Editing Hollow-point bullet (section)

== Legislation ==

The [[Hague Conventions (1899 and 1907)|Hague Convention]] of 1899, Declaration III, prohibited the use in ''international warfare'' of bullets that easily expand or flatten in the body.<ref name="hague-iii">{{cite web |title = Declaration IV,3 – On the Use of Bullets Which Expand or Flatten Easily in the Human Body |url = http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/dec99-03.asp |publisher = [[Hague Convention of 1899]] |date = 1899-06-29 |access-date = 2010-12-16 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101218005304/http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/dec99-03.asp |archive-date = 2010-12-18 }}</ref> It is a common misapprehension that hollow-point ammunition is prohibited by the [[Geneva Conventions]], as the prohibition significantly predates those conventions. The [[Saint Petersburg Declaration of 1868]] banned exploding projectiles of less than 400&nbsp;grams, along with weapons designed to aggravate injured soldiers or make their death inevitable.

Despite the widespread ban on military use, hollow-point bullets are one of the most common types of bullets used by civilians and [[police]],<ref>[https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/u-s-social-security-orders-174-000-hollow-point-bullets-1.1220907 U.S. Social Security orders 174,000 hollow-point bullets]. World – CBC News [https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/u-s-social-security-orders-174-000-hollow-point-bullets-1.1220907]</ref> which is due largely to the reduced risk of bystanders being hit by over-penetrating or [[Ricochet#Bullet|ricocheted bullets]], and the increased speed of incapacitation.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Adkins |first1=Robert |last2=Lindsey |first2=Douglas |last3=Dimaio |first3=Vincent |last4=Marshall |first4=Evan |last5=Fackler |first5=Martin |last6=Peters |first6=Carroll |last7=Goddard |first7=Stan |last8=Smith |first8=O'Brian |title=113821NCJRS |url=https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/Digitization/113821NCJRS.pdf |website=Office of Justice Programs |publisher=Federal Bureau of Investigation |access-date=2021-08-26}}</ref>

In many [[jurisdiction]]s, even ones such as the [[United Kingdom]], where expanding and any other kind of ammunition is only allowed to a [[Firearms certificate]] holder, it is illegal to [[hunting|hunt]] certain types of [[Game (food)|game]] with ammunition that does ''not'' expand.<ref name=herts>{{cite web |url=https://www.herts.police.uk/PDF/firearms_licensing_police_law_guide.pdf |title=Hertfordshire Constabulary Firearms Licensing |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110926225043/https://www.herts.police.uk/PDF/firearms_licensing_police_law_guide.pdf |archive-date=2011-09-26 |access-date=2011-08-03 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Centerfire Cartridge Fundamentals |author=Chuck Hawks }}{{ISBN?}}{{page needed|date=September 2020}}</ref>

=== United Kingdom ===

Most ammunition types, including hollow-point bullets, are only allowed to a section 1 [[firearms certificate]] (FAC) holder. The FAC holder must have the calibre in question as a valid allowance on their licence. A valid firearms certificate allows the holder to use ball, [[Full metal jacket (ammunition)|full metal jacket]], hollow point and ballistic-tipped ammunition for range use and vermin control. A firearms certificate will only be issued to any individual who can provide good reason to the police for the possession of firearms and their ammunition. Until recently{{vague|date=May 2022}} all expanding ammunition fell under section 5 of the [[Firearms Act 1968]] and was only allowed when conditions were entered onto an FAC by the police. This condition would allow expanding ammunition to be used for:<ref name=herts /><ref>{{cite legislation UK |type=act |year=1991 |chapter=54 |act=Deer Act 1991 }}</ref>

* The lawful shooting of [[deer]]
* The shooting of [[vermin]] or, in the case of carrying on activities in connection with the management of any estate, other [[wildlife]]
* The humane killing of animals
* The shooting of animals for the protection of other animals or humans

Some ammunition types are still prohibited under section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968. Ammunition that explodes on impact or any [[ammunition]] that is intended for military use are examples of this.

Popular calibres used in the [[UK]] for [[vermin]], [[fox]] and [[deer]] control are as follows: [[.223 Remington]], [[.243 Winchester]], [[.308 Winchester]], [[.22-250]] amongst others, all using hollow-point bullets. Many rimfire calibres also use expanding ammunition such as [[.22 Long Rifle]], [[.22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire]] and [[.17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire]].

=== United States ===

The United States is one of few major powers that did not agree to IV-3 of the [[Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907#Hague Convention of 1899|Hague Convention of 1899]], and thus is able to openly admit to the use of this kind of [[ammunition]] in warfare, but the United States ratified the second (1907) Hague Convention IV-23, which says "To employ arms, projectiles, or material calculated to cause unnecessary suffering", similar to IV-3 of the first Convention.  For years the United States military respected this Convention and refrained from the use of expanding ammunition, and even made special FMJ .22LR ammunition for use in [[High Standard HDM|High Standard pistols]] that were issued to the OSS agents and the Savage Model 24 .22/.410 combination guns issued in the E series of air crew survival kits. After announcing consideration of using hollow point ammunition for [[Sidearm (weapon)|side arm]]s, with a possible start date of 2018,<ref name="ArmyTimes">{{cite news | url=http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/tech/2015/07/09/handgun-system-solicitation-hollowpoint/29886907/ | title=Army to consider hollow point bullets for new pistol | access-date=2015-10-23 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20160807193532/http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/tech/2015/07/09/handgun-system-solicitation-hollowpoint/29886907/ |archive-date=7 August 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> the United States Army began production of M1153 special purpose ammunition for the [[9×19mm Parabellum]] with a {{convert|147|gr|g|adj=on}} jacketed hollow point bullet at {{convert|962|ft|m}} per second for use in situations where limited over-penetration of targets is necessary to reduce [[collateral damage]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Keefe |first=Mark A. |year=2019 |title= M1152 & M1153: The Army's New 9 mm Luger Loads |journal=[[American Rifleman]] |volume=167 |issue=5 |page=65 |publisher=National Rifle Association of America |url=https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2019/4/23/m1152-m1153-the-army-s-new-9-mm-luger-loads/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423153738/https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2019/4/23/m1152-m1153-the-army-s-new-9-mm-luger-loads/ |archive-date=23 April 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The state of [[New Jersey]] bans possession of hollow point bullets by [[civilian]]s, except for ammunition possessed at one's own dwellings, premises, or other lands owned or possessed, or for, while and traveling to and from hunting with a hunting license if otherwise legal for the particular game. The law also requires all hollow point ammunition to be transported directly from the place of purchase to one's home or premises, or hunting area, or by members of a rifle or pistol club directly to a place of target practice, or directly to an authorized target range from the place of purchase or one's home or premises.<ref name=NJSP-hollow>{{cite web|title=Transportation and use of hollow point ammunition by sportsmen|url=http://www.njsp.org/about/fire_hollow.html|publisher=New Jersey State Police|access-date=3 September 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130917130506/http://www.njsp.org/about/fire_hollow.html|archive-date=17 September 2013}}</ref>

The United States military uses open-tip ammunition in some [[sniper]] rifles due to its exceptional accuracy. [[W. Hays Parks]], Colonel, USMC, Chief of the JAG's International Law Branch, has argued that this ammunition is not prohibited by military convention in that the wounds that it produces are similar to [[full metal jacket ammunition]] in practice.<ref name="gunzone">{{cite web |url = http://www.thegunzone.com/opentip-ammo.html |title = Memorandum: Sniper Use of Open-Tip Ammunition |author = W. Hays Parks, Colonel, USMC, Chief of the JAG's International Law Branch |date = 1985-09-23 |access-date = 2007-03-17 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070427083045/http://www.thegunzone.com/opentip-ammo.html |archive-date = 2007-04-27 }}</ref>

=== Winchester Black Talon scare ===
{{main|Black Talon}}
[[File:Winchester Black Talon 9mm (detail).jpg|thumb|Detail image of a Black Talon bullet]]

In early 1992, [[Winchester Ammunition|Winchester]] introduced the "[[Black Talon]]", a newly designed hollow-point handgun bullet which used a specially designed, reverse tapered jacket. The jacket was cut at the hollow to intentionally weaken it, and these cuts allowed the jacket to open into six petals upon impact. The thick jacket material kept the tips of the jacket from bending as easily as a normal thickness jacket. The slits that weakened the jacket left triangular shapes in the tip of the jacket, and these triangular sections of jacket would end up pointing out after expansion, leading to the "Talon" name. The bullets were coated with a black colored, paint-like lubricant called "Lubalox", and loaded into nickel-plated brass cases, which made them visually stand out from other ammunition. While performance of the Black Talon rounds was not significantly improved over other comparable high-performance hollow-point ammunition, the reverse taper jacket did provide reliable expansion under a wide range of conditions, and many police departments adopted the round.<ref>{{cite book|last=Carter|first=Gregg Lee|title=Guns In American Society: An Encyclopedia|year=2002|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-57607-268-4|page=64}}</ref>

Winchester's "Black Talon" product name was eventually used against them. After the high-profile 1993 [[101 California Street shooting]] in [[San Francisco]], media response against Winchester was swift. "This bullet kills you better", says one report; "its six razorlike claws unfold on impact, expanding to nearly three times the bullet's diameter".<ref name="motherjones">{{cite magazine |url = https://www.motherjones.com/news/outfront/1993/09/petersen.html |title = MotherJones SO93: This bullet kills you better |first = Julie |last = Petersen |date = September 1993 |magazine = [[Mother Jones (magazine)|Mother Jones]] |access-date = 2007-03-17 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070312154136/https://www.motherjones.com/news/outfront/1993/09/petersen.html |archive-date = 2007-03-12 }}</ref><ref name="firearmstactical">{{cite web |url = http://www.firearmstactical.com/briefs2.htm |work = Tactical Briefs #2 |title = Winchester Ranger Talon (Ranger SXT/Black Talon) Wound Ballistics |publisher = Firearms Tactical Institute |date = 1998-03-01 |access-date = 2007-03-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080120124949/http://www.firearmstactical.com/briefs2.htm|archive-date=2008-01-20}}</ref> A concern was raised by the president of the [[American College of Emergency Physicians]] (ACEP) that the sharp edges of the jacket could cut medical personnel's skin and risk spread of disease. An ACEP spokesman later said he was not aware of any evidence to support this claim.<ref name="rkba">{{cite news |title = Black Talon: much ado about little |first = Joe |last = Hallinan | date = 1995-01-29 |publisher = Newhouse News Service }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://rkba.org/letters/cnn0327.dos |title = Letter to CNN |author = Jeff Chan |date = 1995-03-27 |publisher = RKBA.org |access-date = 2007-03-17 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061114195838/http://www.rkba.org/letters/cnn0327.dos |archive-date = 2006-11-14 }}</ref>

Winchester responded to the media criticism of the Black Talon line by removing it from the commercial market and only selling it to law enforcement distributors. Winchester has since discontinued the sale of the Black Talon entirely, although Winchester does manufacture nearly identical ammunition under new brand names, the Ranger T-Series and the Supreme Elite Bonded PDX1.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://winchesterle.com/Products/handgun-ammunition/ranger/t-series/Pages/default.aspx | title = Winchester Ranger T-Series | publisher = Winchester | access-date = 2011-10-25 | url-status=live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111005155345/http://winchesterle.com/Products/handgun-ammunition/ranger/t-series/Pages/default.aspx | archive-date = 2011-10-05 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.winchester.com/Products/handgun-ammunition/supreme-elite/bonded-pdx1/Pages/default.aspx |title=Winchester Supreme Elite Bonded PDX1 |publisher=Winchester |access-date=2011-10-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111010215739/http://www.winchester.com/products/handgun-ammunition/supreme-elite/bonded-pdx1/Pages/default.aspx |archive-date=October 10, 2011 }}</ref>