It just might be the unsung hero of the ammunition world: frangible rounds. Of course, it also seems to be widely misunderstood, not to mention underused. And while there aren’t a lot of companies out there manufacturing quality frangible rounds, there are a few. So for those of you who enjoy giving some thought to a topic and stating your personal experiences, this is the Firearms Food for Thought this week: what are your thoughts on frangible ammunition? Do you use it yourself and if so, do you use it only for specific drills or for more? Ever load your self-defense weapons with it?

Although many gun owners are aware frangible bullets are typically made with compressed powdered copper, there’s more to them than that. Some have a jacket and some do not. Still others are made not with copper but with polymers. Yes, there are multiple types out there, each with their own pros and cons. But the idea behind them is always the same: the bullet strikes an object made of material solid enough to cause it to crumble into pieces, and the risk of splashback drops significantly. The risk of ricochet is also greatly reduced, because it’s hard to ricochet when there’s nothing solid left.

SRSP Team Never Quit has an entire line of frangible rounds

Using frangible rounds for steel plate shooting is a fairly common practice although not quite as common as you might think. With a magazine loaded with frangibles you can advance on a steel plate target without worrying about the splashback and ricochet associated with other types of ammunition, but that’s not all. It’s also great for some of the other more obvious uses such as training in a shoot house or CQB training, but don’t forget rifles. Yes, rifles. Companies like Snake River Shooting Products and DRT manufacture frangible rifle rounds, making it possible for you to train at closer ranges with your favorite rifle.

DRT offers a variety of frangible rounds

But if you think frangibles are just for shooting steel or working your way through a shoot house, you’re wrong. Frangible ammunition done right makes a capable round for hunting and self-defense. So don’t limit yourself to the range, load those magazines for your next deer or hog hunt and have at it. Don’t worry, they’re going down. As with any round it’s all about shot placement. You provide the placement and let the frangible bullet do the rest.

What’s your experience been like with frangible ammunition?

These guys make good frangible rounds, so click on their company’s name to visit their websites: DRT and Snake River Shooting Products. There are other companies that manufacture them as well, these are simply two that have chosen to focus on frangibles on a larger scale.