Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles FMJ Ammo

How many of you really shoot much FMJ ammo?

I usually buy ammo in bulk. 1000 rounds at a time in most cases. While doing some searches to explore what is avl. in 5.56/223, it was obvious that 9 of 10 offerings of such ammo is various configurations of FMJ.

Personally, I don't have much use for FMJ ammo. Especially in 5.56/223. If there ever was a caliber that needed expansion to make the most of what it has, 5.56/223 is it.

Evidently there's a large demand for FMJ though, or it wouldn't be so prevalent.

While I do some target shooting, I do that with the hunting ammo I have my rifles sighted in for. It just doesn't make much sense to me to shoot FMJ's at a target, and expanding bullets when hunting when the POI is different.

Granted, I have SOME FMJ stuff tucked away for a rainy day or trading, but not much.


Do you guys use FMJ ammo much? What do you use it for?

I know many people have an AR, and just want to hear it go bang. Probably not the case with most of you on here though.

I shoot a lot of it in my Garand, and have quite a bit loaded in 5.56.

In 5.56 I have two different rifles, a Daniel Defense V7 LW, and in that I'll blast the FMJs at the range, but I also have quite a bit loaded with Sierra Blitzkings. It does require a slight sight adjustment to re-zero.

I have another rifle built around the SPR principle, that'll get a steady diet of SMKs.

We have local, informal get-togethers that will involve a bunch of shooting that is totally unscored, so I burn up the 5.56, .30-06, and .45 ACP FMJs at these, and will occasionally make some trips to the range just to sit there and burn up ammo. Same thing.

Basically, I use the FMJs for a cost-effective means to blast away.

More serious work would get a better bullet.

I too shoot a lot of fmj for just plinking. I also actually hunt hogs with .45acp when we use dogs. The shots are 2-20 feet and the fmj holds together and penetrates the hogs scull better than a "hunting" bullet.

It depends. Yesterday I shot the challenge again with hand loaded 77 sierra's over rl15 and my gun is better than I am, next with a DD and a 1-4 I practiced firing from prone, sitting, kneeling and standing at different distances, I did not use hand loads or $1.50 a shot rounds for this.

I use more FMJ in my .45 1911's than any other caliber.

I do carry HyroShoks as defense rounds. But for pistol shooting, there's not much difference in POI and with the .45, there's not a terrible difference in hunting performance.

What I was mostly talking about was 5.56/223.

There are considerable differences in POI and definitely in hunting performance.

Fred Eichler found out what those differences were when he filmed a predator hunting show using FMJ's. He shot several coyotes, and none dropped. Kinda stirred an ethics debate that went on for months.

I shoot some now that it is available again, not as much as I did when it was $149/1000 shipped to my door but some.

I've bought several thousand rounds of IMI M193 this past year or so and it shoots point of aim same as. my 55 grain NBT reloads but I only shoot it in a couple of Colt chrome lined barrels and I don't shoot off a bench. Even my 77 gr SMK loads aren't far enough off to miss a coyote, about an inch high I think. Shooting off hand, standing, kneeling, prone and any other position I get caught in produces the same size groups regardless of ammo used.

When I'm hunting I use hunting ammo and more accurate guns but practice shouldn't waste money.

About the only time I use FMJ ammo in my AR's is when I'm teaching a class. Then it's for weapon familiarization and continuity of fire drills. Any other times it's a match HP or another hunting bullet.

Ed

I'm seeing the difference in price in bulk ammo that I shoot is about $60 per thousand between FMJ's and PSP's.

For what I do, I'll just stick with the PSP's.

I do buy my bulk ammo in .223 for predators with VMax bullets.

It's about all I buy. Just to shoot into a dirt burm with an AR or Mini. When we go for pigs, its hand loads with TSX or Power Points

I think lots of people do that.

Lots of them don't bother with a dirt berm though. Those FMJ's can have a safety factor as well. All bullets do, but FMJ's especially.

I shoot into a berm as well with xm193, but I do hunt with handloads.

Plinking, blasting and SHTF stock.

I use XM193 when I'm introducing either a new or experienced shooter to the world of AR's. Otherwise, I shoot my own handloads.

Shooting off hand, standing, kneeling, prone and any other position I get caught in produces the same size groups regardless of ammo used.

many do not get this, maybe not 1 in 5000 can shoot at 100 yards from the sitting position or kneeling position and produce 1MOA with even 5 shots regardless of the ammo or the rifle in use, prone may be a different story but we cannot always shoot thru the tall grass. Forget about standing! Loading $2.00 cartridges into your $5,000 sniper rifle with 50 cent skills is kind of a waste. Get off the bench once in a while and shoot.

My brother, bless his gun ignorant heart, went to gun shop in Austin and bought an AR.

He told the guy there that he needed some ammo that would be good on hogs, as in hunting and shooting hogs with the very AR he was holding.

The guy sold him a 420 round can of the green tip FMJ's.

I really had to restrain myself to not call the guy's boss and give him an ear full....

too funny!

I have thousands of rounds in storage, and I have shot many thousands of others at the range. Cheapest way to get a lot of range time. I hand load my hunting rounds, and practice some with those too.

I need to broaden my horizon beyond 855 stuff.

FMJ is a great round for pigs. Shoot them and they have time to run off and die on someone elses property.

If my Dillon was a 650 instead of a square deal, I'd buy the cheapest bullets I could and load up some practice ammo. But mine is a square deal for pistol ammo and my time is worth more to me so I buy m193.

My SHTF ammo is 77 gr reloaded stuff. If I outlast that, I'll be glad to get whatever I can.

We used to run coyotes with hounds and whatever surplus FMJ ammo we could find were the preferred choice. I used it for calling coyotes too as it did not damage the hides much.

I have a couple ammo cans full which I use for plinking and training where absolute accuracy is not needed. I also use it in the latter situation as I don't mind losing the brass. I hate removing the crimps and some are tight enough they break the decapping pin. That may change some as I can talk my great grandson into doing this operation,

Did you ever find one to confirm that?

I too used to be on the FMJ kick. Wow, cheap ammo and all that. Then I decided if I'm going to shoot rocks and other unimportant stuff, I had better use a more accurate bullet. Now I use the Sierra 55 gr semi pointed. It feeds well and doesn't leave a group that looks like buckshot on paper.

I know it's cheaper, but think I'll stick with plastic tips for my new AR. Fiocchi loaded with VMaxes is cheap and accurate. Also, the brass I can find to reuse won't have crimped primers to futz with. Less chance of ricochets too.

Watched a guy on YouTube yesterday wringing out a new AR. He was out in the wild somewhere, but you could hear about every fourth round go whining into the distance. Not good, even out West.

I don't shot FMJ, but, I have FMJ stores for my semi autos.
In fact, I don't really shot my semi autos. I've shot so many thousands upon thousands of rounds through the platforms that I feel I pretty much got it. That may be egotistical, but, I think I can pick up an AR and hit out past must reasonable distance with respectable accuracy without having to continually practice and burn powder.
That being said, I still continue a fairly frequent dry fire regime.

Ringworm did you post in the AR challenge thread? I just posted again with worse results but still with the hand loads I tried the best I could do was 1.4 inches for 20 shots. You should take the challenge and post up your targets.

If one doesn't like to shoot then maybe they should take up golf?

I shoot a lot of the cheaper FMJ ammo because I like to shoot, and it's cheaper.
Everybody is different of course but I believe the 50gr vmax loads by fiochhi are the best deal going for a minimum uptick in price over the bulk FMJ loads..with some diligence it can be found on sale for $20/50

IMI M193 can be had for .31 a round right now and the upside is I get great brass for my 223AI for free!

It doesn't matter to me what others punch plates or paper with but if it takes 1/4" ammo to hit a 6" plate, you need to shoot more.

And what fun is it to sit on the bench and shoot groups anyway?

Laughin' here..............a well struck nail head.

Except for LR practice, or precision shooting at 100 yards or so, there's absolutely no rational reason for using premium ammo/bullets, whether bought or handloaded, for practicing speed shooting, off-hand shooting or anything else at ranges less than 150 yards on man sized or similar targets.

Even banging 12" or so targets at longer range can be done with the better FMJ ammo today.

Unless you're shooting a pretty high-grade barrel, IMI M193 is better than most run of the mill barrels & guns, IMHO.

MM

I am thinking about the 3300 feet per second independence ammo.

Mostly for plinking,I use handloaded match ammo for long range shooting. I do have a very accurate load consisting of the Hornady 55 gr fmj and 25.3 gr of Exterminator, shoots groups under an inch in both my AR's.

How's this?



At any distance I'd likely use or need an AR , a better choice would obviously be to retreat to greater position of advantage and use a more suitable platform.
AR's are toys. Big boy erector sets.

Not trying to be a smartass, but I'm not sure I understand this?

Those pics don't comply with the challenge rules.

prefer to call it ball ammo, have a bunch but only shoot it when starting folks. Shoot a bunch in 9mm and 45acp popping plates

Been getting some emails from various ammo vendors lately with decent factory fmj ammo down around $.25/rd. Lowest I've seen in a long time.

ringworm like the man said in the movie, its a perishable skill and your pics don't prove you can shoot. Thank you for your service (I guess) if that is your actual paperwork and uniform. Then excuse me for being a doubter but after years of Lee24 and Safariman I just cannot believe everything someone posts here.

I use the FMJ's bought in bulk as blasting ammo and Hornady Steel Match 75 gr HPBT's when I want to see how a rifle will group. They shoot very well in all of my AR's. I killed a couple of hogs with them a couple of months ago. I was out today shooting them in my PSA Carbine. I bought them locally for $20 for a box of 50. While I do have dies, I have yet to handload for my AR's.

PSA has Federal 55 grain and 62 grain on sale. Free shipping on 420 round cans on stripper clip. With a rebate they are 129 and 139 / 420 rounds.

Skepticism is an admirable trait. But if I were faking I'd have sewn on extra stripes.
And to point yes... It's a perishable skill. But just because I choose not to shoot the dirty gas operation AR platform doesn't mean I don't shoot.

For a number of years I could get my hands on it for free. Or at very little cost.

I doubt over the years I've shot more than 1000 rounds of the stuff.

IMHO it kills better than one would think FMJ does generally speaking. But its typically not nearly accurate enough for me to get feedback from it. I'm not interested in inaccurate guns or ammo.

I have more loaded BTHP stuff around than I ever have FMJ. Though I do recall that I have some cloth bags laying somewhere that have some ball FNM in them thats fairly accurate.

Don't confuse hunting needs or serious match shooting with casual target shooting. There are different ammo types for each.

for serious hunting, (coyote or Javelina in AZ for instance), some expanding hunting bullet
for Service Rifle competition, Sierra Match King HPBT (or similar match bullets)
for water jugs, ANY expanding bullet.
for paper at close distance and steel, FMJ and lots of it!
(one of many cool things about AR15s is you can configure one for any of the above sports)

I find the inexpensive FMJ bulk ammo to not be terribly accurate, but its fine for standing at 10 to 100 yds, or steel at 100 to 200 etc, especially great for showing new shooters how much fun the AR-15 is! This use case probably represents 98% of AR-15 shots fired.

(Name brand FMJ bullets can be more accurate in handloads).

I find M855 "green tip" is not terribly accurate. And may not be a best choice for steel and some ranges don't permit it.

shoot good.

Poole

brand and price?

I see cases of reloadable (non-commy) fmj for around $300 plus shipping

what are you seeing pricewise for a case of psp?

Sycamore

The key is the "bulk ammo that I shoot"...

The PSP's are about $60 a thousand higher than the FMJ's for thousand round lots of Ultramax.

http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/browse/_/N-1104709?CQ_view=list&CQ_ztype=GNU&CQ_ref=~caliber-_p223%2BRemington~brand-Ultramax

PSP's are $439 FMJ's are $379.

thanks.

I found Fiocchi 40 gr vmax for $369.99 at LAX

https://www.laxammo.com/rifle/223-ammo/fiocchi-223-rem-40-gr-v-max-223hvb50-detail

which is close to $70 more than I pay for fmj

50 gr vmax oos

Sycamore