Ammo ID

hps1 · Jun 22, 2022

Definitely factory ammo, but if you said, I missed it; what are you planning to shoot this ammo in? Might encounter some problems, especially if your rifle chamer is standard .223, not 5.56 chambering on your rifle and even that is no guarantee.

I bought a batch of factory ammo from Midway that resulted in blown primers in a Bushmaster, which was factory chambered for 5.56.

The crimped primers are dead giveaway that your rounds are, indeed, loaded to GI specs, but be aware that they are loaded on the warm side compared to .223.
Here is what I learned about the issues.
http://www.predatormastersforums.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2258010

Regards,
hps

AK Hunter · Jun 22, 2022

If the primers are still crimped they are not reloads.

Jim Watson · Jun 22, 2022

Good Ol' Boy said:
Here is what the bottom of the casings/primers look like, for those asking. Not sure what those dimples are and that kind of got me wondering about the reloading aspect.

That is what is known as a "stab crimp". I did not know the US was using it; all I have seen on earlier issue is the ring crimp.

Shimitup · Jun 22, 2022

I have never seen that crimp before either, only a ring crimp.

Hartkopf · Jun 22, 2022

I think Barnes does a crimp like that but in 3 places.

Good Ol' Boy · Jun 22, 2022

Again, I appreciate the replies.

Seems like its a little unsure.

I've only got 80rds so its not a huge deal, and they were gifted to me.

Not sure what I'm going to do with them yet. Part of me wants to hang on to them and maybe shoot literally 2-3rds just to see what happens. Part of me would like to see if I could trade them off for a couple hundred or more ball rounds of .223.

In my research last night it seems like if these are authentic they generally go for about $25 per 10rds.

Also, with all the talk of "somewhat" penetrating steel I have to wonder if they'd penetrate body armor. Seems like they might?

Anyhow I've only got one AR15 and although I've stocked plenty of spare parts I'm kind of on the fence about shooting the stuff. Its well built and rated for 5.56 and I've never had issues shooting higher pressured stuff out of it before, but this stuff seems to be pushing the envelope.

Maybe I'm being overly cautious, probably.

Hartkopf · Jun 22, 2022

Good Ol' Boy said:
Also, with all the talk of "somewhat" penetrating steel I have to wonder if they'd penetrate body armor. Seems like they might

The guy in the video I posted earlier (post #24) says it will penetrate body armor even at reduced velocity. He’s high as a kite on this ammo.

Good Ol' Boy · Jun 22, 2022

Hartkopf said:
The guy in the video I posted earlier (post #24) says it will penetrate body armor even at reduced velocity. He’s high as a kite on this ammo.

If they cycle in my gun thats almost reason alone to hang on to them.

12Bravo20 · Jun 22, 2022

Good Ol' Boy said:
Anyhow I've only got one AR15 and although I've stocked plenty of spare parts I'm kind of on the fence about shooting the stuff. Its well built and rated for 5.56 and I've never had issues shooting higher pressured stuff out of it before, but this stuff seems to be pushing the envelope.

Maybe I'm being overly cautious, probably.

The ammo you have is current issue for the US Military. And as long as your AR is built to the correct specs and properly assembled, it will be fine to shoot the M855A1 ammo through it.

entropy · Jun 22, 2022

Stab crimps seem to have shown up about 2014.
Everything LC I have before that is circle crimped.
As has been mentioned by many, M855A1 is current issue.
I load my .223/5.56 reloads on stripper clips. Range ammo goes in the ammo box with loose strippers, hunting ammo in boxes in their own .30 cal. can, some other M193 clone reloads are in .50 cal cans, 7 bandoliers in a can.

F-111 John · Jun 23, 2022

Good Ol' Boy said:
I've only got 80rds so its not a huge deal, and they were gifted to me.

Since you started this thread I've been doing a little reading on M855A1, and it seems that if you don't use Magpul Gen 3 magazines, the steel core can do damage to your M4 feed ramps, and the ammunition is loaded to just under a proof load in pressure which can cause breakages in your bolt's extractor and beat up your buffer.

I don't think 80 rounds is going to ruin your rifle. But if I could get $25 per stripper clip, I think I'd be opening up a Gunbroker account. $200 would buy a lot of other ammunition.

Good Ol' Boy · Jun 24, 2022

Well it looks like I'm going to my buddies range tomorrow a few miles down the road from me.

I'm going to take a "clip" (yes I used that term correctly

) of the M855A1 with me along with a old AR500 1/4" thick target.

I'm gonna see if it will poke a hole in it.

Will follow up with results tomorrow evening.

.455_Hunter · Jun 24, 2022

Good Ol' Boy said:
Well it looks like I'm going to my buddies range tomorrow a few miles down the road from me.

I'm going to take a "clip" (yes I used that term correctly ) of the M855A1 with me along with a old AR500 1/4" thick target.

I'm gonna see if it will poke a hole in it.

Will follow up with results tomorrow evening.

If you have any M193 and/or M855, it would be interesting to compare performance.

Good Ol' Boy · Jun 24, 2022

.455_Hunter said:
If you have any M193 and/or M855, it would be interesting to compare performance.

I wish I did. Only other thing I have is factory ball ammo, and I already know what that does.

Good Ol' Boy · Jun 24, 2022

FWIW I'm also taking my .308 bolt rifle as my buddy has a handful of "sniper rounds" he procured from someone. I have no idea what that means but I'll try to get a pic of those rounds.

I've got an old small 3/8" thick AR500 target that I plan on bringing for that.

hdwhit · Jun 26, 2022

Shanvanvocht said:
Never met a reloader who put his stuff in stripper clips, or used penetrator bullets. Nope, that is issue ammo from Lake City.

Then you need to meet me.

I left my sons (both now sharing my former house) ammunition for their ARs in stripper clips.

hdwhit · Jun 26, 2022

illinoisburt said:
Easiest test -- look at the primers. If they are staked or sealed, it's factory.

In the 1980's, I 'sealed' the primers of my reloads using a red sealant virtually indistinguishable from that used on military cartridges. At the time I did not tumble them, so they still have the annealing discoloration around the case neck.

Check more closely or you may find yourself shooting 1980's vintage reloads.

Good Ol' Boy · Jul 10, 2022

So an update to this thread. Sorry to those that were interested, I caught a timeout. Its like walking on eggshells around here now.

Anyhow, I never made it to my buddies place but I got a little patriotic on the fourth and shot an old 1/4" thick AR500 target at my place from about 40yds. This was from a pretty standard 16" AR.

There are 7 hits you'll see that were from standard .223 ball ammo. And then the one M855A1. I would've shot more but that one shot from the 855 knocked the target off the chains and spun it end over end several times until it stuck in the sand back in my backstop. As a result I lost one of the S-hooks that the targets swings from.

I still want to try a 3/8" thick AR500 target I have and see if it'll punch through that.

Anyhow on to the pics...

Ammo ID

hps1

Member

AK Hunter

Member

Jim Watson

Member

Shimitup

Member

Hartkopf

Member

Good Ol' Boy

Member

Hartkopf

Member

Good Ol' Boy

Member

12Bravo20

Member

entropy

Member

F-111 John

Member

Good Ol' Boy

Member

.455_Hunter

Member

Good Ol' Boy

Member

Good Ol' Boy

Member

hdwhit

Member

hdwhit

Member

Good Ol' Boy

Member

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