Military ammo question

Full Metal Jacket.

The term goes back to muzzle-loading days, when a round ball was the order of the day. There were also buck-and-ball rounds, one full-calibre round ball and, commonly, three buckshot. (Stonewall Jackson was killed by his own troops with that load, if it matters, in one of the more famous blue-on-blue incidents.)

When they transitions from muzzle-loaders to breach-loaders, the term stuck.

Nothing special, really.
 
What is the meaning of "Ball" ammunition as seen on military ammo pkgs/crates?

Ball in this is the same as full metal jacket. This ammo does not expand like a bullet for game hunting, e.g. deer, moose etc.

The Geneva Convention of many years ago made it illegal to use expanding bullets in war. An expanding bullets leaves a very bad wound and in the region of the heart and lungs is usually fatal, same for a wound in the stomach. Military thinking has been that it is better to wound an enemy thereby virtually requiring his buddies to help him than to kill him outright.

Whether my statements above still hold true or not, I am unsure but the CGNers who have fought in the last 10 years may very well have more to say.

The 7.62 X 39 surplus ammo is all of this non expanding type.
 
The Geneva Convention of many years ago made it illegal to use expanding bullets in war. An expanding bullets leaves a very bad wound and in the region of the heart and lungs is usually fatal, same for a wound in the stomach. Military thinking has been that it is better to wound an enemy thereby virtually requiring his buddies to help him than to kill him outright. .[/QUOTE]

Has the Geneva convention been modified to include tracers, explosive ammo, and whatever new munitions as they become avaliable/
 
Also know as "Hard ball" Kinda like when you're at bat, and you see that pitched throw that hard ball right by your face. Not something you'd want to get hit with.
 
Well its a bit of a long story.
First thing,, the Geneva Conventions don't mention expanding bullets, or any other weapons of war. Geneva Conventions deal with people and treatment of people.
It is the Hague Convention of 1899 that deals with weapons of war, and this is where signaturies agree to "abstain" from using expanding bullets,, just like they agreed to abstain from shooting projectiles from balloons, or the use of gas (not much good that did).
As for match grade hollow points, tracers, etc: all good to go.

The Geneva Convention of many years ago made it illegal to use expanding bullets in war. An expanding bullets leaves a very bad wound and in the region of the heart and lungs is usually fatal, same for a wound in the stomach. Military thinking has been that it is better to wound an enemy thereby virtually requiring his buddies to help him than to kill him outright. .

Has the Geneva convention been modified to include tracers, explosive ammo, and whatever new munitions as they become avaliable/[/QUOTE]
 
Military thinking has been that it is better to wound an enemy thereby virtually requiring his buddies to help him than to kill him outright.
Another myth,, military thinking at the close and dirty range is to kill with speed and violence,, same with from a distance.
It is really silly to think otherwise, even though there are a lot of silly thinkers in the military.;)
 
Another myth,, military thinking at the close and dirty range is to kill with speed and violence,, same with from a distance.
It is really silly to think otherwise, even though there are a lot of silly thinkers in the military.;)

This begs another question, are police forces required to use military (FMJ) ammo only?
 
No,, the conventions only apply to nations at war.
Police use of hollow points is the routine.

There was a time when a lot of European police forces used FMJ only, citing the Conventions as a rationale. Silly, but that was their reason.

As to expanding bullets, the 3rd Declaration to the Hague Conventions states:

Declaration on the Use of Bullets Which Expand or Flatten Easily in the Human Body; July 29, 1899

The Undersigned, Plenipotentiaries of the Powers represented at the International Peace Conference at The Hague, duly authorized to that effect by their Governments,

Inspired by the sentiments which found expression in the Declaration of St. Petersburg of the 29th November (11th December), 1868,

Declare as follows:

The Contracting Parties agree to abstain from the use of bullets which expand or flatten easily in the human body, such as bullets with a hard envelope which does not entirely cover the core, or is pierced with incisions.

The present Declaration is only binding for the Contracting Powers in the case of a war between two or more of them.

Tracers are not designed to expand.

As to exploding bullets, I am unaware of 7.62 or 5.56 or 5.45 mm bullets designed to explode. Even .50 is pushing it, although (I think) Raufaus did field a design. In any case, it was the 1868 St Petersburg Declaration that banned the use of exploding bullets below a certain weight (about one pound, IIRC). They are not mentioned in the Conventions.
 
This begs another question, are police forces required to use military (FMJ) ammo only?

Police avoid FMJ rounds to minimize the chance of a round passing through the target and striking something/someone else. Plus hollow point ammo transfers more energy to the target than a similar size FMJ round would, and theoretically can stop the threat more quickly.
 
Police avoid FMJ rounds to minimize the chance of a round passing through the target and striking something/someone else. Plus hollow point ammo transfers more energy to the target than a similar size FMJ round would, and theoretically can stop the threat more quickly.

I found a entry wound near the RT shoulder and the exit was Lt hip area. This was Canadian Military issued ammo that was used. This stuff if it hits bone does a number on the insides.
 
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