.223 FMJ or HP

[turnerdye1]

Im getting ready to purchase another 1000 rounds of .223 and i had a question. Should i get FMJ or HP? This ammo is for my SHTF stash/range use. The stuff ill be getting is Brown Bear btw

On a person what would do more damage basically. I know that the FMJ tumbles alot while in the body. But does the HP actually expand? Does it tumble after it expands?

Im just looking for something with the largest wound cavity

 

[JeremySS]

Im getting ready to purchase another 1000 rounds of .223 and i had a question. Should i get FMJ or HP? This ammo is for my SHTF stash/range use. The stuff ill be getting is Brown Bear btw

On a person what would do more damage basically. I know that the FMJ tumbles alot while in the body. But does the HP actually expand? Does it tumble after it expands?

Im just looking for something with the largest wound cavity

What grain of bullet? From the tests I have seen, the HP does more damage and the bigger the better. Are you sure the Brown Bear stuff will work well in your rifle? My Bushmaster eats almost anything I put in it...except for Brown or Silver Bear.

 

[Dorky_D]

I have looked into this a little. I do not claim to be an expert, but this is what I have found. I have heard that Soft Points may be the best choice.
From what I understand the hollow points from Russian manufacture may not expand as much as a domestic, because the jacket is that bi-metal with some steel in it, so the jacket may make it perform similar to a FMJ round.
I have heard that the HP are probably more accurate than FMJ.
This is all conjecture, so please correct me if I am giving out bad info, but it is what I have heard.
I would love to see some ballistic tests on all 3 with Russian steel case ammo.
All of that said, I just purchased 1,000 rounds of Wolf 62gr HP from centerfiresystems. Their price is about as good as you will find. It is $199 for 1,000. They are having some issues keeping it in stock, so my order is delayed.
My rationale is that HP will probably have a little more damage capacity. They are the same price as the FMJ. Soft points are more expensive. Some say they have had issues with them feeding properly. My chances of having to use them on a bad guy are pretty slim, and if I should have to, I would probably put more than 1 in them. I went with the 62 grain, because it should have a little more stopping power.

BTW - Centerfiresystems also has 75 grain ammo. I bought 100 rounds to test in my Saiga.

 

[teddy12b]

Im getting ready to purchase another 1000 rounds of .223 and i had a question. Should i get FMJ or HP? This ammo is for my SHTF stash/range use. The stuff ill be getting is Brown Bear btw

On a person what would do more damage basically. I know that the FMJ tumbles alot while in the body. But does the HP actually expand? Does it tumble after it expands?

Im just looking for something with the largest wound cavity

FMJ are better for penetrating.
Hollow points are probably better for accuracy.
Soft points are going to mushroom quicker.
All of the above have before and will again take a humans life.

There's a reason a lot of the most tried and true deer bullets out there are soft points. Remington corelokts for one example, but for what you're wanting the soft points would be better. It's going to make much difference though in the big picture.

 

[turnerdye1]

What grain of bullet? From the tests I have seen, the HP does more damage and the bigger the better. Are you sure the Brown Bear stuff will work well in your rifle? My Bushmaster eats almost anything I put in it...except for Brown or Silver Bear.

Yea im sure it works. I have put about 700 through it now. The last 500 i havent cleaned or lubed it. Still runs perfectly fine. It also easts Wolf like a champ too. The place ill be getting them has 55gr FMJ and 62gr HP

I have looked into this a little. I do not claim to be an expert, but this is what I have found. I have heard that Soft Points may be the best choice.
From what I understand the hollow points from Russian manufacture may not expand as much as a domestic, because the jacket is that bi-metal with some steel in it, so the jacket may make it perform similar to a FMJ round.
I have heard that the HP are probably more accurate than FMJ.
This is all conjecture, so please correct me if I am giving out bad info, but it is what I have heard.
I would love to see some ballistic tests on all 3 with Russian steel case ammo.
All of that said, I just purchased 1,000 rounds of Wolf 62gr HP from centerfiresystems. Their price is about as good as you will find. It is $199 for 1,000. They are having some issues keeping it in stock, so my order is delayed.
My rationale is that HP will probably have a little more damage capacity. They are the same price as the FMJ. Soft points are more expensive. Some say they have had issues with them feeding properly. My chances of having to use them on a bad guy are pretty slim, and if I should have to, I would probably put more than 1 in them. I went with the 62 grain, because it should have a little more stopping power.

BTW - Centerfiresystems also has 75 grain ammo. I bought 100 rounds to test in my Saiga.

I have a 1/9 twist so i dont think ill try the 75gr ammo anytime soon. But i will look at centerfire systems. Im more of a Brown Bear guy over Wolf but thats a hard price to beat. Ive heard that some soft tip ammo breaks up when loading into the mags so im gonna stay away from those as well.

FMJ are better for penetrating.
Hollow points are probably better for accuracy.
Soft points are going to mushroom quicker.
All of the above have before and will again take a humans life.

There's a reason a lot of the most tried and true deer bullets out there are soft points. Remington corelokts for one example, but for what you're wanting the soft points would be better. It's going to make much difference though in the big picture.

Why are HP more accuate? Im curious about this

 

[kludge]

I like Federal 55gr XM193 for your purposes.

Water is much more dense than air and the bullet is no longer stabile, so a FMJ will tumble. Federal XM193 (Lake City) will fragment if there is enough remaining velocity. YMMV with other types of FMJ.

There are two distinct types of HP/SP in .223. Some are varmint bullets designed to basically disintegrate on impact, which has a much more shallow wounding potential, and some are designed to mushroom, and these are the "game" bullets, usually weighing between 65 and 75 grains, and are designed to work on small large game. When a bullet mushrooms its stability is enhaced because the it will now be "flying" weight foreward (kind of like a foster type shotgun slug or a HB wadcutter .38 SPL) and so it doesn't tumble, lending to better penetration.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

The .223 round yaws when passing through the body. Hence a small entry wound, and a large exit wound. I have mostly FMJ ammo, but I do have some HP ammo. Mostly for my Savage though. I do not know if you have tried steel case ammo out of you AR. I ran 20 rounds of MFS zinc plated ammo through my Bushmaster. It cycled reliably and was accurate. You can get 1,000 rounds for just over $200.

MFS Ammunition 223 Remington 55 Grain Full Metal Jacket Zinc Plated Steel Case Case of 1000 (50 Boxes of 20)

 

[U.S. Patriot]

I have a 1/9 twist so i dont think ill try the 75gr ammo anytime soon. But i will look at centerfire systems. Im more of a Brown Bear guy over Wolf but thats a hard price to beat. Ive heard that some soft tip ammo breaks up when loading into the mags so im gonna stay away from those as well.

My Bushmaster has a 1/9 twist. It does best with heavier rounds. I have gotten my best accuracy with Hornidy 75 grain BTHP's.

 

[gunman41mag]

I buy SILVER BEAR 62 gr. HOLLOW-POINTS

 

[dross]

My reading of FMJ ammunition is that it fragments above 2700 fps. That's the XM193 FMJ ammo.

Basically as it hits the density of the human body, it tumbles - not end over end repeatedly, but because of its shape it wants to go heavy end first in denser material than air. As it tumbles, the pressure on the bullet is too great and it breaks to pieces. In general, the faster it's going, the more it fragments.

Some FMJ, however, has a thicker jacked and won't fragment. Also at greater distances after it has lost velocity, it will penetrate more because it won't fragment.

I've read that the FBI is teaching to use their handguns for shots that need to penetrate cover because they penetrate better than 5.56 FMJ.

 

[turnerdye1]

hmm...well ill probably just get 500 of each.

each seem to have their own advantages. ammo is ammo

 

[Dorky_D]

I have heard that the 75 grain will be fine in a 1:9 twist. Many have reported this. I bought 100 to try vs spending a lot on a bunch only to be dissapointed. I want to try them at 50 and 100 yards to see if they will key hole before I buy a large quantity.
FYI - the 75 grain rounds would probably be just fine for bad guys within 25 yards. If it key holes on them at that range, it would just make a bigger hole!