Fulton Armory soft point warning

[jeremyro]

I just got my Fulton Armory M110 308 upper in the mail yesterday and I just happened to read the safety information card. This is probably my 15th auto loading rifle and my 7th AR pattern so I was not super concerned with knowing how to run it. When I was reading the safety card it said to never use soft point ammo in any military auto loader as it can cause an explosion.

WTF are they talking about? I have run SP ammo in my HK pattern in 5.56 and 308, My AKs, my AR 15 models and my M1 Garand and M1 carbine with no real issues. They are not quite as reliable in feeding as the FMJ but not that big of a deal for the application I use SP ammo in. So why would they print that warning and how could a SP projectile cause the rifle to explode. This seems like hyperbole at the highest degree to me. Thoughts?

[Junkie]

A lot of hunting 308 is soft point, and often loaded hotter... but the soft point isn't the problem there.

[jarhead714]

Semi autos can feed violently. Soft point bullets can, over time, cause fouling in the chamber which can lead to any number of problems. This was my understanding of why soft point bullets are not reccomended in most semiautomatic rifles. I could be wrong if course.

[gunsmithcats]

Its the lead buildup from soft point they worried about

[Bladewurk]

Soft Points?

Its the lead buildup from soft point they worried about

There is another problem, Soft Points are usually (always?) commercial spec and in 7.62 really loaded for .308 Winchester Boltguns as hunting ammo. They have primers that are more sensitive. Fulton has built many 30.06 and 7.62 NATO Chambered M1 Garands and M14 type rifles. There have been damaged rifles from slam fires and out of battery type discharges using Primers originally intended for Bolt Guns. The Military Primers for semi autos are thicker and less sensitive. In a semi auto, never put a round in chamber and drop the bolt on it. The combination of .308 Winchester Spec Bolt gun primer, floating firing pin(not spring retracted,spring loaded) and sloppy practices like dropping the bolt on high primered handload has caused problems.

Also the pressure curve of heavy bullets loaded for Bolt guns has damaged some rifles in the past.

The warning card is just a carryover from the years of experience with M1 Garands, M14 types, SKS etc., you can get away with most .308 Winchester factory loads but consider above, and watch for high primers etc.

[gunsmithcats]

Either way fulton armory can go eat lead paint. I remember during the first lower receiver craze of 2004 fulton screwed hundreds of people that had orders in because they chickened out and told us to pound sand. Left a lot of dealers hanging too. Stag arms and doublestar lived up to their word and put their *** out on the line when no one else would. I will always support those two companies.

[Junkie]

Its the lead buildup from soft point they worried about

I don't think I've seen non-jacketed 308s

[Arnelcheeze]

I have run many soft point 308 rounds through my LR308 with a Fulton Armory Match barrel with out an issue