Acronyms and abbreviations are found everywhere in language. They help achieve more concise communication and frequently replace the terms they represent in the public consciousness and lexicon. Whatever the interest or category, there will be corresponding acronyms and abbreviations.
It’s no different when it comes to firearms ammunition. There are many acronyms and abbreviations used in the trade. So many, in fact, it’s hard to remember them all, even for the most ardent of firearms enthusiasts. Following is a glossary of ammo acronyms and abbreviations and the specifics on each one.
| AP: armor piercing | These bullets mean business, used by the military and featuring a steel or tungsten core that penetrates steel armor. The bullet tip is usually painted black for easier identification. |
| API: armor-piercing incendiary | AP on steroids, it’s designed to penetrate armor and set target on fire. Tips are usually painted light blue. |
| BBWC: bevel-base wadcutter | An acronym is welcome for this pistol bullet that has a float on both ends and beveled base to increase accuracy similar to a boat-tail bullet. |
| BEB: brass-enclosed base | Getting down to brass tacks, this pistol bullet has a brass plug over exposed lead base to reduce lead exposure and has seen increased use at indoor ranges to decrease lead contamination. |
| BJHP: brass-jacketed hollow point | This isn’t a popular sandwich but a defensive pistol bullet that controls mushrooming and energy release over greater distances. |
| BST: ballistic silvertip | Just as it does with firearms, Winchester has produced this quality hunting rifle bullet. Generally used for varminting and hunting light- and medium-size game, it has a soft metal tip that causes rapid expansion and penetration of the slug. |
| BT: boat-tail | No water here but a rifle bullet with a truncated conical shape at its base. This streamlining stabilizes the bullet and improves accuracy. |
| BTHP: boat-tail hollow point | Shares everything with its BT cousin except a hollow point, which produces rapid expansion and penetration. |
| BTSP: boat-tail soft point | Another member of the boat-tail family, this bullet is like the BT but has a soft point that increases penetration and expansion from its exposed lead tip. |
| BRPT: bronze point | Third place in the Olympics, the bronze point is gold in ammo circles. The bronze insert in the tip improves trajectory, velocity and energy at extreme ranges. The tip expands rapidly when driven back through the bullet and is ideal for hunting medium-size game at long range. |
| CC: copper-coated | Proving copper’s not just for pipes and batteries, this bullet is the same as full-metal-jacket. Its copper coating prevents bullet deformation in feed mechanism and barrel, reduces misfires and decreases risk of barrel damage. |
| CL: Core-Lokt | Taking a cue from Winchester, another giant in firearms and ammo circles, Remington offers its premier bonded bullet. It retains up to 95 percent of its original weight and provides maximum penetration and energy transfer. A progressively tapered jacket initiates and controls expansion nearly twice as much as other bullets and with its unique design and bonded lead core is effective from 50 to 500 yards. |
| ENCAP: encapsulated | Doing its part for the environment, the ENCAP is totally plated on all sides to decrease lead contamination. Many indoor ranges use it to decrease lead cleanup costs. |
| EFMJ: expanding full metal jacket | There’s a full metal jacket beyond Hollywood. Federal’s EFMJ is a full-metal-jacket bullet with a front rubber core covered by a copper jacket. Popular in areas with restrictions on hollow points, the bullet, when fired into target media, produces petal-like expansion and energy without over penetration. This is a result of the copper jacket collapsing along serrations. |
| EP: expanding point | Winchester is front and center once again with its EP bullet, designed for better stopping power for small calibers. Featuring .25ACP, the hollow point with a round lead ball inserted into the cavity ensures positive feed, increases expansion, and transfers energy quickly. |
| ERBT: extended range boat-tail | Back to the nautical theme, Remington’s ERBT features long-range accuracy and excellent stopping power crucial for hunting. |
| FMC: full-metal case | No jacket required, the FMC features a lead core fully enclosed with copper, nickel, brass, or steel. |
| FMJ: full-metal jacket | Jacket back on. The FMJ bullet consists of a soft core, typically made of lead, and is encased in a shell of harder metal such as copper, cupronickel or steel alloy.Generally, the jacket extends around the front and sides with the rear left as exposed lead, but the outer shell can extend around the entire bullet. |
| FMJBT:full-metal jacket boat-tail. | Thank goodness for acronyms. Akin to the FMJ, it features a boat-tail to reduce turbulence and improve accuracy. |
| FMJE: full-metal-jacket encapsulated. | Another offshoot of FMJ, the FMJE has a covered base and doesn’t expose any lead. |
| FPJ: flat-point | The FMJ family tree continues with the FPJ, featuring a flat point found on most .40 S&W and .30-.30 Winchester rounds. The .30-.30 Winchester has a tubular magazine and employs a flat-point bullet to prevent accidental firing during recoil that can occur if the front round’s primer comes in contact with the tip of the round behind it. |
| FFPN: flat point penetrator | This is the bullet to have when on safari in Africa. Designed to take down big game on the Dark Continent, the FFPN has a hard lead core surrounded by a copper jacket and boasts great accuracy and destructive power. Lions, beware. |
| FNSP: flat-nose soft-point | This hunting bullet is similar to the FPJ but has a lead exposed point that expands on impact. |
| FRAN: frangible | This is the red headed stepchild of bullets, which can be made from empty cartridge cases filled with epoxy and compressed birdshot, metal dust or filings. It was developed for air marshals to avoid over penetration and ricochet aboard planes. It avoids the latter by breaking apart on contact and transfers all the energy to the target. These qualities make it an ideal defensive bullet. |
| GCK: gas check | Offering a metaphoric full tank, the GCK has a metallic cup or disc attached to the bottom of a lead-alloy bullet. This decreases gas blow-by, increases velocity and reduces lead fouling. |
| GCK: gas check | Offering a metaphoric full tank, the GCK has a metallic cup or disc attached to the bottom of a lead-alloy bullet. This decreases gas blow-by, increases velocity and reduces lead fouling. |
| GDHP: gold dot hollow point | Good as gold, Speer’s GDHP offers a jacket bonded to a lead core that prevents separation and controls expansion and penetration. |
| GS: grand slam | Speer’s cleared the bases with a bullet designed for hunting big game. Features include a jacket 45 percent larger at the base to prevent rollback and retain bullet’s weight and internal jacket flutes ensuring proper expansion; and a core consisting of a three-part alloy poured into the jacket at 900 degrees to stop jacket slippage. |
| HBWC: hollow-base wadcutter | You’ll find your range on the range with the HBWC, which is popular among target shooters. With a flat design and hollow base, this lead bullet makes neat, round holes in paper targets to make scoring easier and creates a better gas seal to prevent gas blow-by and increase velocity. |
| HSHK: hydra-shok | Not a martial art practiced in the water but a Federal handgun defense bullet whose distinctive center-post design provides controlled expansion. The notched jacket transfers energy efficiently and penetrates barriers while maintaining stopping power. |
| HP: hollow point | Its name notwithstanding, the HP is a solid performer. Its trademark hollow cavity in the bullet’s nose allows expansion on impact. |
| HPBT: hollow-point boat-tail | Another hollow point entry, the HPBT rifle bullet features a truncated conical shape at its base. The hollow cavity in its nose allows expansion on impact. |
| HSP: hollow soft point | Expansion on impact is also a hallmark of the HSP bullet. That’s the result of an exposed lead point and hollow cavity. |
| HV: high velocity | Simple but fast, extremely fast, HV ammunition zips along at 1,200 feet per second. |
| JFP: jacketed flat point | The JFP and .30-.30 Winchester are inextricably linked; all the .30-.30 Winchesters feature this bullet design of a lead point and full metal jacket. Boasting a tubular magazine, the gun uses a flat-point bullet in case the front round’s primer comes in contact with the point of the round behind it and causes an accidental discharge during recoil. |
| JHC: hollow cavity | Recognizing its redundancy, the JHC has a hole in its tip to provide expansion on impact. |
| JHP: jacketed hollow point | The cavity from above has been eliminated, leaving a jacketed bullet with a hole in its tip that causes expansion on impact. |
| JSP: jacketed soft point | Soft is a relative term with the JSP bullet, which, like its J brethren, has a hole in its tip and expands upon contact. |
| L: lead | That leads us to L, ascribed to an all-lead bullet. |
| LF: lead-free | Not gasoline or free lead but ammunition manufactured in response to some jurisdictions banning the use of leaded ammo due to concerns over its toxicity. |
| LRN:lead round nose. | There’s no shortage of the metal in the LRN, a solid lead bullet with a round nose. |
| LSWC: lead semi-wadcutter | The LSWC is another solid lead bullet. Lubricated and featuring a semi-pointed nose, it’s swaged to form a sharp shoulder and creates clean holes in paper targets. The bullet is considered a good choice for target practice and general shooting. |
| LSWCHP: lead semi-wadcutter hollow point | With an acronym almost as long as the words it represents, LSWCHP is the same as the LSWC bullet except for its hollow point. |
| MB: multi-ball | What sounds like a lottery game is a term for more than one ball or bullet in a cartridge to increase hit ratio. |
| MC: metal case | Mention MC and you’ll likely think of master of ceremonies or a rap star. In ammo circles, it’s another name for a metal-jacketed bullet. |
| MCH: match | When it comes to ammo, it’s hard to match MCH. Used by snipers and target shooters, these are bullets recognized for their design, weight, materials and consistencies. |
| MK: MatchKing | Unmatched in its class, Sierra’s MatchKing is made to exact tolerances and offers unparalleled accuracy at long distances. |
| MOLY: moly-coated | Yet another welcome acronym, MOLY is a bullet coated with molybdenum disulfide to reduce friction and increase velocity. |
| NBT: noslerballistic tip | Shooters will go ballistic in a good way over the NTB, a Nosler bullet with a polycarbonate tip that protects the bullet from damage in the magazine due to recoil and also stabilizes it for long-range shooting. This stabilization ensures reliable expansion when the bullet hits its target. |
| NP: noslerpartition | Nosler’s right on target with another bullet, the NP, which features two lead cores separated by a jacket. The top part of the jacket is thin and promotes bullet expansion, while the bottom part has a thicker jacket that retains the bullet’s weight, stops fragmentation and increases penetration. |
| PEP: positive expanding point | Winchester has made a positive contribution with its PEP bullet. Its specifically designed for outstanding accuracy and maximum impact on varmints and medium-size game. |
| PG: partition gold | Winchester’s struck gold with the PG. The proprietary design produces expansion and penetration on medium- large-size game at a wide range of impact velocities. The rear core is made of hard lead alloy and locked in place with a heel crimp to prevent core slippage and maximize penetration. The patented steel cup reinforcer stops core distortion at high-impact velocities. |
| PL: power-lokt | Varmint and small game are the targets of Remington’s PL, a revolutionary bullet that produces bench rest-level accuracy. The copper jacket is electrolytically bonded to a lead core, resulting in near-perfect concentricity and gyroscopic balance that was previously found in only custom-made match bullets. An exceptional sub-minute-of-angle makes for great accuracy for small game at long distances. |
| PP: power-point | Winchester has made quite the presentation with its PP bullet. A jacketed soft nose delivers maximum energy on impact, and notches around the jacket’s mouth improve upset and ensure uniform, rapid expansion. |
| PSP & PTDSP:pointed soft point | Right on point, this bullet retains velocity over long distances, and its soft nose causes rapid expansion. Jacket and core toughness vary based on caliber and weight of bullet. |
| PTHP: platinum-tipped hollow point | Winchester has once again hit the bullseye with the PTHP. Designed for handgun hunters, it immediately transfer’s the bullet’s energy into the target and provides penetration, expansion and accuracy. |
| PWC: pointed wadcutter | What almost sounds like an exotic bird is a lubricated solid lead bullet with a pointed nose. The PWC is formed by a swaging process and features a sharp shoulder that brings clean hole-punching in paper targets. It’s a popular choice for target practice and general shooting. |
| RN: round nose | Nothing complicated about the name or description of the RN bullet. Its round nose promotes positive, reliable feeding. |
| SBK: sierrablitzKing | Evoking war, mountain, and royal imagery, SBK features a plastic tip inserted into the bullet cavity that expands on impact and delivers a high ballistic coefficient. The bullet is used for varmint hunting. |
| SFS: supreme fall safe | It’s not the title for a Mission Impossible movie but a hollow point bullet with a lead core and steel insert. The SFS offers controlled expansion, deeper penetration and bullet weight retention. |
| SJHP: semi-jacketed hollow point | It’s the half jacket look for the SJHP bullet. An exposed lead tip expands more rapidly than the jacketed hollow point design. The subsequent controlled penetration provides maximum energy transfer, making it optimum for hunting. |
| SJHP: semi-jacketed hollow point | It’s the half jacket look for the SJHP bullet. An exposed lead tip expands more rapidly than the jacketed hollow point design. The subsequent controlled penetration provides maximum energy transfer, making it optimum for hunting. |
| SJSP: semi-jacketed soft point | Another half jacket entry, the SJSP, with its exposed lead soft point, has reliable expansion and deeper penetration than hollow point bullets. The copper jacket and swaged lead core improve concentricity, balance and accuracy. |
| SLD: solid | Given its name, lead would seem a likely component. A solid but untrue assertion. SLD is made from copper, bronze or brass alloy and designed for deep penetration in thick-skinned animals. |
| SMP: semi-pointed | We’re not talking Wall Street but a bullet offering the same penetration as a round nose with better trajectory, higher velocity and energy transfer. Likewise, it has better expansion control and deeper penetration than a hollow point and offers better penetration and more controlled expansion at close range. The SMP bullet has outstanding accuracy potential and is frequently used for short- to medium-range hunting. |
| SP: soft point | Not soft on performance, the SP bullet features an exposed lead tip and broader point diameter. This allows for rapid, controlled expansion at somewhat lower velocities. |
| SPCE: soft point cutting edge | Cutting edge is associated with the latest innovation or trend, but with the SPCE it’s used in a literal sense. The semi-jacketed bullet has a cut-through jacket edge to partially lock in the lead core. It deforms less in light game than heavy prey and is used for claw game hunting. |
| SPCL: soft-point core-lokt | No flying apart at the seams for the SPCL bullet, which locks a progressively heavier jacketed midsection to a core to maintain its integrity. By staying together on impact, the bullet expands in a controlled manner and mushrooms uniformly to nearly twice the original diameter. |
| SPT: spitzer | Not to be confused with the fancy drink, the SPT is a pointed bullet typically used in modern military rifles. |
| SST: super shock tipped | Befitting its name, the SST packs quite a charge. Hornady’s design features a pointed polymer tip that improves ballistic coefficient and increases velocity, accuracy and downrange power. Specifically designed jacket grips and controls expanding core permit maximum expansion while maintaining mass and momentum. |
| ST: silvertip | Serving as a bodyguard of sorts for the lead core of Winchester’s ST bullet is a special aluminum-alloy nose cap. This protects the lead core and allows the ST to deliver deep penetration and controlled expansion in small-and medium-sized game. |
| STHP: silvertip hollow point | Winchester is also the name behind the STHP handgun bullet. It’s designed for rapid, controlled expansion to penetrate the skin, light muscle and bone of small-to medium-sized game. |
| SWC/SW: semi-wad cutter | No squeaky bullet here. The SWC/SW is a lubricated solid lead bullet with a semi-pointed nose. Formed by the swaging process, its resultant sharp shoulder produces clean hole punching in paper targets. The bullet is good for target practice and general shooting. |
| SXT: supreme expansion technology | Winchester’s SXT produces supreme results when it comes to personal protection. Its design features a reverse tapered jacket that creates uniform expansion, greater accuracy and reliable firearm functioning. |
| TAP: tactical application | Law enforcement certainly appreciates Hornady’s TAP, which was designed specifically for those charged with ensuring public safety. A heavier bullet weight and polymer tip provide rapid expansion and excellent barrier penetration without over penetration. |
| TC: truncated cone | Another bullet used in defense, the TC is similar to an inverted cone except for a missing tip and can penetrate materials and ensure reliable feeding. |
| TCHP: truncated cone hollow point | A hole in the top of the TCHP bullet is the only difference from its truncated cone brethren and contributes to expansion in the target. |
| TCSB: truncated cone solid bullet | Continuing the truncated theme, the TCSB is designed for penetration. The inverted cone aids in feeding, while the pointed solid bullet bores deep into the target |
| TMJ: total metal jacket | Going beyond full, the TMJ bullet is the same as a full metal jacket and adds a jacketed base. |
| TMWC: target-master wadcutter | Mastering the art of hitting a target is made easier with the TMWC bullet, which is made to the highest tolerances to achieve the best accuracy. |
| V-Max: varmint express ballistic tip | Varmints, beware. Hornady’s V-Max bullet, featuring a ballistic tip and polymer insert, aids in rapid expansion once it hits that hapless varmint. |
| XTP: extreme terminal performance | Nothing subdued about the XTP’s name or performance. Hornady designed this bullet for controlled expansion at a wide range of handgun velocities. Its jacket and core expansion rates are the same, increasing damage to the target. |
The above information is based on an old document posted by CheaperThanDirt.com, AmmoSeek.com reintroduced an old friend and hopefully it will ting some clarity to the ammo lingo.
Note: The information provided in this article regarding is intended for general informational purposes only. We assume no responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the information presented herein.
Regulations can vary greatly by location, and they are subject to change at any time due to legislative updates, legal interpretations, or other factors beyond our control. It is imperative that readers verify the current ammunition regulations in their specific jurisdiction through official government sources, law enforcement agencies, or legal professionals before making any decisions or taking any actions related to ammunition possession, purchase, or use.
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