Hard-cast vs FMJ

T

Twycross

New member
I've been wondering: What is the practical difference between a hard-cast bullet and FMJ? I hear of hard-casts being awesome for hunting, offering 200% more penetration, bla bla bla, but FMJ is ignored, even looked down upon. But FMJ would seem to do the same job, and cheaper to make. :confused:
 
Hard-cast bullets traditionally use a wide, flat nose configuration that causes substantial tissue disruption as it penetrates. This disruption is actually caused by the tissue being crushed by the wake of the projectile through the soft tissues and creates a permanent wound channel that doesn't close back after the bullet passes. The energy of the bullet can destroy muscle tissue, break bone and liquify organs such as the lungs. The hard-cast bullet uses the penetration of it's heavy weight, it's wide, flat nose and the hydrostaic shock these factors combine to create to be effective.

The Full-Metal Jacketed bullet is not designed for hunting purposes. It is intended for military or target use. The FMJ does not expand and therefore cannot create a permanent wound channel of a large enough size (in most cases) to keep the channel from closing after the bullet has passed. By not expanding it's size, it cannot expend it's energy in the target (unless it hits bone). By not depositing it's energy INSIDE the target, it will continue to penetrate completely through and exit leaving little, or no, blood trail and minimal internal damage.
 
FMJ are typically pure lead inside the jacket too, and they can deform badly when they hit bones stopping them when a hardcast keeps on trucking.
 
You might add PLATED bullets, unless you like ledding.
I bought some 230 grain "hard cast" bullets from National. They leaded like crazy. I contacted them about the leading and was told that "Hard Cast is a relative thing..."
I went to plated. They cost a little more but...NO LEADING.
 
All the 240gr LSWC I have reloaded and fired in my 44 and I have yet to have a leading problem. The bottom line is look how much lead bullets are compared to FMJ when you reload. I use Carroll hardcast with the lubercation ring in my Redhawk. For every 50 store rounds I can reload 100 lead rounds. HSWC are also better for hunting- they do not rely on massive tissue disruption but penetration to kill the game. The larger the wound channel the more meat you will destroy. Which is why 44 hunters like to say you can eat right up to the hole. Still have a leading problem use gas checks or hard cast. One final item- some people like casting their own bullets with an outdoor smelter and bullet molds.
 
All good points well taken about the hard cast lead. Here's another: you will NEVER wear out a barrel with hard cast. Quantrill
 
I bought some 230 grain "hard cast" bullets from National. They leaded like crazy. I contacted them about the leading and was told that "Hard Cast is a relative thing..."
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A lot of truth in regards to hard cast being relative. I was told that more often than not leading is the result of powder choice or rough forcing cones and or barrel bores. I am either lucky or using hard enough cast bullets as I don't have leading issues in my guns using my loads. I have also been told that too hard is a bad thing as well with cast bullets. The only time I use FMJ is if that is all I can get and even then only for plinking. If I recall correctly some states won't allow FMJ for hunting.
 
But FMJ would seem to do the same job, and cheaper to make.
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I have about 10 gallons of lead weights from tire shops that I picked up for free. All I need is $0.0001 of fuel and flux to make a bullet.

I can cast any bullet shape I want (hollow points, SWC, RN, etc...) as well and with proper lube and hardness, no barrel leading.

Ever try making FMJ bullets at home? Try it and then tell me how cheap or easy it is. ;)
 
I was told that more often than not leading is the result of powder choice or rough forcing cones and or barrel bores.
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All above are things that can potentially cause leading, but are not usually the case. The biggest factor in bullets that lead a bore is usually that they are undersized. Most commercially cast bullets are undersized for most bores out there and people take whatever powder they have on hand and make hotrod loads with them....sorry, but it doesnt work that way. Ive pushed un-gascheked hardcast bullets well over 2000 FPS with no leading...proper sizing, and a quality lube will make the world of difference.
 
I know what he's saying. If all African game hunting is done with FMJ's then why wouldnt a 357mag FMJ be a great choice for elk if it would penetrate the whole animal? And wouldnt it be cheaper to make flat point FMJ's than all this hard cast stuff? You could make 100 rounds for the price of 20. This may be a conspiracy!
 
First of all FMJ bullets are illegal in Africa for hunting. They use SOLIDS. These are very different from FMJs that, as mentioned above by HSMITH, deform when they hit bone due to thin or brittle jackets. Solids are just as they say - solid copper/guilding metal or copper cores with mild steel jackets. Older design solids do use a lead core but the copper/guilding metal jackets are exteremely thick so that they cannot expand or deform at all. These bullets are usually of .40 to .45 caliber, have large round or flat noses and weigh from 300 to 500 grains. They are basically just big hard-cast bullets - not FMJs.
 
proper sizing, and a quality lube will make the world of difference.
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I gonna go along with that... (but)*
I have to point out though that powder can make a difference. I've loaded the .44mag using both Unique and 2400, and the rest of the components were the same. Using the faster burning Unique, I experienced leading at somewhere around 200 (calculated) fps less than I could get out of the 2400 loads.


*..you tell most of this crowd to slug their bores and cylinder mouths and you get the (internet) equivilent of someone looking at you like you have an eye-stalk growing out of your forehead
;)
 
I myself only use Unique in my shortbarreled 38 guns. The same is true for Bullseye. For my 44 I use slowburning Bluedot.
 
timothy, no they don't expand, they deform which is different. Expansion is predictable controlled deformation, an FMJ deforms unpredictably when it hits bone. FMJ cannot be counted on for consistent behavior in flesh making it a poor choice.
 
cost of manufacture

Lead costs less than copper-n-lead, ay?

Besides, although you posit an interesting thought, actual experience shows us what happens when different bullets hit meat.
 
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