Why is 230gr FMJ 45 ACP ammo referred to as "hardball"?

[dwarven1]

Just occurred to me that I don't know the origin of the term. I've used it for years, but I don't know why it's called hardball

Whence originated the word? and is any other FMJ referred to as "hardball", as it seems to suggest in Wikipedia? I've only ever heard it applied to .45ACP FMJ.

 

[Knob Creek]

I think it was a slang term for FMJ ammo. Up to then I believe all US military pistol ammo was lead.

 

[dwarven1]

Any idea when it started? I know it's not a burning topic or anything; it's just that I was talking to someone who didn't know the term and I just suddenly wondered how it got started in use.

And is, say, rifle ammo (like .30-06 or .308 NATO) ever referred to that way? I've never heard it done but I don't pretend to know everything.

 

[45collector]

Well when the U.S. military's .38 rounds weren't stopping the Moros in the Philippines, they decided to step it up to .45acp and start playing "hardball".

Just kidding I have no idea.

 

[mac1911]

I always thought " ball" was to describe fmj. Why hardball came onto play? I can only quess is that it was started when lead and fmj 45acp where first mingleing? I might be wrong but I believe J.M.B. designed the famed "1911A1" to be used wit ball ammo?
Like op I have never heard any other ammo described as hardball even though military ammo like surplus 30 06 is m1 30 Cal ball ectect.

 

[TBalls]

Maybe it had something to do with switching to a harder lead alloy (i.e. hard cast, etc.)?

I've also wondered about this and the origin of the tern FMJ -- a few months back I picked up some pretty old 9mm that was marked FJ, not FMJ.

 

[Moderator]

If it's on the net it must be true.

http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=351378
http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-261520.html

 

[Jasper]

As I understand it, "hardball" refers to CMP/NRA conventional pistol matches. "Hardball" was (when it was issued) GI-spec 230GR RNFMJs, loaded fairly *hot* from what Ive been told, used in bullseye pistol matches (the ammo had to be loaded hot to be reasonably accurate @ 50yards).

its become a bit of a slang, since the DCM/CMP hasnt issued ammo for matches in YEARS...but you still hear the term alot ("wad gun"...IE 1911 in 38sp or 45acp, designed to shoot lead/wadcutter ammo....or "hardball gun", IE a CMP-legal 1911 or 92FS designed to be used in pistol EIC matches. EIC matches require the use of 230gr RNFMJ (45acp) or 115/124gr RNFMJ bullets. no lead.


example of issued ammo

 

[dwarven1]

There's also the AMT Hardballer, which, IIRC, is designed to only use FMJ. Certainly mine never liked SWC!!