5.56 “green tip”

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hittman

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Kind of a newbie question but here goes ……

I'm seeing a fair amount of "green tip" 5.56 being offered for sale these days ….. it that also called "tracer" ammo? What exactly is "green tip"?
 

RSIno1

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Green Tip is 62 grain FMJ with a steel core. Plain tip military is 55 grain FMJ with lead core. Orange tip is tracer.

EDIT: Found this site - https://www.80-lower.com/80-lower-blog/the-556-nato-ammo-guide-xm855-vs-xm193/
 
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it that also called "tracer" ammo? What exactly is "green tip"?

As stated, the 'green tip' is not tracer. There is a 62(?) grain tracer that provides a similar trajectory but I don't think it contains the penetrator core. From what I've heard, the M855 is mostly a drill bit when hitting meat. I have a couple cans of it along with a few hundred matching tracers just in case I come under attack by armor plated zombies.
 

loaded round

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Green tip (M855) 5.56 rounds is armor piercing ammo with a steel penetrator core inside a copper jacket. 5.56 tracer ammo will have either a red or orange tip on it.
 
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OK, let's define "armor piercing" and feel free to correct me.
My take on the M855 is that it was designed to penetrate "body armor" better than M193(55 grain FMJ).
 

NikA

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Actually, M855 was designed to penetrate the Warsaw Pact standard helmet from the time of its adoption better. Nothing more, nothing less. It's not any more 'armor piercing' than M193: either round will penetrate soft body armor designed for pistols and be easily stopped by hard armor rated for rifles. The penetrator in M855 tends to leave a tiny dent in hard armor, nothing close to penetration.

Folks calling it 'armor piercing' is what almost got it banned under the Obama administration ten years ago.
 

daveg.inkc

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I find M855 , 62 gr. Very accurate. I have a 100 yrd target that 4 shots and a dime covers. AR-556 Ruger. I posted the target here, a few yrs ago. It's a boat tail design. A magnet picks them up.
 

daveg.inkc

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This NATO ammo used to be sold in several places in Independence. I bought it years ago, and stashed it away. Sure shoots good in my rifles.
 

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