Quick Tip: Hollow Point vs Soft Point vs Ballistic Tip Bullets 

I love the professionalism in these videos. Please keep making this sort of content.

I had the honor of speaking to Steve a few weeks ago when I called the techs for an answer on 1911 aftermarket parts...we had a very pleasant and informative conversation...

Hey can we get a tour of your background

Normally I would end a video when I hear the people saying goodbye, but here, I just HAVE to stay for the victory sip

Steve's reaction to Caleb's pun was priceless. 😆👍

Thanks for your videos, from Switzerland!

In this case, just the tip is what really matters.

Love your guys videos don’t ever stop thank you for everything you do.

Why do I want to drink coffee after every video?! Love you guys! Keep it up!

I love videos that teach me things I did not know or fully know before, Thank you!

Re: HPBT match bullets, it is my understanding that the process of drawing a consistent jacket over the core is more consistent going base-to-tip vs tip-to-base with a FMJ. Better concentricity, more consistent BC, and better balance. In a future video feel free to touch on rifle hollow points. Some are designed for match (not expansion) while some are designed for expansion (usually not match) It is so important to know about the bullet you are shooting! Some HPBT perform quite well on game but some would be quite unethical. Some are made for varmint only and expand/fragment REAL fast. I've personally discovered folks using the WORST bullet for the job because of these misunderstandings.

Down there in the South, them are called Holler points.

I love your videos. Very instructive for a newbie like me 👍

Love these videos! Thanks!

Lmao that last part made my actually laugh out loud, great videos guys! Thanks for the content 🙏

Excellent info. Thanks

Great video guys! This ones for the algorithm.

I got a proposal for another quick tip: How to distinguish a good muzzle brake from a bad one. I would like to learn about that topic.

My understanding of OTM bullet design is that the hollow point helps create a low pressure zone in front of the bullet. Think if it like the dimples on a gulf ball.

Like your videos.. From Austria!!

Love me some “holla” points

THANKS

My understanding is that some rifle caliber hollow point bullets (specifically open tip match bullets) are made by making a hollow copper shell very precisely and then pouring molten lead in through the tip. The hollow point is actually a side effect of the manufacturing process as opposed to being the primary goal. Higher accuracy is the primary goal and pouring lead through the tip of a copper shell apparently contributes better to that than more conventional manufacturing methods (i.e. pressing copper onto an already formed lead bullet or pouring lead in through the tail).

quick and to the point! 10/10

Thanks for the video

Soft points promote expansion, but they also promote penetration without opening up 😂👍🏼

The soft point is probably the better way to go in rifles that fire center fired pistol rounds.

4:38 I don't know whether to laugh or cry in agony :D

How about doing a show on ballistics in regards to over penatration like a orange tip 556 veres a fmj 556 or hollow points filling up with cloth and then becoming more like a fmj

I've always heard hollowpoint rifle bullets have an accuracy/consistency advantage. Does this include the 223/556 barnes tsx projectile? I ask since just about every other 223/556 hollowpoint was engineered differently to improve consistency and fragment vs the tsx

What about swaged tips like federal fusion?

Should have called this video “Just the Tip”. Oh well! It’s a lost opportunity. Anyway, awesome video. I always learn something when watch these.

An interesting bullet I’ve seen (not sure it’s still available for purchase) is the “varmint grenade” round, an am 180 loaded with those is my fantasy zombie gun

Question: Would Varmint Grenades be a good choice for home defense? I'm talking 5.56 in a 16 inch carbine. Thanks.

Damn so I’m looking for ammo more along the lines for self defense with a rifle, didn’t know if I should go with ballistic tip or hornady polymer tip

I'm a newbie who just recently bought my first and so far only gun. It's a S&W 686 Plus .357, 7-shot, 5-inch barrel beauty. I'm only interested in what would do the most amount of damage in a life-threatening situation. So, what is the best ammo I can use? Thanks.

Now this is no bench rifle, but I found with a sks the hp tulammo was keyholing around 90 yards

Why is the 40 S&W a flat point where the 9MM and 45 ACP are round nosed?

There's a big difference between Sierra Match King hollow points and handgun hollow points, two different birds altogether. - with different feathers

Steve looked grievously wounded by that pun 🤣

I've been watching your videos for some time now and I have a question, are Kaleb and Steve related?

I’ve seen 7.63x25 (.30 Mauser) with soft point bullets. What do you think those are probably meant for, rabbits? I’ve heard with pistols that hollow points are much better for expansion than soft point, in most cases.

Great video. When do you think we'll see more ammo in stock?

One "point' to remember is that expanding bullets are velocity based. If the round doesn't have the needed velocity, it will never expand. One should always check the performance of their ammunition in the particular firearm they use, especially short barreled handguns.

I'd like to know more on the Hornady Leverevolution vs soft point. If the the Spitzer bullet design does better within the range of a rounded .30-30. It's pretty much the only ammo I've been using in my .30-30, just wondering if it's worth the extra cash.

In my experience (watching RU-vid videos) ballistic tips seem to expand much more reliably and are less prone to clogging and velocity dependent for expansion.

In my 30-30, I use hollow points because the most distance is 70 yards. If I hunt in areas over 100 yards, I go with soft points. This year, got a deer at 15 yards. Dropped it in its tracks. Plus, remember, the area your hunting in. The houses may be close by. Nearest house was three hundred yards away.

Is anybody with a high speed camera able to check and see if ballistic tips actually keep their shape down the barrel and through the air? I wonder sometimes about them

There is another advantage to ballistic tips over soft points in rifles. Repeated chambering of a round in a rifle during hunting season can mark up the end of the lead. Not sure if this is super important but it does mark it up. With ballistic tips there is no obvious issues. Perhaps there is some impact on ballistic tip rounds as well that can't be seen with the naked eye.

I gather that a polymer tip would be better for hunting? I have one box of soft point for my AR for hunting, can't find anymore soft point. But can find polymer...thanks.

Gentlemen - I greatly enjoy your videos, they are outstanding, and you’re both entirely expert professional, and understandable (without any arrogance). I’d like to add two matters, which might have some relevance to some viewers: 1. In some jurisdictions (New Jersey is a prominent example), the mere possession of a hollow point cartridge (this may not apply in your home?) is unlawful. Therefore, ammunition such as soft points or wadcutters may be a better legal defensive alehtrnarive than FMJs. I’n not an attorney, but such regulations are obviously important to understand fully, and three to ascertain permissible defensive alternatives that may outperform FMJs. 2. Tubular magazine rifles, of course, have the concern of a pointed/Spitzer projectile igniting the following round’s primer, if the weapon is severely “shocked” (perhaps dropped on its butt from a considerable height). LEVERevolution projectiles are a fine solution for this problem. I wonder, however, if this was ever an issue for pump/slide action rifles, such as the Remington 760 chambered in .30-06? If it was not, then why is it such a concern for lever action rifles?

Can You Post information on Wholesale to retail pricing on Ammo? Question is during National Emergency price gouging is a Crime and retailers selling at exorbitant or excessive mark up is a crime.

Where does the Polymer tip go? does it go all into the meat of the animal or does it get pushed into the center of the bullet ?

Hollow points are best for long range? I was not aware of that, and it seems like counter intuitive. But my intuition is not known to be 100% reliable anyways. And then, the punch line 😁 Thanks.

What is the first cartdrige the hornday critical duty the bottle neck one the only thing that comes to mind is 357 sig but setting next to it is a 45 and the 357 sig is not that small compared to a 45 because the 357 sig has the same case as 40 s and w it just looks like a bottle necked 380

I recently picked up a partial box of Winchester 270 130gr. silvertip bullets which is like a blistington that you would get from porn today or nosler but instead of a polymer insert a silver soft lead cone at the top or point. Say what has any information and would get back to me I would be very interested to hear what you have to share

They crack me up

You want bonded Soft Points. If the lead is not bonded to the copper jacket you can jacket / core separation which absolutely impacts expansion and penetration.

Just the bullet tips ?

What about Jacketed Hollow Points?

All I have is range ammo,can't get anything else,,here in cali.so that would be my defense ammo also.any tips??

Hollow points are also less likely to pass through a target

Do match hp expand when they hit something?

Great "tip".

Other than for hunting applications and keeping at home, I understand that the use of hollow points is illegal in New Jersey. So what do you recommend the very few wealthy and/or politically connected who are the only ones able to get a carry permit (I'm guessing) use for self defense? Would that be soft points? I don't live there, but I do pass through on occasion so if one of my permits is ever honored there, I'd like to know. Thank you in advance.

Some exceptions here too fellas, how bout the .223 gold dot? It’s a soft point and really marketed to self defense, and highly effective.

Full length guide rod vs milspec in a 1911.

In AK I saw hunters using hollow point 223 with bad results I advised soft point ammo.

My understanding for why "hollow point" rifle bullets have more predictable flight paths, and are therefore better for long range precision shooting, is that the open tip meplat (OTM) bullet creates a high pressure zone inside the tip of the bullet. This creates a zone of low turbulence around the bullet that effectively smoothes out the area interacting with the atmosphere by reducing drag via creating laminar flow of atmosphere around the bullet. Can anyone speak to that? It's one of those things that makes intuitive sense, but I'm not sure how confident I am in my ability to describe it accurately.

The reason hollow points are used for accuracy is that it creates a bubble of air in the tip and pretty much much the leading edge of the bullet to be made out of air instead of copper so you get less resistance on the tip

tips on points

I don't like using hollow points for hunting as it tears up the meat too bad unless its a neck shot or placed in a vital away from the meat. During expansion they often separate jacket and core and fragment inside the meat and that is not what I want. A ballistic tip is essentially a hollow point with a plastic pointed plug for a tip. This is to aid in bullet flight and penetration over a hollow point while expanding slower. But its still a hollow point and will do what a hollow point does. Soft point partitions that hold together and mushroom are a better choice for me as a hunting round. For defense and contrary to belief a hollow point will zip right on through barriers. Hollow points are designed to expand in soft material that fills the cavity causing expansion. You don't get that expansion through a solid barrier as the cavity is not filled enough by hard material to force expansion like soft material does. So don't use a hollow point thinking that it will not penetrate solid barriers. All bullets over penetrate and there is no magic bullet but for less penetration on solid barriers while still stopping a threat try an FBI protocol frangible bullet such as Federal Syntech Defense loads. If its not FBI protocol then it may not penetrate a target enough and is less likely to stop a threat. Frangibles break up on impact but often do not penetrate enough so with FBI protocol met it will penetrate enough to stop a threat. Pistols are poor at stopping threats so I would prefer a shotgun with #4 turkey load that will stop a threat but be less likely to go through multiple solid barriers. If bystanders are not a problem, nor surrounding bystanders, then I don't have to be as concerned with barrier penetration.

Just the tip....I promise!!!

*the Point*

Why did you not discuss the difference between Open Tip Match rifle bullets and regular hollow points?

Just the tip, I promise.

🙂☕☕👍

Just the tip, thats what she said.

So, the Point of this video is.....the Point.

Side note: Caleb looks and sound like a 1950s country western star. That's pretty damn awesome if you ask me.

Ba dahm chh

#GetOnGab

30-30?...who shoots that oldman cartridge anymore?! Get 300 UltraMurderDeth Magnum instead!!

Some inaccurate information here. Regarding polymer tipped bullets, they are now the preferred choice for long range shooting because they allow for a more consistent BC and flight. Open tip match were the most affective until recently. Also, hollow point bullets often get clogged with material and act like a FMJ when going through barriers such as dry wall.

Humor!

The summary of this video just the tip

Missing some bullet history. Muskets and early rifles used spheres. Cheap, easy, reliable and effective for black powder. Round nose cylinders allowed more mass, conical tips allowed longer range. Then came smokeless powder and increased velocity (lead deposits in the rifling). Copper alloy jackets were the answer to lead fouling. Why cover the whole bullet? Thick jackets prevent expansion and bullet fragmentation. Getting pistol bullets to expand requires a balance of hardness and velocity. Not always reliable, even today. Lastly, long range shooters use hollow points because of balance and aerodynamics.

Sorry guys you really didn't cover this very well. Your other videos are generally very good

Like you can even buy ammo ......hahahaha

poor presentation no annimation whatsoever