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Question- In terms of a rifle, AR-15 in this case, would a soft tip be more effective that an FMJ? My thinking is that FMJ will penetrate deeper but may hold its shape longer, thereby not causing as much trauma. Whereas a soft tip, in my thinking, will more likely start to deform sooner causing more trauma, but not necessarily penetrating as far. I ask because the range I currently shoot at does not allow FMJ, so I have been buying soft tip to shoot. 223 Hollowpoints have been hard to find in my area lately, at least ones I can afford to buy.

The Geneva convention says FMJ only for combatants, BUT, is that necessarily the better of the two options?

What say you?

In general, I'd avoid .223/5.56FMJ for more than just the fact that many ranges do not allow folks to shoot it. I understand that what the bullets do upon impact seems to vary greatly with velocity - sometimes just penetrating with a 1/4" hole and under other circumstances, breaking up fairly quickly into 2 or 3 pieces.

5.56(223) FMJ have very energy transfer on impact. I have shot coyotes thru the lungs with FMJ's too have them run off as if untouched!
They will be dead with in 100 yards or so. I shot coyotes with 55 gr. soft points and they drop like the floor was jerked out from under them.
For Defense, Soft points all the way...I wouldn't shoot the hyper explosive hollow point varmit rounds either...Good old fashion Soft points is the answer.

For the range, I've been using Federal's 69 gr Sierra Match King BTHP. For hunting, its a load a friend worked up for me using a 65 gr Sierra Game King BTSP. I guess if it were a self defense situation, I'd use the hunting load; but I don't keep my rifles loaded in the home - just my handguns (some of them).

I tend not to buy FMJ rifle ammo in any caliber these days since most ranges don't seem to allow it anymore.

tboesche wrote:
The Geneva convention says FMJ only for combatants, BUT, is that necessarily the better of the two options?

What say you?

First our history lesson, FMJ bullets are required by the Hague Convention of 1899. The Geneva convention addresses the treatment of prisoners of war and displaced persons.

In a .223/5.56 rifle the FMJ bullet will tumble and/or fragment causing a serious wound channel the soft point or, hollow point bullet will expand and/or fragment causing a serious wound channel. The soft point/hollow point bullet will not defeat barriers like the FMJ or the SS109 green tip penetrator bullet will. All that said, I use FMJ for practice and for personal protection with an AR15, I use FMJ or soft point ammo. I don't concentrate too much about things like expansion or penetration I concentrate on getting good hits. I don't hunt but, if I did I would use only soft points.

MoJo,
thanks for the history lesson. I THOUGHT the Geneva convention was wrong, but couldn't remember the Hague convention.