Expanding FMJ 9mm+P ammo

[vulcan]

I saw Federal expanding 124gr FMJ 9mm+P ammo at my local shop, Anyone care to comment on its performance? They run $ 20.00 a box & seems like a great idea if they work. Reliability of a FMJ & stopping power of a hollowpoint . They would be great in guns that only feeds FMJ reliably.

 

[Airwolf]

We use them in all our handguns for SD ammo (9mm, .40S&W, .45ACP), including a CZ 97B which has a reputation for not feeding hollowpoints well.

Never had a falure in any of the weapons. The stuff shoots well and has less recoil (smoother) than a lot of the plinking stuff we've tried.

Check here for the write up: http://ammoman.com/40_EP_DESC.htm

Two thumbs up!

 

[vulcan]

Thanks Airwolf,
Every question answered in the link , I'll get a few boxes tomorrow. I like the fact they are tested through carbines, I think they'll work fine in my marlin camp 9.

 

[abaddon]

Anyone know if they're planning on using this design in any other calibres? I would be interested in this kind of bullet for .38, although I'm not sure if it would expand with the lower velocity.

Jeff

 

[Al Thompson]

My take is that it's a great bullet for guns that are finicky with JHPs. John Shirley ran one through a deer with good results out of my Glock 19.

At 20 bucks a box, I'll stick with my Gold Dots by Georgia Arms for 15.00 for 50.

Can't see them making this in any revolver calibers. No feed issues with those.

 

[FCoelho]

I'm sure Federal will be watching sales figures to see if new calibers should be introduced. For places where hollow points are a no-no (NJ), the EFMJ is a great choice.

A few years back Joe Zambone (founder of MagSafe) came up with an EFMJ of his own. He took a truncated FMJ, melted the lead out, filled the jacket with epoxy, and drove those things to warp speeds. When shot into gelatin the darn things expanded like the current EFMJ! I still have a few in .45 ACP.

 

[Kobun]

Isn't this the round that has the rubber core in the nose?
Didn't they have problems with expansion in cold weather? Hard rubber = no expansion?

 

[FCoelho]

I've been out of the ammo "inner circle" for a few months now but from what I recall Federal had solved that problem. They changed materials for the ball and that seemed to fix it.

 

[Jim March]

Upsides:

They feed well.

They have the most stone-axe-reliable expansion ever seen, being completely "clog proof"; they expand at fairly low speeds, resist coming unglued at high speed (carbine barrel or whatever) and expand quickly (so they're expanded through almost all of their travel through the target's flesh).

Downside:

Peak expansion isn't as "fat" as the very best hollowpoints. Although the very rapid expansion might make up somewhat for that deficiency.

My take: in 9mm and 40S&W, these are strong competitors for the title of "best carry round". If your gun has feed issues, you'd almost be crazy to carry anything else.

In 45ACP, Cor-Bon's equivelent is the Pow'R'Ball concept, and from what I can tell they combine the feed reliability and clog-resistence of the E-FMJ with the peak expansion of a good JHP. When Cor-Bon ships the Pow'R'Balls in 9mm, it'll probably edge out of the E-FMJ...esp. since Cor-Bon loads their stuff a lot hotter.

 

[Mannlicher]

Al Thompson thinks:"Can't see them making this in any revolver calibers. No feed issues with those"

If the issue is one of performance against the FBI Criteria, then one would expect Federal to make these for .38/.357, .44, and .45 colt. A heavy JHP from a revolver is probably even more prone to not preform as planned when driven at revolver speeds, than when fired from a Semi auto.

 

[Lone_Gunman]

I dont see why people think these will feed better than JHPs.

Look at one in profile. The tip is at least as flat as a JHP, and more flat than some.

I am not impressed that they will feed any more reliably than a well designed JHP.

 

[Al Thompson]

Mannlicher - that's a very good point. I had not considered the .38 special or .44 special.

Wonder what the vveocity floor is? I'd be interested in a 158 grain .38 load optimized for 2 inch barrels or a .44 special or .45 Colt load.

 

[Jim March]

I've seen tests showing how they'll expand to their peak moving at speeds as low as 800fps.

The existing 9mm 124grain slug could be re-sized to .357 and used as-is. Moving at 850 from a snub 38, it'd be a dominant round for the caliber, definately the first thing I'd pick. In 357 cases and 1,200fps or so from an SP101 or whatever, they'd really rock. They could use the same projectile for each, as these have an unusually broad range of effective velocities, which is why they're more or less the only round I'd pick for a 9mm/40S&W/45ACP carbine today.

The Cor-Bon Pow'RBall is now shipping in 40S&W, 10mm and "400 Cor-Bon" (which duplicates 10mm ballistics using a 45ACP case necked to 40). Tests by ammolabs shows how they work great at 40S&W speed but show clear signs of coming unglued at 10mm/400 velocities, all the classic signs of the nosecone coming apart and the final projectile ending up back near it's original caliber minus 25% or so of it's weight. I'm assuming Cor-Bon is now working on a "higher-speed-compatible" version. The same thing will happen if you shoot the 40S&W version from a carbine. Traditional JHPs can also come unglued due to being driven past the speed they were designed for.

The E-FMJ on the other hand strongly resists such "overspeed problems" yet expands at low velocity. Damn fine round...but doesn't have as much peak expansion.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

EFMJ rounds are something that I am glad other people are trying in their guns, but until proven by some real life incidents, I think there are some valid concerns about their performance.

Coburn mentioned one possibility about the silicone center hardening in cold weather, thereby precluding expansion.

Jim March said they should expand at speeds as low as 800 fps. Do you really want a slow traveling and fairly light 9mm round to expand? That is going to mean that penetration will likely be pitiful.

I know that EFMJ is being pushed as the new wonder round and that tests indicate is should be a great performer, but there often seems to be a wide chasm between tests and real life application.

 

[Jim March]

They were tested at 800fps in a LAB. I never said they were being loaded like that!!!

Now, resized to 357 and loaded in 38+Ps out of a snubby, they might do as low as 850fps. But that's all you get out of 158+P lead hollowpoints, and those punch pretty deep even when they expand.