FMJ Bullets for Pdogs? Thoughts?

[sourdough44]

This isn't my idea, I've always used the V-Max, BlitzKing, SXSP, etc.. for dogging. The clerk at the Western outdoor store said he uses whatever's cheapest, often FMJ 223 Ammo.

My main reasons are ricochet potential & doggy gymnastics, maybe humane factors too. I've never cared if it cost just a bit more, easy to find bullets on clearance for reloading.

I do see cattle & buffalo at times, possibly other shooters 2 miles away setup. For the most part I consider my V-Max destroyed once it scrapes the prairie floor, or a doggy. Still not license for shooting in an unsafe direction.

Anyhow, do you see people using FMJ bullets? I don't plan to waiver to save just the small percentage of savings. I think this clerk was wrong with the advice, though certain circumstances the FMJ would be doable.

 

[Jerry M]

Remember that most places have cattle and horses in the fields. Ricocheting bullets are never a good idea IMHO. I used SMK bullets the first time I went and had trouble with one shot kills at over about 400 yards. You would hit them and they would crawl back in their holes unless shot again. Second time I used SP varmint bullets with excellent results.

Good luck

Jerry

 

[Hand Skills]

FMJ for varminting?

 

[HARPERC]

He's wrong.

 

[OhYtD]

I ve shot Thousands of them over the years with the Varmint Grenade to FMJ.
Bottom line is, when 55grs flying at 3000fps hits a 2 Lb rat, It turns them to a pink mist.
Changing bullets isn't going to assure a greater kill.
There's no such thing as making em' "MORE DEAD".
Just shoot the little bastards, and laugh.

 

[Hand Skills]

It's not the hits I'm worries about...

 

[sourdough44]

I don't suppose there are any type of 'ricochet' studies that would be reliable?

I realize it depends on specifics, just seems better to have that bullet turn to dust after contacting dog or earth.

 

[J E Custom]

I would have to say that FMJs make poor hunting bullets especially in open country. The only place and time that they have been beneficial is while pelt hunting and on big hogs using 223 ammo. where I mostly hunt it is rocky and even though there are plenty of trees, I have heard ricocheting
on several hunts, so I make sure of a good backstop for the stray bullets.

In open country, on small game I would recommend a bullet that would destroy it's self on impact if pelts were not a consideration.

Specialty bullets like tracers,FMJs and Armor piercing bullets should only be used when the terrain and the game can handle the down side of anything but a hunting bullet. NOTE: Even a well made hunting bullet can ricochet, so be mindful of your back stop and other animals and structures.

Just my opinion

J E CUSTOM

 

[Dean2]

FMJ for varmints = a risk not worth taking for the little bit of money you can save using them, and cost would be the only advantage I can think of to using an FMJ. The more frangible the bullet the better I like it. SPSX, Blitzking, V-Max. Lots of bulk bullets like the Nosler Varmegedan, Dogtown are as cheap as FMJs. There are lots of places I won't use a 22 RF because they are one of the worst rounds for ricochets and you cannot control the direction it will bounce. I would never consider an FMJ in open country for Pdogs. If one puts unintended holes in livestock or equipment you end up with one more place that closes to hunting.

 

[OhYtD]

I have shot quite a few P-Dogs and to tell you the truth you will have unquestionable evidence with nearly any bullet with any caliber. I have shot them with .22LR round nose bullets and they are cut in half. I have also shot them with 130gr soft point 270 bullets with some very graphic results. I would say shoot whatever shoots best out of your gun because even if you start shooting them at 300yds after a while you will want to shoot them from 400 then 500 and so on. With this in mind you are looking for accuracy...believe me if you hit them they will POP!

 

[codyadams]

I have used fmj's a couple times before in a .223, there are places where I shoot p dogs where it is well over 10 miles to the next anything. But, I prefer not to use them. Even if everything is 100% safe as far as the bullet continuing on until it runs out of steam, I saw inconsistent results. Some p dogs would go flying after impact, and others acted like they were hit with a .22 rim fire and ran off.

Also, for the accuracy you need to hit p dogs at extended ranges, it's better to get a decent varmint bullet rather than the super cheap bulk pack fmj's anyway, you usually won't see as good of accuracy with fmj's in the bulk sized bag as you would from a decent varmint bullet.

Just my thoughts. V-max bullets are cheap, check out shooters pro shop for super cheap nosler seconds, blems or overrun as well.

 

[sourdough44]

I do agree, there are places & conditions where FMJ bullets are perfectly safe.

I did shoot a coyote once with a match bullet out of a 243, penciled on through.

When contemplating an order I check what's on clearance or sale. My recent order from Midway showed 8 cents a bullet for 'factory 2nds'.

I thought that younger sales guy was wrong too, with the FMJ advice.

 

[raider1v1]

no FMJ on our trips. we just got back from a trip and the outfitter told us about a couple weeks prior, a ricochet killed a cow. it was about 100yds further and hit it in the neck. "supposedly" it wasnt right in the line of fire but off to the side. he didnt mention if the bullet was recovered or not.

 

[nicholasjohn]

Years ago, some kids I grew up with used to use 7.62 ball ammunition in their .308's to shoot woodchucks. They got it from the army surplus store, and it was dirt cheap. They would light up the woodchucks on their grandmother's farm, and have a ball - right up until the neighbor guy came over and raised hell about the bullet holes in his barn. They all said "NO WAY" until he showed them the bullets he had dug out of something inside the barn. Some were in pieces; some were intact. ALL were identifiable as .308" bullets, and all were in the side of the barn facing their grandma's farm. They couldn't believe that these bullets made it through 400 yards of hardwood forest to ventilate the old guy's barn like that, but he held the evidence right there in his hand. Their father took away the rifle, and shut down the whole operation. Then he took them to a hunters' safety course for a little recurrent training, and told them that if they ever did anything that stupid again that the next time they were castrating hogs they were going to get the same treatment. I've never seen that guy so mad in all the years I knew him. I wonder if those yokels knew how lucky they were that nobody got hurt ……...