# For those stockpiling ammo...what kind..hollow points...????



## mldollins (Jun 21, 2008)

I have been slowly buying ammo from walmart every time I go. I don't have 10,000 rounds but thought it prudent to buy two 50 packs of 22's one week and alternate every other week by buying a box of 12 gauge 8 shot. The 22's are 1.97 a box while the 12 gauge is 4.97 for 25 shells. Periodically I buy 9mm for my pistols.

My point...I know people are stockpiling or at least putting back ammo. I don't see myself as stockpiling but building up slowly. However, it is much more pricey for the hollow points than the metal jackets such as with my 9mm.

For you who are building up, do you buy the hollow points? While I do understand that a hollow point has more punch, how many punches do you need? How many people do you really need to shoot? Add to that, a FMJ will hurt just like a hollow. 

Right now, I can buy a 100 pack of 9mm at walmart for around 20 bucks. 

What say you?


----------



## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

For our pistols, we stockpile both FMJ and hollow points. The FMJ are for shooting practice and the hollow points are for self-defense. 

A hollow point will have a bigger impact on the person receiving it because it will double in diameter as it enters the body. In other words, a hollow point of any caliber will have more "stopping power" or "shicking power." A FMJ will penetrate with a smaller hole, thereby maintaining more velocity, and possibly go thru the body and harm someone else in the room. A hollow point is much less likely to exit a body. 

There is a difference in hollow points, too. Cheaply-made HP bullets can fragment, thereby loosing some of there "shocking" power and in a worst case fragment on the fly and vere off its path.

I purchase only Federal Hydra-Shok hollow points for our pistols, which are all .45acp. The last 50rd box I bought (at GunBroker) was $50.


----------



## Riverrat (Oct 14, 2008)

Personally, I stock up on 22 magnum ammunition. I have other firearms, and have a few boxes of shells for each, but my main survival gun is a 22 mag, of which I have two, one bolt action, one semi auto. I buy half and half, hollow point and solid. This way I have some with the hitting power, the others, which are for smaller game, so as not to ruin to much meat. I do have high powered rifles, and shotguns, but ammunition is expensive here, so stock what I can afford, but still get the job done.


----------



## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Anything that goes Boom will scare off a Zombie.


----------



## hillbillly (Jun 28, 2009)

truth is that hollow points often fail to expand as advertised so FMJ is almost just as good. but #8 shot is too small, imo, you need #4 or less.


----------



## wally (Oct 9, 2007)

CF, I thought you sold your guns and ammo yesterday


----------



## Mike in Ohio (Oct 29, 2002)

Before I lost all my weapons in a tragic boating accident I would get whatever ammo was the better deal and available at the time I was buying.

Also don't forget to consider HE, AP and incendiary rounds. There are times when specialty items might come in handy. For those bad hair days a 30 round (remember, larger capacity magazines may be illegal to use - but not to have) magazine with alternating tracer,regular,AP,HE can improve your outlook on things significantly on an otherwise dreary and depressing day.

I like +P for 9mm but I wouldn't try it in your handgun.

Mike


----------



## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> Cheaply-made HP bullets can fragment, thereby loosing some of there "shocking" power and in a worst case *fragment on the fly *and vere off its path


I've never heard of a case of that happening with anything other than thin jacketed "varmint" bullets when pushed WAY too fast


----------



## Chuck R. (Apr 24, 2008)

Bearfootfarm said:


> I've never heard of a case of that happening with anything other than thin jacketed "varmint" bullets when pushed WAY too fast


Agreed, way to fast AND overstabilized by too fast of a twist. I've seen a .22-250 do it with 40 grain .22 hornet bullets. They self distructed in mid air. 

I've never heard of a handgun bullet coming apart. 

Chuck


----------



## WolfWalksSoftly (Aug 13, 2004)

Keep in mind as far as .22 Ammo goes, unless you get CCI Brand (Mini Mag,Stinger) or the like, you are just getting a slow paper target bullet. Also you might want to get a few boxes of Low Noise (Sub Sonic) .22 for when those quieter times are needed.

Yes, get the Hollow Points.
Yes, get #4 or smaller..Turkey Loads or Magnums would be great!

"How many people do you really need to shoot?".....How long do you want to stay alive? what if you need to trade or sell off some Ammo for other things in the future?

This site has some SERIOUS Ammo and " Accessories ". http://www.firequest.com/index.html


----------



## Montanarchist (Feb 24, 2005)

Mike in Ohio said:


> Before I lost all my weapons in a tragic boating accident I would get whatever ammo was the better deal and available at the time I was buying.
> 
> Also don't forget to consider HE, AP and incendiary rounds. There are times when specialty items might come in handy. For those bad hair days a 30 round (remember, larger capacity magazines may be illegal to use - but not to have) magazine with alternating tracer,regular,AP,HE can improve your outlook on things significantly on an otherwise dreary and depressing day.
> 
> ...



Oh, for the heady days when a person could buy pulled .510 API for $.20.


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

stock what feeds ,properly and what is accurate from yours 
and it helps if that is also at a reasonable price , if you have to reset your sights every time you change loads , it isn't very use full.

yes hollow points are more effective at creating tissue damage , and shocking the nerviose system but come at a premium price


----------



## Cornhusker (Mar 20, 2003)

I don't stockpile, but before i lost all my guns in an avalanche, I tried to keep at least 4-5,000 rounds handy in various calibers.
Things like .22lr, I buy in the 450-550 packs for practice and keep a couple thousand rounds of that around.
9mm, .223, 7.62x39 usually at least 1000 rounds each, a few boxes of 12 gauge, 30-30, 30-06, 6.5x55, 7.62x54r, etc.
Pity it's all gone.:grin:


----------



## wvstuck (Sep 19, 2008)

I just about exclusively reload everything I shoot now. Reloading allows me to build the "perfect" bullet for each of my firearms, allows me to create rounds to travel distance with high accuracy or go for the short, hard hitting pass with a great deal of thump. And reloading is by far cheaper than purchasing ammo. Thank God that a man named Richard Lee was given his first breath....LOL


----------



## cast iron (Oct 4, 2004)

This is pretty informational regarding the effectiveness of various self defense rounds.
http://ammo.ar15.com/project/Self_Defense_Ammo_FAQ/index.htm

To be honest, I wouldn't get too wrapped around the axle regarding which is the 'best' hollow point, but rather get what is available and most importantly be absolutely certain that it will function reliably in your particular pistol. I keep mostly practice ammo around here with some defense ammo to practice with once per month or so. For example I may shoot 100-200 practice ammo and 25-50 SD ammo in a range session for centerfire pistol. I reload both the practice ammo and the SD practice ammo.


----------



## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

How many people do you really need to shoot at? 

If you got a whole lot people coming after you, it would be better to shoot only enough to make them hit the ditch and give you enough time to run the other way. That's the way I look at it. If I looked down the road and seen several pickup loads of people waving rifles and hang guns in the air, I would be looking for an escape route and would only stop to shoot if they were catching up with me.


----------



## GoldenCityMuse (Apr 15, 2009)

Yes, those alpine passes in Nebraska are known for their dangerous avalanche season!


----------



## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

Bearfootfarm said:


> I've never heard of a case of that happening with anything other than thin jacketed "varmint" bullets when pushed WAY too fast


Perhaps my use of the word "fragment" was incorrect. I subscribe to Guns & Ammo magazine, Handguns Magazine, Conceal Carry magazine, and American Rifleman (NRA) and in one of those I'm sure I read an article that mentioned poorly made HP can vere off course. Maybe not due to fragmenting, but possibly due the guns rifling slicing thru a thin copper jacket and/or a piece of serrated lead at the bullets nose peeling back or peeling awaycausing an imbalance or poor aerodynamics. Of course, then again, at my age one can get info a bit mixed up in his head!

At any rate, what ever brand of JHP you decide to purchase, run at least a box or two thru your pistol. In some autos, certain brands of HPs do not feed well and can cause jams. When you find a brand that feeds well, stick with it.


----------



## Dutch 106 (Feb 12, 2008)

Hi Guys,
For all the othere good information I didn't hear anyone sa you need to make sure whichever bullet you buy should work in your particular weapon. If it doesn't work relably its worse than no ammo as it doen't work. 
Going bang every time you pull the trigger is good to. 
Dutch
HP in 22lr is a waste of money if they charge you anything more than solids. If they are the same price I still only buy them rarely as they seem to only increase failure to feed in some guns.


----------



## 7.62mmFMJ (Nov 19, 2008)

I don't waste money anymore on hollow-points. There are many instances when the HP is not an HP like when it hits heavy fabric (thereby clogging the HP) and will just act as a FMJ round.

Then there is reliability of feeding. Your HP rounds may feed dandy at the range with a clean gun. How about a really dirty gun? Try it. More than likely the edge will hang on the ramp particularly on those "ashtray" .45s!

YMMV

Second issue. You need much heavier shot for the scatter gun. Yeah, #8 shot (clay target loads) is cheap, but when you have to down a Zombie it may not git-r-dun (in fact, unless you are extremely lucky it WILL NOT). If you want to hedge, as mentioned above, get some high brass #4 shot (good for big birds and small game) and some turkey loads (bb magnums) that will be good for, mmmmmmmm, turkeys, and will definitely ruin a Zombie's day. But you really need to have slugs (1 oz of lead going 1800 fps!) and buckshot which are designed for big game, if you know what I mean. 

Lastly, a handgun is only a tool to get to a rifle. Believe it or not handguns are not real effective stoppers. Rifles, however, are. As a caveat, do not fire a rifle in the burbs as the rounds may go through walls and through the neighbor's house and on down the street, However, if you live in the boonies (as are many homesteaders) the rifle gives you a distance factor and distance is your best friend in a gun fight. For the rifle I like SP ammo, FMJ ammo, and penetrating ammo (such as AP). They all put holes in flesh but some put holes in engine blocks and cover.


----------



## phlip99999 (Aug 20, 2009)

Can I ask what you're wanting to prepare for? That's kind of key to planning what to buy.

Your .22 is excellent for practice, and fine for small critters (squirrels, bunnies, and the like). If you're just plinking, practicing, or hunting small critters, a 1.97 box of anything is probably fine. Some folks like the five buck CCI stuff to extend their range, and that's great if you have the accurate rifle and skill to use it. That's your call, depending on what you're planning to shoot.

For your shotgun, that 8 shot will be fine for shooting trap and small birds (quail size). You're not going to have the range or weight to get out there for ducks, and not even close on geese and turkeys. If you're wanting to prepare for larger animals, you'll need to match shells to intended targets. This goes for people, as well, where some 00 or #4 buckshot is preferred by a lot of folks. Again, it comes down to what you're planning to do with it.

Finally, on that 9mm, that's pretty much for self defense only. I'd buy the cheaper FMJs to practice with (and do so regularly, as accuracy takes work with a pistol), and save the expensive stuff. Run a mag or two through occasionally to be sure you know what to expect with it, but otherwise use the cheaper stuff for practice.

If .22, shotgun, and 9mm are what you have in your weapons locker, I'd give some thought to all the ways you want to be prepared and probably focus on that shotty. It's got the most flexibility to cover from light birds to heavy mammals, but you need the shells to do it.

As with all things, YMMV.


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

yes you need a heavier shotgun load , i personaly know a guy who took a gut full of 6 shot close range under 10 feet, yes they had to re route him and put him on a feeding tube for a while but 20 years later you would't know meeting him the penitration is very minimal , and would be completely ineffective if the target was wearing a heavy leather coat even shooting a rabit you need somthing heavier than #8 

#8's have thier place on a skeet range so that all energey is lost in short distance and they can put the range in without owning the 1/2 mile behind it 
even trap scores suffer if you use #8 71/2 hard is better than 8 they restrict you to these for saftey and so everyone has the same load shooting trap , if a guy broght in a bunch of lead BB and started shooting trap he could be making breaks far beond the range of the rest of the players. that and safty 

9mm penitration from 3 feet away a 9mm fmj travels thru the right thigh out and well into the left , yes i know him to , surprising he has a sence of humor about the 9mm fmj bullet still lodged deep in his left leg , even waits till he gets pulled aside at the air port before telling then it is a bullet in his leg , he could say somthing like i am a war vet and there is a bullet in my leg but he chooses not to to see what they say. even though he didn't get the bullet in the war the statment would be true.


----------



## Cornhusker (Mar 20, 2003)

GoldenCityMuse said:


> Yes, those alpine passes in Nebraska are known for their dangerous avalanche season!


Hard to believe ain't it?


----------



## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

Unless I need some kind of specialty load, I get .22's by the brick... ~500 rounds or so. 

If you see several truckloads of armed zombies approaching, I'd rather have some trick or treats ready for them, instead of running away and letting have all my candy. Especially if running away means starving.


----------



## Mike in Ohio (Oct 29, 2002)

Oldcountryboy said:


> How many people do you really need to shoot at?
> 
> If you got a whole lot people coming after you, it would be better to shoot only enough to make them hit the ditch and give you enough time to run the other way. That's the way I look at it. If I looked down the road and seen several pickup loads of people waving rifles and hang guns in the air, I would be looking for an escape route and would only stop to shoot if they were catching up with me.



Why would you run away when they have so nicely grouped themselves all together in the vehicles that way?

The fact that they are waving rifles and "hang guns" (bad for them and good for you that their guns hang fire) in the air is a good indication that they don't have a clue. They are more likely to poke their buddy's eye out than shoot you.

BTW, where do you think you are going to run to under the circumstances described?

Mike


----------



## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> If I looked down the road and seen several pickup loads of people waving rifles and hang guns in the air, I would be looking for an escape route and would only stop to shoot *if they were catching up with me*.


If you can see them coming, they are ALREADY catching up with you

Assume a prone position and take out the *drivers *first, beginning with the first truck in line.

A couple of rounds through the radiators will take out the vehicles in just a few minutes


----------



## Chuck R. (Apr 24, 2008)

Wayne02 said:


> This is pretty informational regarding the effectiveness of various self defense rounds.
> http://ammo.ar15.com/project/Self_Defense_Ammo_FAQ/index.htm
> 
> To be honest, I wouldn't get too wrapped around the axle regarding which is the 'best' hollow point, but rather get what is available and most importantly be absolutely certain that it will function reliably in your particular pistol. I keep mostly practice ammo around here with some defense ammo to practice with once per month or so. For example I may shoot 100-200 practice ammo and 25-50 SD ammo in a range session for centerfire pistol. I reload both the practice ammo and the SD practice ammo.


Same here, I settled in .45ACP I settled on the 230 grain bonded Golden Saber. I then chronographed a few and created a reload using the bulk REM Golden Sabers to duplicate it. The bonded GS go for $25.00 per 25 rounds when you can find them. My duplicate GS load is a fraction of that. Right now Iâm working on duplicating a MK262 load for my 5.56 using the Sierra 77 grain MK. 

I donât stockpile ammo really, I reload for 20 calibers and 3 guages and usually have the components on hand for a few hundred rounds in each. In the main calibers that I compete with I usually have a couple K of reloads on hand as I reload in batches. I just finished loading 4K .45ACP and am starting on .223 brass pre. Between practice and matches I usually go through about 10K of .45ACP and 2-3K in .223 a year, so thereâs not much stockpiling going on. 

I do set aside .22LR because once I find a load my rifles like, I try to get as much as I can.

Chuck


----------



## zant (Dec 1, 2005)

If I had'nt lost all my firearms due to global warming,I would have HPs and FMJ...but now I would concentrate on molds and lead,and putting away 5k of various primers(each size).


----------



## WolfWalksSoftly (Aug 13, 2004)

I can't believe all the bad luck people have had with their stuff..me, I lost everything in the Divorce.


----------

