Many full metal jacket bullets are not actually "full" metal jackets. The base of the bullet is not covered by copper. Since it isn't covered the jacket can easily separate since most of the gas pressure is pressing on the lead core of the bullet. This is due to the manufacturing process of the bullets. Copper jackets are formed with the base open to allow a lead core to be pressed in place, then the core is crimped into place by rolling the base of the copper jacket back onto the core.
You can clearly see how the base of a FMJ is constructed in the following picture. Although the bullets depicted are rifle bullets, pistol bullets are constructed the same.