Bullets

Bullet Construction Types

Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) bullets have a lead core fully enclosed in a copper jacket — the standard choice for range and practice ammunition due to low cost and reliable feeding in semi-automatic firearms. Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP) bullets have a copper jacket with an exposed lead cavity that causes expansion on impact — the standard for defensive loads and hunting ammunition where terminal performance matters. Plated bullets (Berry’s, Rainier) have a thin electroplated copper coating over a lead core — cheaper than fully jacketed, better than bare lead for semi-auto feeding and range use, a popular middle ground for high-volume pistol reloading. Cast lead bullets are the least expensive and are used extensively for revolver and straight-wall rifle reloading at lower velocities — bare lead is not recommended for semi-automatic pistols above approximately 850 fps due to leading in the barrel.

Bullet Weight and Its Effect on Performance

Bullet weight is measured in grains and directly affects velocity, recoil, and terminal performance. In 9mm, common weights range from 115 grains (lightest, fastest, flattest trajectory) through 124 grains (the most common and widely recommended balance) to 147 grains (subsonic, preferred for suppressed use and reduced recoil). In .308 Winchester, 168-grain match bullets are the benchmark for precision competition, 150-grain for hunting. Heavier bullets generally produce more recoil and slower velocity from the same powder charge; lighter bullets produce less recoil and higher velocity. Always match your bullet weight to the load data you’re using — changing bullet weight requires using data developed for that specific weight.

Pistol Bullets: FMJ, Plated, and JHP

For high-volume pistol reloading, Berry’s plated bullets are the dominant value choice — their copper plating handles semi-auto velocities cleanly, meters consistently through progressive presses, and costs significantly less than fully jacketed bullets. Hornady HAP (Hollow Action Pistol) and FMJ bullets are the mid-tier standard for competition and practice loads. For defensive pistol loads, Speer Gold Dot, Hornady XTP, and Sierra V-Crown JHP bullets are the most widely used components for handloaded defensive ammunition. Reloaded defensive ammunition is controversial from a legal standpoint — many attorneys advise against carrying handloaded defensive ammunition; factory ammunition has standardized performance documentation that custom loads lack.

Rifle Bullets: Hunting vs. Match

Hunting bullets are designed to expand reliably on game at a range of impact velocities — bonded bullets (Nosler Partition, Federal Trophy Bonded) retain weight and penetrate deeply; polymer-tipped bullets (Hornady SST, Nosler Ballistic Tip) initiate expansion quickly at lower velocities for long-range hunting. Match bullets (Sierra MatchKing,