Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “Ball vs. FMJ: What’s the Difference?” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/ball-vs-fmj-whats-the-difference/.
Ball vs. FMJ: What’s the Difference?
- Thread starter Mike H.
- Start date
GeddyLeeRulz
Alpha
It seems to me the author gets confused between what FMJ ammo is and Hollow Point ammo is. Not ball vs FMJ. Kind of a useless topic.
Talyn
SAINT
Annihilator
Emissary
Yea, in my 40+ years into firearms, never heard of a FMJ hollow point, my opinion, the author doesn’t know his butt from a hole in the ground probably either, FMJ and Ball are the same……
TEXASforLIFE
SAINT
Pistol "ball" projectiles and is usually made "jacketed" different than rifle "ball" projectiles. While both do have a jacket that protects from tip to base, but not all of the base. There is where I thought the author would state the difference. Although he didn't state the difference as all rifle projectiles that have velocities that could melt the lead are jacketed whether it be (like Speer's total metal jacket) tmj, hollow points (even those are misrepresented when having a closed tip/nose as would be a fmj) and (supposedly) ball. Many bullets have an exposed base and some are target bullets as those that are completely jacketed (tmj) are also hollow points. The author needs to get his facts straight! Next he'll be stating having a fsa trigger 
or using "clips" in an AR/dbm (drop box mag). Have we been fed lies and he is the only 1 that actually knows the difference?
or using "clips" in an AR/dbm (drop box mag). Have we been fed lies and he is the only 1 that actually knows the difference?
TEXASforLIFE
SAINT
Fixed it
The Night Rider
Professional
Clearly you didn't read the whole article.
I read the author discussing Ball ammunition (including musket balls), Full Metal Jacket ammunition which he clearly explained was a lead slug with a copper jacket to keep the lead from melting at higher pressures and velocities. And a brief explanation of how most hollow point ammunition is jacketed. Hence, J HP
TEXASforLIFE
SAINT
that's ALL cup-n-core bullets (excluding monos)
Belt Fed
Ronin
I always thought they were the same too
GeddyLeeRulz
Alpha
Read the article. Did you?He’s not confused. Read the article then comment.
GeddyLeeRulz
Alpha
JHP is a hollow point it's not ball.
FNFAN
Elite
They have made what is called EFMJ "Expanding Full Metal Jacket" which is a hollow cavity covered by metal. It basically expands through being squashed on impact. Not terribly reliable from what I've seen. Here's a link to an article: EFMJ expanding bullets
The Night Rider
Professional
Yes, that's what the H and the P stand for.
The Night Rider
Professional
Can you expand on this?
Bassbob
Emissary
Clearly I did.
The Night Rider
Professional
With all due respect I think some of you need to reread the article. When I read it I saw a very clear delineation between ball ammunition, Full Metal Jacket ammunition and jacketed hollow point ammunition.
Unless I completely misread the article ball ammunition is a non jacketed lead slug. I'm not aware of very many manufacturers that make it anymore. Winchester used to make 45 caliber Long Colt cowboy action loads that were ball ammunition.
Full Metal Jacket ammunition is a Lead Core bullet with a copper jacket all the way around it. Sometimes the base of the bullet isn't jacketed.
Jacketed Hollow Point ammunition is just that a hollow point bullet with a copper jacket on it. Generally the front of the bullet isn't jacketed.
All three types of ammunition were specifically referenced in the article
Unless I completely misread the article ball ammunition is a non jacketed lead slug. I'm not aware of very many manufacturers that make it anymore. Winchester used to make 45 caliber Long Colt cowboy action loads that were ball ammunition.
Full Metal Jacket ammunition is a Lead Core bullet with a copper jacket all the way around it. Sometimes the base of the bullet isn't jacketed.
Jacketed Hollow Point ammunition is just that a hollow point bullet with a copper jacket on it. Generally the front of the bullet isn't jacketed.
All three types of ammunition were specifically referenced in the article
Bassbob
Emissary
Agreed
The Night Rider
Professional
Ball Ammunition.
And this picture has both, full metal jacket on the Left and jacketed hollow point on the Right