Do you have a boatload of 7.62 full metal jacket saved up in one of your ammo cans? If you do, before you go use it, make sure you’re aware of the following.
Full metal jacket ammo, specifically 7.62 FMJ, is not the best at doing the following 3 things.
Dump Energy
Full metal jacket ammo, and that includes 7.62 FMJ, is not designed to expand on impact, thereby creating a wide wound channel and cavitation that produce a lot of stopping power.
Instead, it is designed for stability. Actually, not only is FMJ not designed to expand, it is actually designed to retain energy and keep going.
Now, there is one thing to be aware of with 7.62x39mm, and that is that it is infamous for tumbling, which does increase its ability to dump energy.
But it is still inferior to hollow point, soft point, and ballistic tip ammo when it comes to effective energy transfer and stopping power.
Mitigate Overpenetration Risk
Again, FMJ, not just 7.62 FMJ, is designed to retain energy. So it is therefore designed expressly to produce an over-penetration risk.
That is, it’s designed to hit a target and keep going. This also makes it dangerous to shoot at steel targets, especially at indoor ranges, as there is a higher risk of ricochet.
For indoor ranges and steel target shooting, FMJ is generally not the best choice. For that, you should be using frangible bullets. They cost more but are designed to basically turn into dust on impact, making them safer to shoot indoors and at steel.
Shoot Well at Long Distances
Let us make a huge disclaimer here. Full metal jacket ammo actually is great for long-distance shooting. It’s just that 7.62 full metal jacket ammo is decidedly not.
So, to consider a comparison, take a look at .223 FMJ ammo, that is actually one of the best long-range cartridges out there.
Because of its ballistic coefficient, .223 is a great long-distance shooter. The 7.62 Soviet just is not. So make sure this is clear: it’s not just that 7.62 FMJ is bad for long-distance shooting. The cartridge itself is no good.
Past 100 yards, expect a badly drooping trajectory. Go with another option and save the 7.62 full metal jacket for some other training.
The Takeaway
Here’s what you should be getting from all this. One, don’t use 7.62 ammo for long-distance shooting, period.
Second, it’s not that 7.62 is not a good range ammo or even a good ammo for hunting or defensive applications. It’s just that you should use an appropriate bullet.
For sporting applications, go with a hollow point, a soft point, or a ballistic tip. Leave the FMJ for training and other disciplines.
Where to Get 7.62 Full Metal Jacket Online
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