flash Posted January 23, 2006 Report Share Posted January 23, 2006 i was wandering what a dum dum bullet is becuase i have heard of a late of different explenations. such as many expanding and exploding ammo. one guy said that all dum dums are normal bullets filed down. please help flash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted January 23, 2006 Report Share Posted January 23, 2006 I am not really sure but I always thought that "dum dum" was a term for a hollow point. Small entry, massive exit. not sure where the dum dum comes in Cheers MC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wookie Posted January 23, 2006 Report Share Posted January 23, 2006 I'd always thought that dum-dums were normal bullets that had the front filed flat and then a cross cut in the top, leading to a cross shaped expansion when they hit something. Of course, such things are illegal (in wartime) under the Geneva convention... Wookie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazooka Joe Posted January 23, 2006 Report Share Posted January 23, 2006 (edited) Heard it came from the 2nd World War, or maybe the 1st, used to hacksaw a cross in the top of the bullet to make it expand like the hollow point. Bazooka Joe Beat me to it Wookie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Edited January 23, 2006 by Bazooka Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted January 23, 2006 Report Share Posted January 23, 2006 The 'dum-dum' was a British military bullet developed for use in India - at the Dum-Dum Arsenal - on the North West Frontier in the late 1890s. The dum-dum comprised a jacketed .303 bullet with the jacket nose open to expose its lead core. The aim was to improve the bullet's effectiveness by increasing its expansion upon impact. The phrase 'dum-dum' was later taken to include any soft-nosed or hollow pointed bullet. The Hague Convention of 1899 outlawed the use of dum-dum bullets during warfare. G.M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flash Posted January 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2006 thanks, flash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatingisbest Posted January 23, 2006 Report Share Posted January 23, 2006 a dum-dum bullet was a bullet which was made with very soft lead so whan it hit its target it expanded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devilishdave Posted January 23, 2006 Report Share Posted January 23, 2006 Gemini is on the money. Aparently they were having problems keeping the locals down when they hit them somthing to do with the fact they tended to be thin and the jacketed rounds were going straight threw without imparting a sufficiant amount of energy so they went for the DUM DUM manufactured projectiles that would expand on impact and inflict more damage. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted January 24, 2006 Report Share Posted January 24, 2006 Gemini is on the money. He should be, I think he was there :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted January 24, 2006 Report Share Posted January 24, 2006 Thank you Stuart :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sargeant Bang Posted January 24, 2006 Report Share Posted January 24, 2006 Gemini and Devilishdave are spot on. As though they needed my seal of confidence! :blink: I know this because I have digital telly and there was a thing on UK TV History the other week. The British .303 wasn't "dropping" the locals as easily as they'd hoped so they hatched this fiendish idea about doctoring the bullets. But they were outlawed not long after as Dave said. Modern equivalent would be expanding ammo (soft points) for deer or ballistic tips (fragmenting) for fox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axe Posted January 24, 2006 Report Share Posted January 24, 2006 Heres a peice I found on the net: The 'dum-dum' was a British military bullet developed for use in India - at the Dum-Dum Arsenal - on the North West Frontier in the late 1890s. The dum-dum comprised a jacketed .303 bullet with the jacket nose open to expose its lead core. The aim was to improve the bullet's effectiveness by increasing its expansion upon impact. The phrase 'dum-dum' was later taken to include any soft-nosed or hollow pointed bullet. The Hague Convention of 1899 outlawed the use of dum-dum bullets during warfare. During the First World War the Belgian government faced German charges of having used dum-dum bullets in battle. Kaiser Wilhelm II wrote a telegram to U.S. President Woodrow Wilson on 7 September 1914 protesting such use; the Belgians strongly denied the Kaiser's charges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet st plodder Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 I also saw a program on the rifle and it's history in warfare a while ago and i think the convension ruling only covered the use of "Dum-Dum" bullit's against civilised peoples, thus meaning the good old british empire could still use them against any nation that didn't have rifles off their own Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nildes Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 "I also saw a program on the rifle and it's history in warfare a while ago and i think the convension ruling only covered the use of "Dum-Dum" bullit's against civilised peoples, thus meaning the good old british empire could still use them against any nation that didn't have rifles off their own" I think you'll find your wrong. Everbody knows that the true test of Civilisation is the abiity to play Cricket. Failing that, being able to explain the offside rule. Lets face it, most countries have guns, but how many have Cricket Pitches? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zapp Posted January 28, 2006 Report Share Posted January 28, 2006 "I also saw a program on the rifle and it's history in warfare a while ago and i think the convension ruling only covered the use of "Dum-Dum" bullit's against civilised peoples, thus meaning the good old british empire could still use them against any nation that didn't have rifles off their own" This reminds me of the "Puckle gun", which was a tripod-mounted flintlock revolving gun invented in 1718. The gun had 2 types of ammo, round for christian foes, and square for "heathens" Ouch! Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjimmer Posted January 29, 2006 Report Share Posted January 29, 2006 A variation was allegedly used in the first Gulf War to free Kuwait. Hollow points were filled with mercury and sealed with wax. You can't get much meaner than that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sargeant Bang Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 "I also saw a program on the rifle and it's history in warfare a while ago and i think the convension ruling only covered the use of "Dum-Dum" bullit's against civilised peoples, thus meaning the good old british empire could still use them against any nation that didn't have rifles off their own" This reminds me of the "Puckle gun", which was a tripod-mounted flintlock revolving gun invented in 1718. The gun had 2 types of ammo, round for christian foes, and square for "heathens" Ouch! Pete Love to see the ballistics on those "Square" rounds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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