Axis .223 bolt handle nut loose.

[bootsmcguire]

Why do you consider soft points safer? I have two boxes of soft points that I bought when I got the gun, simply because they had no FMJ at all. I was under the impression that FMJ was the norm for target shooting, but then again, I am new to anything larger than a .22LR.

FMJ's are designed to penetrate and hold together, and often when they strike a hard object like steel or a rock they tend to ricochet. The soft point, hollow point, ballistic tip, and match bullets are often a lighter construction and will mushroom when striking a dense object and be less likely to ricochet. Also they just tend to be better made and thus give greater accuracy vs the FMJ's. Soft points can still give accuracy issues, but are IMHO still a step better than FMJ.

[Gabe1972]

FMJ's are designed to penetrate and hold together, and often when they strike a hard object like steel or a rock they tend to ricochet. The soft point, hollow point, ballistic tip, and match bullets are often a lighter construction and will mushroom when striking a dense object and be less likely to ricochet. Also they just tend to be better made and thus give greater accuracy vs the FMJ's. Soft points can still give accuracy issues, but are IMHO still a step better than FMJ.

Thank you for that info. I knew that FMJ rounds didn't deform too much and it's the yaw that usually does the damage to soft targets, it's just that I thought it was what most people used when target practicing and just having some fun, plus I know that they tend to be the cheapest to get (the hollow point Winchesters I got when buying the gun were $21 per box and the only other ones they had cost $37 per box). That's why I had been looking for it all this time. I'll never really need anything like ballistic tip or match bullets, but I will definitely not hesitate in using the others to have fun. It's just the thought of being that much per round when just having fun is another reason I've been looking for the FMJ. I knew that you could use the others for plinking, but they're so expensive to use for that and I thought that I would use the soft points for the occasional raccoon that invades the garage. I wouldn't need them for anything else as I don't hunt and never have. Nothing against it, it's just something I don't do.


Thank you for the help as well. I appreciate both of you giving me advice.