been drilled. There isn't any problem there. Also note that most of those are steel jacketed. The problem with HPing military bullets is usually with copper jacketed bullets. The copper being softer and will expand open to let the lead out. A lot depends also on how much of the tip is taken off.

Better is to reverse the bullet, especially with BTFMJs. I'll probably get a lot of doom and gloom responses to this but most are emotional and not based on fact. Work up a load with some M80 bullets in a .308W for yourself and see how they do. The BT with it's FP and exposed lead can give impressive down range results. The copper jacketed M80s will give the best results for hunting purposes.

Larry Gibson

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Originally posted by Larry Gibson:
No Plea

Better is to reverse the bullet, especially with BTFMJs. Work up a load with some M80 bullets in a .308W for yourself and see how they do. The BT with it's FP and exposed lead can give impressive down range results. The copper jacketed M80s will give the best results for hunting purposes.Larry Gibson

Have often done this and a fair amount of it was accurate. There have been some threads on this. roger

Is it possible ? Almost anything is possible !
I have shot FMJ mil. surp. that I have ground off, cut-off, snipped off and many other ways deformed the TIPS of the bullets with no ill effects and with varying degrees of success for over 40 years.
good luck

I have done it alot the problem starts when you use open base bullets. And I have done this with no problems but... It should be in the back of you mind.


In Full metal case bullets it is not a concern.


Cal30

I was always given to understand it was more likely to happen in milsurp rifles with dodgy bores from firing corrosive primers, rough pitted bore, higher friction on jacket, spurt. Having said that, I've not seen or heard of it happening other than anecdotally. It used to be common with 303s post war in NZ.
Steve

Don´t clip the tip from FMJ, put it backwards. Then you have hunting bullet

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Originally posted by McFox:
Yes, I've seen it happen at the range. It even happend unnoticed, so the following shot blew the barrel...

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Originally posted by Cheechako:
I have never tried this stunt because I know of others who had it happen. The next shot will leave a nice bulge in the barrel - like a snake swallowing a rat....

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1. We have two folks who have intimate knowledge about it having happened.
2. We also have other folks explain how it was Tested in the past by the NRA and shown to happen.
3. We have excellent descriptive answers on what happens to create the situation.

And yet, there are folks who would follow those posts and encourage people to Try It.

Absolutely AMAZING!!!