Jacketed Soft Point Ammo

[unit1069]

I have never seen any JSP ammo for sale locally, and have read very little about this type of round. My guess is that it's primarily a hunting round but I also notice some manufacturers make JSP ammo for handguns.

Can those of you who are familiar with this particular round explain its benefits and drawbacks compared to FMJ and JHP ammo, as well as situations where the JSP handgun load is commonly used.

Thanks

[Brass Nazi]

JSP ammunition (generally speaking with all other variables being equal) will penetrate deeper than JHP and less than FMJ.

JSP ammunition (generally speaking with all other variables being equal) will expand less than JHP and more than FMJ.

[legion3]

Its not a great picture but this spanish surplus 380 ammo is a JSP which was intended for police work

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x49/roman3/SBammo.jpg


Handgun hunting rounds will sometimes use JSP.

[vafish]

I use JSP's in my .44 mag for deer hunting. Works just fine out of a 14" TC Contender.

Brass Nazi hit it on the head. Generally JSP has less expansion and greater penetration than a JHP. But bullet design matters a lot.

[Retseh]

Its not a great picture but this spanish surplus 380 ammo is a JSP which was intended for police work

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x49/roman3/SBammo.jpg


I don't think the SB .380ACP is truly a JSP since none of the core is exposed above the meplat, the "point" is therefore not really "soft".

The Spanish just chose to enclose the base instead of the nose of the bullet.

[Jerry36]

I have a .44mag that I shoot JSP out of. One characteristic it has is that it's a lot cleaner on the gun. A lead bullet makes for a rough job cleaning. With the partial jacket, it's a lot cleaner in the barrel.

[Ak.Hiker]

Besides hunting you will also find JSP bullets in practice ammo for revolver loads like the 158 grain American Eagle in 357 Magnum and the 240 grain Winchester White Box in 44 Magnum. Some companies also make JSP bullets that are so tough that they expand very little on game and offer penetration similar to a hard cast. An example would be the 300 grain Sierra JSP designed for the 44 Magnum and their 300 grain JSP designed for heavy 45 Colt loads like the one CorBon produces. Not the best choice as a self defence bullet in a handgun.

[Gunnut 45/454]

Rem 158gr JSP 357 Mag make for great SD rounds- They penertrate deep and expand very nicely! Magtech loads them -run about 1250 out of my BH, 1050 out of my SP101! Still open up very nicely out of the SP101! :) There's a guy over on a hunting board -killed tons of deer with them-nice hole in-big hole out and has never recoved a bullet!! So no worries about barriers/clothing with these! I mean what better to spine a BG with! :)

[grenadier]

For most handgun calibers that aren't "magnum" class, soft points will perform about the same as FMJ will. Most handgun calibers simply don't have enough velocity to get the soft point bullet to expand reliably.

Now, out of a rifle, that's an entirely different story...