At The Range: Speer Lawman RHT Frangible Ammo

Training on steel targets at the range can be a lot of fun, but there are some drawbacks to this kind of shooting, particularly when standard FMJ rounds are used. To avoid the dangers of splashback, those who shoot on steel with handguns have to maintain a minimum safe distance of 15 yards for handguns. Realistically, this limits the kind of training that is critical for personal defense, which often focuses on speed at close quarters versus shooting at a distance. With frangible ammunition like Speer Lawman RHT, defensive shooters can practice up close without worrying about fragments bouncing off AR500 steel.

Each Speer Lawman RHT round is made from a lead-free mixture that disintegrates when it makes contact with a solid-steel plate. This produces no copper or lead fragments that can potentially bounce off the steel and make its way back toward a shooter. This allows users to train realistically, getting up close while shooting steel in order to simulate potential personal-defense scenarios. Each bullet is uniquely marked, so users can easily tell when they've loaded their guns with RHT ammo versus traditional FMJ. The rounds are also loaded with primers that are free of harmful materials like lead, barium and antimony, so users can shoot indoors without worrying about air quality.

Speer Lawman RHT training ammo is available in .380 ACP, 9 mm, .357 SIG, .40 S&W, .45 GAP and .45 ACP. The company limits its sales to law-enforcement customers and distributors, so options on the market can be limited. When found, though, it's a solid option for close-range training with your go-to personal-defense gun.

Correction: In the video above, SI Staff calls out a copper/polymer blend bullet construction. According to SinterFire New Product Development & Technical Service Manager Keith Porco, the SinterFire round used in the Speer Lawman RHT round is actually produced from 90 percent copper and 10 percent tin. We regret the error.