Well, stupid of the guy rigging them. I have a friend that is taking hollow point amo and dropping MERCURY into them and sealing it off with something. He believes this will definatly stop and intruder. If it worked I would most certainly agree, but that's besides the point. He's putting himself in some seriious danger messing around with Mercury isn't he? And if he stoped a guy with one of these bullets wouldn't it be extremely bad for you in a civil case? What do I say to this guy? I know he probably needs slapped on the back of the head but I would prefer to do it in a more reasonable manner so i don't have a Mercury bullet flying at me (that's a joke). Thanks for the replies
Stupid bullets!!!
- Thread starter payne
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threefivesevenmag
New member
Okay.
Mercury? While dangerous in the long run, I don't think it will help anything terminal involving ballistics. And yes, it is dangerous to handle. Many people have died after prolonged exposure to it via their lungs. But, it won't help in a gunfight.
Altering bullets designed to do a job by a professional manufacturer that does not need any alteration whatsoever is not a good idea. Training, practice, and mind will help your friend much more in a fight (fist, knife, gun) than mercury. It will not give him an edge at all. Also, altering a bullet is probably dangerous and might make them less accurate and effect their functioning. I would also worry about the mercury messing up the gun's internals or finish.
As for being hurt in a civil case...if he ever had to use his gun and even if it was justified, I am sure he would face a lot of trouble in a court room. It's a no-brainer. I am sure the opposing lawyer would bring up the fact that he's gone "extreme" and over board. It would be hard to justify mercury, when a bullet is already designed to do a job.
Reason with him, but if it doesn't work...it's his own boat he'll float in.
Mercury? While dangerous in the long run, I don't think it will help anything terminal involving ballistics. And yes, it is dangerous to handle. Many people have died after prolonged exposure to it via their lungs. But, it won't help in a gunfight.
Altering bullets designed to do a job by a professional manufacturer that does not need any alteration whatsoever is not a good idea. Training, practice, and mind will help your friend much more in a fight (fist, knife, gun) than mercury. It will not give him an edge at all. Also, altering a bullet is probably dangerous and might make them less accurate and effect their functioning. I would also worry about the mercury messing up the gun's internals or finish.
As for being hurt in a civil case...if he ever had to use his gun and even if it was justified, I am sure he would face a lot of trouble in a court room. It's a no-brainer. I am sure the opposing lawyer would bring up the fact that he's gone "extreme" and over board. It would be hard to justify mercury, when a bullet is already designed to do a job.
Reason with him, but if it doesn't work...it's his own boat he'll float in.
the quantity of mercury you could fit into a hollow point is not likely to be fatally toxic, and even the best poisons do not act quickly enough to save your rear end if you're in over your head in a gunfight. +1 on just learning to hit what you need to hit to end it fast regardless of ammunition choice.
3 weelin geezer
New member
Just what is mercury supposed to accomplish? Poisoning or is it supposed to explode or something else?
novus collectus
Moderator
This was tried a hundred or so years ago. Apparently, mercury reacts with the lead and just makes a rreeeaaalllllyy soft point bullet because it makes the lead mushy when the mercury is absorbed. If it was possible to keep this from happening, then it may offer better performance. But since it is probably against the law to "poison someone in self defense", it would be a bad idea unless your friend was a hitman and didn't care about the law anyway.
Another serious problem is that if ther was a miss and a ricochet, he would now have a few grams of mercury getting into his lungs or eyes.
And finally, mercury is bad stuff to handle. The expression "Mad as a hatter" came from the fact that hat makers who used that stuff for stiffening the brims usually became mad from it at a very young age.
Another serious problem is that if ther was a miss and a ricochet, he would now have a few grams of mercury getting into his lungs or eyes.
And finally, mercury is bad stuff to handle. The expression "Mad as a hatter" came from the fact that hat makers who used that stuff for stiffening the brims usually became mad from it at a very young age.
Hollywood ! "The Day of the Jackal' the gunsmith made bullets filled with mercury. The audience was shocked when the bullets exploded a watermelon ! Big deal any 223 HP would do the same. Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Bismuth are toxic ,the big ones. Other metals are toxic to lesser degrees.Messing with a properly designed bullet is a waste of time.
Double Naught Spy
New member
It would be a lot safer for the shooter and more effective to load the hollowpoint with something like fecal matter and seal it up. That way when the round enters the bad guy, the fecal matter will cause/promote infection and if not properly recognized, cause sepsis and eventual death.
Of course, that is a dumb idea as well.
Of course, that is a dumb idea as well.
The famous moron Ducan Long put the mercury tipped bullets in his Combat Ammunition Book along with other BS. From a legal stand point you are screwed! The prosecutor will build his case on the use of cruel and inhumane ammunition. If you have any doubts, remember we execute the slime of the world humanely. This is also the reason not to carry reloads for self defense. Ballistics and powder residue determine how far you are from the BG. But with reloads it is impossible to tell as there is no test standard to use. All they have is your reload data and who's to say that all your reloads are the same,there is no outside source to compare. Carry factory and save the reloads for the range.
Well, main reason for bringing it up was him possiably being exposed to toxic levels and the legal part. I guess he got the idea from those movies ya'll are talkin bout. The bottle of the stuff wasnt that big but it weighed a lot! I tell him he needs to seriously reconsider the Mercury bullets.
FWIW, . . . a chemical salesman I once knew from the Cleveland area, . . . was about 6'3" and a good 275 lbs.
Was looking over a cooling tower that had some kind of mercuric oxide (this was back in late 60's) to kill the microbial non paying tenants.
Long story short: he had a speck, . . . very small speck at that fly into his eye, and he went down. Then, there, on the spot, . . . the bldg super thought he had a heart attack. He was diagnosed with one ailment: mercury poisoning.
Squad took him to Cleveland Clinic where stayed for about a month. Also he lost over 150 lbs trying to get well, . . . and darn near did not make it.
He came in to see me right after he first went back to work, . . . and honest to pete, . . . I did not recognize him. His eyes were all sunk, face all saggy, looked like he had aged 15 years.
Moral: don't mess with mercury, . . . it can take you down, now, and keep you down for the long count.
May God bless,
Dwight
Was looking over a cooling tower that had some kind of mercuric oxide (this was back in late 60's) to kill the microbial non paying tenants.
Long story short: he had a speck, . . . very small speck at that fly into his eye, and he went down. Then, there, on the spot, . . . the bldg super thought he had a heart attack. He was diagnosed with one ailment: mercury poisoning.
Squad took him to Cleveland Clinic where stayed for about a month. Also he lost over 150 lbs trying to get well, . . . and darn near did not make it.
He came in to see me right after he first went back to work, . . . and honest to pete, . . . I did not recognize him. His eyes were all sunk, face all saggy, looked like he had aged 15 years.
Moral: don't mess with mercury, . . . it can take you down, now, and keep you down for the long count.
May God bless,
Dwight
Mercury Fulminate
I suspect – pure speculation on my part – that the substance to be added to the hollow point’s cavity is FULMINATE OF MERCURY, not mercury. Mercury Fulminate was for many years the primary explosive in the fabrication of detonators. As such, it is very powerful and very volatile. It could cause a how point projectile to explode horrifically.
I suspect – pure speculation on my part – that the substance to be added to the hollow point’s cavity is FULMINATE OF MERCURY, not mercury. Mercury Fulminate was for many years the primary explosive in the fabrication of detonators. As such, it is very powerful and very volatile. It could cause a how point projectile to explode horrifically.
novus collectus
Moderator
Fulminate of murcury would possibly explode in the barrel. But it has been done before (hundred or more years ago). They reported in their experiments that, when they shot it into a cows head, it totally destroyed all brain tissue in the skull.
I tried to experiment with this when I took some .17 caliber jacketed bullets and hollowed them out (and sanded them down to fit in the barrel), filled it with primer compound, superglued it to a pellet, then fired it into a phonebook with a 1000 ft/s pellet rifle. It was interesting, but only half of them exploded. RDX (or C2) would be a better explosive because it would be more stable and more powerful. It is a shame that I think it is illegal in my state to make them for firearms.
He wasn't talking about the fulminate. He said that his friend had a jar of it and it was real heavy. I have never held more than gram or so of fulminate, but I bet it is no where near as heavy as pure mercury.
I tried to experiment with this when I took some .17 caliber jacketed bullets and hollowed them out (and sanded them down to fit in the barrel), filled it with primer compound, superglued it to a pellet, then fired it into a phonebook with a 1000 ft/s pellet rifle. It was interesting, but only half of them exploded. RDX (or C2) would be a better explosive because it would be more stable and more powerful. It is a shame that I think it is illegal in my state to make them for firearms.
He wasn't talking about the fulminate. He said that his friend had a jar of it and it was real heavy. I have never held more than gram or so of fulminate, but I bet it is no where near as heavy as pure mercury.
The main reason for mercury is to make the bullet expand rapidly. The poison is a bonus. Bullets of these types are know as liquid filled bullets. These bullets are made for quick takedown with zero exit wounds. Picture a 308 round dumping all of it's energy without exiting and endangering bystanders/hostages while rapidly expanding to the size of a 50 cent piece. This is the ideal sniper round where a rifle is concerned. Unfortunately mercury is the best medium for this with heavy oil/grease coming up second. Leave these rounds to Hollywood and stick with normal loads.
armedandsafe
New member
The mecury filled bullets I've read about were used in the 1800s and the mecury was put into the hollow BASE. On contact, momentum caused the mecury to expand the bullet in front of it dramatically.
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