Whats the difference between a hollow point bullet and a regular bullet?

Question

What are hollow points used for?

Answer 1

1) Bullets come in a variety of designs, commonly designated by shape.

Basic bullet recognition is provided online at http://matrix.dumpshock.com/raygun/basics/bullets.html

Note: this site doesn't provide a comprehensive understanding of the respective designs, and it relies on generalizations that I don't think are wholly accurate, but it's a pretty good "general information" site.

For a more detailed description of the hollowpoint bullet, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollowpoint

The hollowpoint bullet was designed to provide increased hydrostatic shock to soft tissue, without significant sacrifice of range or accuracy (as typifies, for instance, the wadcutter design).

The goal of such hydrostatic shock is the temporary or permanent incapacitation of the soft target.

A fringe benefit of such energy transfer is the reduced chance of overpenetration (passing through the target; leaving an exit wound), and reduced remaining energy if overpenetration occurs (thus reducing the likelihood of unintended damage or collateral casualties).

From an ethical perspective, all properly-aimed bullets are intended to kill the human or other animal target at which they are fired; however, it should be noted that not all properly-aimed bullets fired in the direction of a human or other animal are intended to kill such human or other animal:

In essence, the target might be the gun in a suspect's hand. In that case, the bullet is intended to transfer to the gun such energy as to wrest it from the suspect's hand.

Militaries around the world are prohibited from using hollowpoint bullets, because they diminish the survivability of persons injured by hollowpoints, and because some small-caliber wounds from (for instance) pointed, full metal jacket bullets don't significantly diminish the fighting capability of the wounded person.

A competent civilian shooter relies on a variety of different types of bullet, and choses the bullet appropriate to the shooting objective.

If you're chosing a self-defense "round" (cartridge -- sometimes called a "bullet," even though the bullet is only a part of the cartridge), you need to take into account a host of factors -- and remember, there's no such thing as a "perfect" bullet that fits every conceivable situation.

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Answer 2

Hollow points expand into a mushroom shape doing even more damage than a regular round and are pretty much guaranteed to cripple the target if not kill the target. These bullets are usually used to hunt big game deer and larger. However whats good enough for a bear is more than good enough for a person. A regular bullet has a solid bullet as a hollow point has a the middle bored out and the metal jacket on the bullet is cut to allow the hollow point to mushroom. Regular bullets don't mushroom they can deform but are not designed to.

Answer 3

Hollow points, rather than having a solid jacket, have an open-ended jacket. When the slug hits something, that open end mushrooms out and expands. What this does is causes more physical trauma inside of the target. Sadly this also makes hollow points ineffective against body armor. The expansion of the projectile prevents penetration of the Kevlar mesh. Air Marshals use hollow points filled with shot. The expansion of the slug prevents it from exiting and putting a hole in the plane. My dad and I keep hollow points in our pistols, they are more effective for defense purposes as they will put down an aggressor much faster than full metal jacket rounds.

Answer 4

Hollow points are exactly that, hollow in the center. They are used because when they enter the object they expand and mess the guts up even more. The basic issued round given to the troops isn't a hollow point though.

Answer 5

Regular bullets are sometimes capable of passing through the intended target, and going into an unintended victim. Hollow points are designed to fragment on contact with the intended target and not present a danger to adjacent people or things. B.

Answer 6

Hollow points were designed to fragment upon impact therefore reducing the dangers of hitting civilians during close engagements such as urban combat.

It hits you, fragments like popcorn as it enters your unprotected body, it will first knock you down, then it tears your flesh and dances around and most of the time, leaves a bigger nastier exit wound. But if you have protection, then you will definitely be knocked down

Regular bullets go in and out therefore increasing the chances of people or things which were not intended to be targets to be hit.

In theory, hollow points are safer. But hey, they're both ammunition and they both kill.

Answer 7

A hollowpoint is usually a soft nosed bullet drilled to half its length through the top of the bullet!..These rounds are illegal in the military, although i did use them in Vietnam in a .44 semi automatic browning pistol!,, the advantage of them particulaly in a low velocity weapon is spreading!..Upon striking a target, the hollow takes the target body into the hollow point! this is compressed in the point and causes the bullet to expand and spread in size within the target.You can see why they are banned by the Geneva Conventions on armarments!..Not that anybody takes a blind bit of notice of that anymore!

Answer 8

Knocking power. Hollow points knocks more than regular bullets.

Answer 9

Hollow point will spread on impact and leave a massive exit wound, and a regular bullet will just go through, it may bounce around more.

Answer 10

killing!!

hollow points break the skin open upon impact. They were designed to cause more damage through blood hemorrhaging the the internal bleeding of a traditional bullet!! hooray for guns!!!