But in reality, there is a difference.
The jacket allows ammunition manufacturers to load the cartridge to higher velocities without the lead mucking up the bore.
Imagine what a pure lead bullet would do if loaded for 5.56x45mm NATO.
This box of5.56x45mm NATOammo reads “ball”. the term “ball” ammo is generally used for any ammunition with a lead core. It can also have a full metal jacket.
The heat and energy to generate 3,000 fps velocity would melt a pure lead bullet.
As a result, the jacket is designed to protect the bullet core.
But on the flip side, not all FMJ ammo is ball ammo.
As shown here, not all ball ammo looks alike. For example, 9x19mm Parabellum bullets can be designed with a round nose tip or a flat tip.
Some FMJ ammo can have a hollow tip and a solid core.
While the solid core is similar to ball ammo, the hollow tip is not.
Why Do They Call It That?
These 230-grain.45 ACP cartridgesshow the difference between two bullet types. The ammo on the left is a hollow point, while the ammo on the right is “ball” ammunition.
There was an involved process to load a musket.
Ammo back then consisted of loose balls, powder and flint.
Think Napoleonic wars and the American Revolution.
The majority of military ammunition is ball ammo with a full metal jacket. Shown here is 7.62x39mm ammunition designed by the Soviet Union and used in theAKMand other rifles.
Those original projectiles were a solid lead ball.
Now fast forward to metallic cartridges.
Fast forward to more modern cartridges.
These 5.56 NATO cartridges are considered ball ammo and FMJ. They employ a solid core bullet with a full copper jacket.
The round nose of old-school ball ammo had a purpose.
It allowed reliable feeding in semi-automatic and full-auto weapons.
For instance, the round nose on .45 Auto ammo ensured more reliable feeding infirst-generation 1911 pistols.
The same is true of 9mm cartridges in old military-pattern pistols.
In my mind, ball ammo is best used for target shooting and training.
For everyday carry, hollow point ammunition is usually a better choice.
In general, if the cartridge is loaded with a solid bullet, it could be considered ball ammo.
You will most likely see FMJ printed on the box.
Conclusion
The world of shooting has a lot of confusing and seemingly contradictory terms.
