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Rifle Ammo: What's Wrong With Ball?
Awhile back, someone posted an article on defensive ammo written by some guy who relied on info from Ayoob, Marshall, and Sanow. http://www.chuckhawks.com/ammo_by_anonymous.htm This article recommended using anything but ball as a defensive round, even in rifles. In short, it says that:
Jacketed hollow-points will stop and attacker better than ball because ball will go through the person - with HP ammo, the knock-down power is greater because the attacker absorbs all the kinetic energy from a JHP round. The article also says soft-points are okay. There's a risk of over-penetration with ball ammo. That hollow-point and ball ammo are priced similarly, so you may as well get the JHP ammo. Of course, the article was written two years ago, and from what I can see, ball is way cheaper than JHP or SP ammo. With that in mind is ball/FMJ good for nothing else other than the range? I would think that for a longer-range stand-off (TSHTF) round, ball would be okay, and perhaps preferable if attackers are wearing armor or hiding behind solid barriers. I'm just trying to justify the extra expense of JHP rounds over FMJ/ball for prepping. Thoughts? |
Re: Rifle Ammo: What's Wrong With Ball?
JHP will cause more damage to a human, whatever the distance. But ball has the advantage of being able to swiss cheese things like cars, and to go through walls you WANT to go through.
It seems to me that if you're worried about price, just practice at the range with ball but keep your mags at home full of JHP! I'm with you on keeping costs down, so that is my goal. |
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You can't use HPs during war, unless you win.
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theboxotruth.com~~~~~~these are the penetration guys, there is a lot to learn there
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Ball works just fine it's just that other types of bullets perform better today. The HP is by far the best bullet to use on soft skinned animals however. |
Re: Rifle Ammo: What's Wrong With Ball?
Military ball, or full metal jacketed bullets, are designed to meet Geneva Convention accords. Better to wound the opposing soldier to create more demand for services and remove him from the field, etc.
Hollowpointed bullets are not the solution. Often they fail to open at low velocities common in handguns or are very frangible so do not stick together. A flat point heavy slug is more reliable for anchoring game or defense and opens a better wound channel. In auto pistols, a flat-point jacketed bullet is much more effective than a round "ball" bullet. Military ball is not the equal of gilding metal jacketed match bullets. If you want accuracy, you want a uniform jacket, one that is thick and therefore a toughly constructed bullet, but one that "takes" the rifling fully and effectively. Hollowpoint match bullets are not "explosive". They use a hp to optimize the weight balance for maximum ballistic coefficiency. A bullet with max weight in the center of its mass will perform better in flight. A Boat Tail Hollowpoint or A-Max type is the most efficient for this. Flat points work well in rifles, for game getting at close range. Flat points optimize the energy transmission of the pistol at all ranges. Ball ammo will kill game, just not as effectively; at least that is the theory. It is purposefully designed not to kill humans, although it does that well enough if a vital organ or bone is broken. The heavier the bullet, and the squarer the bullet design, the greater the wound area and the less likely the wound to close. Round nose jacketed pistol bullets deflect in there terminal trajectory (bullet path), FMJ rifle bullets zip right through principally designed to wound. A heavy semi-wadcutter design for revolver or expanding bullet for rifle is best for game-getting. |
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And I believe it was the Hague Conventions of 1899 that first sought to forbid HP bullets...the U.S. never officially signed on although they went along tacitly with the agreements. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hague_C...99_and_1907%29 http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/lawofwar/dec99-03.htm |
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Use ball ammo for anti bullet proof vest shooting.
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Sorry. Bullets aren't designed to tumble. They are designed to fly true and spin to stabilize. Only when they strike a bone or drop below sonic speed do they become unstable. In target shooting, this effect is called key-holing.
A light bullet will have some explosive effect, not so a heavy bullet unless at phenomenal velocity. Terminal ballistics is an interesting study. The Army studied wound channels in live/dead animals in the 50s. Google Thompson-LaGarde Studies or terminal ballistics for more info. How can a bullet moving 3000 fps and spinning over 8,000rpm tumble? It can't unless something alters its inertia/flight path. |
Re: Rifle Ammo: What's Wrong With Ball?
techguy,
I agree with M.M. that is called key-holing and your bullets should not do that. This sometimes indicates a problem with the crown on your barrel. Tumbling inside whatever is shot = ok Tumbling in flight = bad news Mike |
Re: Rifle Ammo: What's Wrong With Ball?
In cold weather areas, where HEAVY jackets are used, HP does NOT work nearly as well. It has been shown over and over again, particularly if the jacket is made of a 'soft' material (wool or cotton), that the hollow part of the bullet is just 'filled' with material that keeps it from expanding.
SO, if you live in an area of the country where people wear heavy jackets against the cold, consider ball. BECAUSE HP DOES THE EXACT SAME THING. This has been tested many times and proven every time. If you live down south where warm is the way of life (or in SoCal), then by all means, step up to the HP plate. |
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Thanks for all the input - I appreciate the advice.
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The fix can be as simple as re-crowning the barrel (more difficult if chrome-lined) or simply changing ammo. Too heavy a bullet weight in a slower rate of twist can also cause keyholing. Some U.S. manufactured ammo is loaded with .308-.310 bullets to shoot in U.S. chambered rifles. These won't always stabilize well in a .311-.314 bored AK (alot of variation can occur)... A more serious problem would be an out-of-spec barrel/chamber...which would necessitate a new barrel. I would be curious to know what ammo and rifle combo gives you keyholing @120 yards...? |
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What's Wrong With Ball?
.223 bullet at 3200 fps from a 1 in 7" twist barrel turns:
3200x60x (12/7) = 329,000 RPM that is 329,000 revolutions per minute, very FAST and very STABLE in flight. .308 bullet at 2700 FPS from a one in 11" twist spins 2700x60x(12/11)= 176,000 rpm. that is (just) sufficient to stabilize 190 grain matchkings. |
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I get tired of typing. |
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I found it would shift the point of impact 6 inches left or right at will, so that I had two distinct groups, fired consecutively, with the same Wolf ammo. Very weird. At the time I thought I might have a bent barrel or crooked muzzle brake and I ended up getting rid of it. In retrospect, I should have had a gunsmith check the headspace and slug the barrel for me. I suspect it may have had a bad barrel, too. |
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Re: Rifle Ammo: What's Wrong With Ball?
Mtn Man,
Ignorance and pride is a dangerous combination. Do you realize that "soft tissue" does not in any way cause a bullet to "tumble"? Do you even know what "tumbling" is? A bullet travelling over 1000fps will penetrate soft tissue, like ballistic gelatin test medium, and either pass through or remain. If nothing impedes its forward momentum like bone or a tree limb the bullet is spinning and will remain stable. I am reminded of Dan Ackroyd's bit on the SNL news with Jane Curtin. Dan would preface his rebuttal with, "Jane, you ignorant slut". I don't know anything about you personally but wow, you like to really advertise your Ignorance Quotient when it comes to firearms. Always entertaining. Thanks for all the chuckles. |
Re: Rifle Ammo: What's Wrong With Ball?
Plenty, ESPECIALLY if you DON'T have ENOUGH of it!
In a few years, we will all have plenty of first hand experience to have a reasonable discussion of the subject, that is if there is anyone who will have the stomach to bring it up! |
Re: Rifle Ammo: What's Wrong With Ball?
Yet another interesting firearms, ballistics thread. And as usual, with a few side shows, since we're all experts and sometimes like to butt heads.
But from my memory, which from time to time, may have some flaws or imperfections. The intent of 'military ball ammo' was for no other reason but to penetrate the steel bucket on the enemy's head. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. I don't want to get 'ahead' of myself. |
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My AK-74 will shoot to 2 MOA @100 yards and break clay pidgeons at 200. Watch the video again...he jerks the trigger and the rifle was not even sighted in properly...It was a very biased comparison..:thumpdown |
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Always a hoot to see the Commie-junk lovers brag about 4moa at 100yds.
Junk. No good but for shooting some poor peasant in the back of the head as he/she kneels in front of the ditch that will be their grave. That is about all the power that needs come from the barrel of a gun, according to chairman mao. Still laughing about the "basic bug out load" of 40lbs one "member" here said he planned to carry. AK, Ammo, and BP Vest. 40lbs of useless crap, but what a great fantasy. Nothing wrong with mil-spec ammunition. It is what it is. Lotsa game been killed with it. Lots of humans. If you are buying .223/5.56mm better to buy 62gr ball or heavier. The helmet penetration thing was how the Army decided they could live with the 5.56mm. Had to penetrate a helmet at 600yds. The fact that an AR can actually hit one at that distance is always lost on the AK shooters who figure to come out of the mud-sty and engage their opponents. Mud-Men into the breach! |
Re: Rifle Ammo: What's Wrong With Ball?
I have to admit I have not read the entire thread but ammo-oracle.com gives a excellent background of many of these rounds and what each one does in different scenarios.
5.56 55 grain mil spec fragments up to 2700 fps and makes a wound channel similar to .308. Of course after about 200 yards its going to slow to achieve this. mdp |
Re: Rifle Ammo: What's Wrong With Ball?
We talking pistol or rifle? In any pistol I'd want JHP. Rifles not so much.
I can't believe no one brought up function. Ball is more uniform, and less likely to jam an autoloader. Of course, many of the new HPs and such are pretty good, but that poylmer tip just isn't as tough as a FMJ. The FMJ gives something up on terminal ballistics, but the price difference is(or at least was) crazy. When I stocked up, I could buy fmj 3:1 over HP. I'll take the 3:1 any day. With the rise of cost in some calibers, the point might be mute now. Either way, I decided on FMJ and never looked back. Funny, the FMJ seemed to work for everyone in every war for the last 100+ years. ONe other thing...the spire point was SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED to cause a bullet to tumble upon impact. The US .30 Cal was originally a 220(?) grain round nose that bored straight through whatever it hit. The Armory System came up with the spire point because it distributes the weight to the rear of the projectile, causing it to swap ends when it hits stuff. They also found that it helped flight ballistics, but the drive was for better terminal ballistics. BTW, SkyVike, I love you, and hate to buck you, but a SP/JHP/etc out of any rifle (even the lowly 5.56) will blow straight through any mag or tobacco tin, even at distance. |
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