Effects of FMJ bullets on big game. Thoughts?

[Don Fischer]

Can't compare humans to animals. Animals are tough and pain or what we would consider pain doesn't impact them. How many animals have you witnessed take a bullet or arrow (no major arteries,
or nervous system hit) and not die? They don't go to the ER. You shoot a person and if they don't go to the ER they will more than likely die and they will definitely not be seen a few days later trying to take on some guy over a "doe in heat"!

I have read several different accounts about soldiers that have saved his guy's even though shot a good number of times. If you look at a FMJ you'll notice that the tip is solid and the base exposed lead!

 

[Don Fischer]

Years ago I heard about a guy who had “trouble” purchasing guns who picked up a old military surplus 7.62x39 because it didn’t require a background check. One day the fellow goes out deer hunting, with some of that wolf steel case fmj ammo. Stuck one right in the shoulder of a buck, the damage I hear would make a ballistic tip or vld look tame.

Bullet probably bent going in and tumbled through.

 

[Ridgerunner6901]

I think you would find there is a difference between hit hard and hit well. Remember choose the shot for the bullet you shoot!

I mean on a gopher a hit is a hit

 

[Redman]

I have read several different accounts about soldiers that have saved his guy's even though shot a good number of times. If you look at a FMJ you'll notice that the tip is solid and the base exposed lead!

My whole point is you can't compare humans to animals. Animals are totally different and can take injuries that would kill humans. FMJ bullets do not create the amount of shock and tissue damage needed to make ethical kills on large animals. Do they and will they kill yes but not the way a hunting designed bullet do. Right tool for the right job scenario.

 

[338BearHunter]

Seriously though, even if there were no laws, who would hunt big game with a FMJ bullet anyway? I only get a few chances per year, and spend much blood and treasure on preparation. I'm damn sure I'll use a nice expanding bullet. That $0.80 savings never seemed too important.

 

[CowboyLeroy]

I've mollywhopped a syrup bucket full of hogs with fmjs. Headshots go as expected, but shoulderblade shots are much more lethal than you would think

 

[338BearHunter]

I've mollywhopped a syrup bucket full of hogs with fmjs. Headshots go as expected, but shoulderblade shots are much more lethal than you would think

Do tell. Do you get expansion/tumbling, or does the simple passthrough do a lot of damage?

 

[CowboyLeroy]

Not the trigger man but a tungsten armor piercing round from a 556 will dispatch an injured feral horse where it stands when shot through both shoulders.

Where did you get tungsten rifle ammo?

 

[CowboyLeroy]

Do tell. Do you get expansion/tumbling, or does the simple passthrough do a lot of damage?

I couldn't say, I'm sure there was some kind of gymnastics going on in there but I typically dumped them in a hole

 

[mtnrunner260]

Where did you get tungsten rifle ammo?

DoD installation

 

[std7mag]

Where did you get tungsten rifle ammo?

Sssshhhhhhh!!!!!

I still have some 8X57 AP Mauser ammo and 30-06 AP in stripper clips.

I ain't tell'n where i got it!!

 

[choc dogs]

Vaguely remember a hunting camp from my youth with dad and uncles, and other adults. Unfortunately they’re all gone now, which makes me the adult, and that should scare the hell out of everyone. Anyway, telling stories of “the old days” around a bottle of old crow, and my dad was giving someone a hard time about having the same box of ammo since somewhere post wwll, (this being the late 70’s) and basically being a cheapskate. He replied that was just for the game warden, and he had been using Milsurp ammo since they all”got back”. Don’t know how or if it was true, but the man killed a lot of animals in the time I hunted with him, and I’m betting he never bought a different gun, or box of bullets in his life. I don’t think they’re the right tool for the job most of the time, and don’t use them myself, but as has been said “a poor man has poor ways”

 

[BAKPAKR]

Death by FMJ (silhouette bullet):



My thought going into this was that a .429” hole through the lungs was going to kill an elk. I think the flat point on the bullet helped.

 

[rogerthat]

I would rather have someone use a fmj and make a good shot within their effective range than all the clowns out there launching at “ranges beyond belief” with premium hunting bullets. The bullet really only starts to matter with marginal hits, angles, etc. Game wardens ought to hand out tickets for stuff that really matters. Fmj may or may not but i doubt anybody that hunts much would ever use them

 

[shoots-straight]

Death by FMJ (silhouette bullet):

View attachment 220688

My thought going into this was that a .429” hole through the lungs was going to kill an elk. I think the flat point on the bullet helped.

Is that picture taken during one of those effective archery seasons?

 

[BAKPAKR]

Is that picture taken during one of those effective archery seasons?

It was opening day of the general season. I had developed a bad case of target panic during archery season that year, so I hung up my bow and went back to handgun hunting. I ended up getting myself invited along on a backpack hunt with three older guys. Way back when that photo was taken, archery season ended towards the end of September and the general season opened the next day.

 

[Huntnut60]

I've mollywhopped a syrup bucket full of hogs with fmjs. Headshots go as expected, but shoulderblade shots are much more lethal than you would think

I too have shot more than 50 hogs with a 5.56 FMJ bullet. No head shots, all shoulder or behind the shoulder. Pigs weighed 20-250lbs. Ideal? Absolutely not, and would not recommend if you were hunting thick brush and wanted to retrieve your kill easily. Most pigs ran 30-75 yds with very little or no blood trail. Mostly pass throughs on everything under 125lbs. Ammo shortages made me attempt things I never would have under normal situations.

 

[338BearHunter]

Law aside, if the main functional difference between FMJs and expanding cup and core/partition bullets is the blood trail, that alone would keep me from FMJs. Bear are notorious for not bleeding, so I want all the edge I can get.

 

[Don Fischer]

Been thinking about this and have a question. If the only bullet's you can get are something, you detest; would you give up hunting or learn to use the bullet you can get?

 

[Huntnut60]

Been thinking about this and have a question. If the only bullet's you can get are something, you detest; would you give up hunting or learn to use the bullet you can get?

I’m hunting!!