JHP (Jacketed Hollow Point)
Also known as: hollow point
A defensive bullet with a hollow cavity in the nose designed to expand on impact, increasing stopping power and limiting over-penetration.
A jacketed hollow point has a hollowed-out nose that causes the bullet to mushroom outward when it strikes tissue. That expansion does two things: it creates a wider wound channel and it slows the bullet, reducing the chance of dangerous over-penetration through a target and into whatever is behind it. Modern premium JHPs (like Federal HST, Speer Gold Dot, and Hornady Critical Defense) are engineered to expand reliably even through clothing.
JHP is the standard for self-defense and duty carry. The trade-off is cost — it's far pricier than FMJ — so shooters practice with cheap ball ammo and load their carry guns with JHP. Always test your chosen defensive load in your specific gun to confirm it feeds and functions before trusting it.