Probably 99% of the 9mm bullets sent downrange at most ranges are 9mm full metal jacket. It is cheap, reliable, accessible, affordable, and it performs consistently. That’s not to mention that it’s accurate and more resistant to jamming than hollow point defensive ammo.
But 9mm full metal jacket is not your only option when it comes to practical target ammo. Here are 4 other types of ammo commonly used for target practice and competition, which are slightly more specialized than 9mm FMJ and which offer some niche benefits.
Total Metal Jacket
9mm total metal jacket, also known as TMJ ammo, is slightly more specialized than FMJ ammo, although it offers effectively the same benefits.
The main difference between FMJ and TMJ is that there is no part of the bullet core that’s exposed in a TMJ bullet. In an FMJ bullet, the base of the bullet is exposed. In a TMJ bullet, the base is enclosed.
This is a benefit because it further limits lead fouling and exposure. You see, one of the main occupational hazards associated with shooting, especially at indoor ranges, is exposure to vaporized lead.
Since TMJ ammo is completely enclosed, that risk is significantly minimized. As with FMJ ammo, the fully enclosed bullet also further shields the bore against lead fouling as well - although that is hardly a concern with FMJ to begin with.
All other benefits of FMJ, such as accuracy, consistency, and clean shooting, are shared with total metal jacket ammo. The main thing is that TMJ ammo is customarily a bit more expensive.
Total Synthetic Jacket
Like total metal jacket, total synthetic jacket, also known as TSJ, features a fully enclosed bullet core - only in total synthetic jacket, the bullet is enclosed by a synthetic polymer jacket.
This offers a few unique benefits over total metal jacket. One is that it effectively eliminates copper fouling from the bore. It does leave “synthetic” fouling, but this is easier to remove than copper fouling anyway.
TSJ ammo also tends to shoot cleaner than TMJ ammo, and on top of that, like TMJ, basically eliminates exposure to vaporized lead (assuming your primers are lead-free). This makes it an ideal option for shooting at indoor ranges.
While this next thing isn’t too much of a concern for handgun shooters, TSJ also helps minimize barrel wear, extending barrel life. This should be a consideration for some calibers, though it might not be for 9mm and other low-pressure handgun cartridges.
TSJ ammo also offers high consistency, reliability and accuracy, the same as FMJ and TMJ offers, but with the additional benefits aforementioned. Like TMJ, however, TSJ ammo can be a bit pricier than standard 9mm full metal jacket.
9mm Flat Nose Ammo (AKA Wadcutters)
Another specialized type of 9mm ammo is flat nose ammo, which is also known as wadcutter ammo. This type of ammo, however, has a single practical application, and it is scoring.
In the case of a flat nose 9mm bullet, the nose of the bullet will be squared off and flat. This makes it easier for these bullets to punch clean, round holes in paper targets rather than tearing them.
As you might imagine, this makes scoring much easier and much more precise, so these bullets are sometimes preferred by competition shooters.
Also, wadcutters are more of a class of full metal jacket ammo than a distinct type, so they also reduce lead fouling and generally offer consistent, reliable feeding and accuracy, just like their round-nose FMJ cousins.
At the same time, like the other types of ammo mentioned here, wadcutters can be a bit more expensive than standard FMJ rounds.
Frangible Ammo
Lastly, we have frangible ammo, which is a highly specialized type of ammo that is used for indoor range training, and shooting at steel targets, for improved safety.
This is because frangible ammo lacks a solid lead core, and instead is made of loosely sintered metal that more or less disintegrates into dust when it strikes a hard surface - hence the name frangible.
This makes these bullets safer for indoor range training as well as for shooting at steel targets because they are far less likely to ricochet, reducing the risk to shooters and bystanders.
The other thing here is that some high-powered ammo can do damage to some steel targets, whereas frangible rounds will not.
They can also be more expensive than FMJ and other standard types of ammo, and moreover, have no application beyond target shooting because they are so specialized.
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