Hollow Pointing

[22to45]

I remember a few references somewhere to drilling out the nose of a military bullet. Have any of you done this? and with what results? I have a bunch of 6.5 fmj bullets 156 grain.

 

[carbonrod]

Don't do it. The reasons are numerous, ranging from poor expansion to rifle kaboom. In any case, it is foolish.

 

[KDX]

Sell them or shoot them at paper.

 

[Al-Sway]

I remember a few references somewhere to drilling out the nose of a military bullet. Have any of you done this? and with what results? I have a bunch of 6.5 fmj bullets 156 grain.

If you drill out the nose, you will have a jacket that is open at both ends. It has been documented in the past that sometimes the jacket will stick in the barrel and the core will be blown out. This leaves an obstruction in the bore that can be dangerous for the next shot.
The expansion properties of the bullet are completely unknown, as the properties of the jacket were not designed nor constructed to allow for smooth expansion. So, even if the bullet were to leave the barrel safely, you might get expansion ranging from no expansion to the jacket rapidly peeling back with no penetration.
The best suggestion is to use them for practice. Or, you could pull the bullets and replace them with proper expanding bullets. You must use a replacement bullet of the same or slightly lighter weight.

 

[22to45]

I will shoot them at paper, they came years ago when I bought a 60 pound lot of 6.5 bullets. They are also fun to shoot at trees. They really penetrate.

 

[sunray]

"...drilling out the nose of a military bullet..." Doesn't work. You'll still have a thick jacket that won't expand.
Quit shooting at trees too. Some day a guy with a chainsaw will get hurt.

 

[manitou210]

If you drill out the nose, you will have a jacket that is open at both ends. It has been documented in the past that sometimes the jacket will stick in the barrel and the core will be blown out. This leaves an obstruction in the bore that can be dangerous for the next shot.
The expansion properties of the bullet are completely unknown, as the properties of the jacket were not designed nor constructed to allow for smooth expansion. So, even if the bullet were to leave the barrel safely, you might get expansion ranging from no expansion to the jacket rapidly peeling back with no penetration.
The best suggestion is to use them for practice. Or, you could pull the bullets and replace them with proper expanding bullets. You must use a replacement bullet of the same or slightly lighter weight.

X2 manitou

 

[Silverback]

If you drill out the nose, you will have a jacket that is open at both ends. It has been documented in the past that sometimes the jacket will stick in the barrel and the core will be blown out. This leaves an obstruction in the bore that can be dangerous for the next shot.

I always heard this too but I also read an article where a guy purposely tried to make a core come out of a cut off FMJ bullet and couldn’t do it. He even cut it off so it looked like a wadcutter, bore diameter flat at the front and they still shot fine, never had one separate and he tried lots of them.

That said I would never do it as there is nothing to gain by doing it.

 

[ante_1313]

"...drilling out the nose of a military bullet..." Doesn't work. You'll still have a thick jacket that won't expand.
Quit shooting at trees too. Some day a guy with a chainsaw will get hurt.

^^^^x2

 

[Ohno]

You can turn them around and shoot them base first. The work fine out to 100yrds.

 

[DLM]

File the point off a couple 303 british , first didn't hit he target, second shot didn't hit the target but did put an impressive buldge and crack in the barrel.