What is the difference between full metal jacket and total metal jacket ammo?

Answer 1

1. The FMJ bullet still has the base of the lead core exposed, a TMJ head is usually used in match shooting and has the lead core completely encased in copper.

2. The full jacket of the TMJ or Total Metal Jacket prevents separation of the lead core with the copper jacket, preventing the lead from blowing out.

It is being used more and more as it also prevents much lead pollution as most of the lead expelled in the air by a firearm comes from vaporization of lead at the base of the bullet, which is covered by copper in the TMJ design.

A shotgun, whose shot shell base is covered by a plastic or paper wad, produces the most lead in the air because of the great number of lead pellets abrading the barrel.

A handgun or rifle shooting an exposed lead base bullet produces the next greatest amount of lead in the air.

The TMJ design produces the least lead pollution.