I have questions and would like discussion about modifying FMJ military projectiles, black powder history, hunter education, and first aid. I attended a hunter education with my 13-year-old son. The instructor asked if anyone knew what the 30-40-cartridge nomenclature stood for. Since no one answered or raised their hands, I piped up and stated that the 30 stood for 30 caliber bore diameter and that 40 stood for 40 grains of black powder. He insisted that it stood for drams. Since I�d heard of drams for use in old apothecary doses and didn�t recall the weight equivalents for drams or all the history of black powder weighing methods, (I�m not a black powder shooter) I didn�t pursue this discussion further in the class. I have since looked up the weight equivalent for drams. It is 1/16th of an ounce, 1.772 grams, or 27.344 grains. If the instructor is right, it would take 1093.76 grains of black powder to make up the powder load in a 30/40 cartridge. This can�t be right. What do you say? He further stated that one should not cut the FMJ�s and expose the lead core as this could push out the lead since it doesn�t have a solid base. This could lead to lead or a copper jacket being left in the bore and then if another round is chambered and fired behind it the rifle could explode. I�ll concede that if someone cut off a lot of the bullet, like maybe half of it or more, this scenario might happen. And although I�ve never done it or bought it, I recall Forster and perhaps others made a device to remove the tips of 30/06 bullets and another device to drill out and make hollow points of these modified 30/06 bullets to do exactly what this guy says will cause guns to blow up. I still see Forster ads for the hollow pointing device Does Forster or others still make the tip cutting device? Has anyone heard of this procedure causing problems? Another instructor was giving 1st Aid instruction and made mention of the 4 types of burns that one may have to take care of in 1st Aid. They were 1st degree, 2nd degree, 3rd degree, 4th degree burns. I�ve had forty years of 1st Aid instruction, as a young boy scout, hospital worker in college (X-ray Tech), and in various jobs that I�ve had. And also as an assistant scoutmaster, I currently give 1st Aid instruction. 1st Aid is given to people with 1st, 2nd, or 3rd degree burns. A person with 4th degree burns (charred to the bone) would be treated by a hospital staff or stuffed into a body bag by the coroner. About the only thing one could do for 1st Aid for this 4th degree burn victim, if they were alive, would be to reassure them, treat for shock, and get a better class of help (like a burn trauma hospital). Any thoughts or opinions would be greatly appreciated. Although there were other minor things that didn�t sit right with me in these classes, all in all, I believe that the state of Florida�s hunter�s ed classes are good and useful for all the people who have little or no knowledge about hunter safety. TIA

The .30 US Army, or .30-40 Krag as it is more commonly known, had an original loading of a .30 caliber, 220 grain bullet and 40 grains of black powder.

After a very short time this cartridge was loaded with smokeless powder, and in the blink of an eye was replaced by the rimless .30-03 cartridge.

As for modifying bullets, either by cutting off the jacketed tip or drilling holes in the nose of the bullet, it is not really suggested, except in comic books and spy dramas.

As for burns, there are three catagories:
First-degree - the skin is reddened and tender;
Second-degree - the skin is blistered and painful;
Third-degree - the skin and underlying tissue is obviously burned, and there is no discomfort.

use to do it to m1 carbine ball ammo all the time never had a problem

I have seen powder and shot charges for shotguns are listed in dram equivalents, but 40 drams is getting into the realm of artillery.

I have seen only one reference to the FMJ-modification issue, and oddly enough, it was in African Rifles and Cartridges by John Taylor. His line of reasoning follows what you heard exactly.

My kid got some First Aid training at school and told me about 4th-degree burns. That wasn't what the medics taught us in the Army, so it might be a new thing--kind of like the way CPR gets changed every few years.

I agree with you on the value of Hunter's Ed, but there are problems with how it is executed. I endured a Hunter's Ed Instructor's course once--the instructors were competent enough but quick to push their own special brand of political correctness. I lived in a very rough part of town at the time and wore a legally concealed 45 pretty much constantly. State law said we weren't allowed to wear a gun while teaching (I have no problem with that) but the instructor gave me the third-degree about why I was wearing it in the first place. This guy had just read us the riot act about supporting the Second Amendment, so I politely asked him, "Are you questioning my right to keep and bear arms?" He spluttered and stuttered and never really did answer.

The same guy later decided all handgun hunters who weren't using guns and loads from a fairly large list of approved choices had to have their ammo chronographed before they could hunt with it. He reserved a range and made everyone come to him. He wouldn't let folks shoot their own guns because he didn't want them to hit the chronograph. You know what happens next... On the third shot, everyone got blanket approval to hunt because the chronograph didn't work anymore.

The whole thing was unfortunate because the guy had a huge amount of knowledge but his need for control got in the way.

Okie John.

Addressing the FMJ question. In Ackley's "Handbook", he addresses this question giving results of tests he performed at that time. He was unable to get the bullet to shed it's jacket, even with essentially a "lead cylinder". To test the effects of a jacket left in the bore, he pushed a cutoff bullet into the barrel by hand, and melted the lead core out. On firing a round, the only effects were a very slight "ring" in the barrel where the jacket was. Going on his results, I'd say there is no danger to the process. However, I'd be the first to say I think trying to make a hunting bullet out of a FMJ is a bad idea...