Blue tip ammo? 30-06

[PDshooter]

A friend of mine gave me some 30-06 on links. The tip of the bullets are blue. Now if there were black they would be AP. Red tracer,
What's blue?

 

[Blackcloud6]

Blue usually means "Inert" or "training ammuniton (non-firing)." However for small arms ammuntion, training ammunition, the cases usually have 3 holes in them or have a ridges so you can feel the rounds and know they will not firing. I've never seen them with blue tips.

 

[PDshooter]

OH NO!
I asure you these go "Bang"

 

[Navy joe]

According to my handy FM 23-5 for U.S. Rifle Caliber .30, M1 the blue tip ammo is designated Incendiary, M1. "This cartridge is used against unarmored, flammable targets. The tip of the bullet is painted blue."

 

[greg531mi]

I got some too...How much are they worth?

 

[Quantrill]

PDshooter,
What is the impact area that you are using for the "Blue Tips"? I would be careful of where they land if they are inciendiary. Quantrill

 

[Blackcloud6]

Interesting. TM 43-0001-27, Army Ammunition Data Sheets, Small Caliber Ammuniton, April 1994, w Ch 4 lists Cartridge, Caliber .30, Armor Piercing Incendiary, M14 as having an aluminum bullet tip.

Are yours blue painted or appear to be blue metallic?

What is the headstamp?

 

[Navy joe]

Yes, keep reading. The M14 is used in place of the M2 AP where API effect is desired.
The blue tip M1 is not AP, only incendiary.

 

[Blackcloud6]

TM 43-0001-27, Army Ammunition Data Sheets, Small Caliber Ammuniton, April 1994, w Ch 4 only lists these cartridges for .30 Caliber:

Ball, High Pressure test, M1
Tracer, M11
Armor Piercing, M2
Ball, M2
Grenade, M3
Armor Piercing Incendiary, M14
Ball, Frangible M22
Tracer, M25
Dummy, M40
Ball, Match M72
Blank, M1909

 

[braindead0]

I thought I had some blue-tipped '06 ammo that was frangible.. painted blue, not blue-anodized alum..

 

[Navy joe]

This is stuff from an older time built around Garands I suppose. The highly up to date book I'm using dates 1965. I would have to assume that all of these types are long since out of production as there is no .30-06 in our military anymore.

 

[Jon Coppenbarger]

in the 30-06 garand ammo the ammo went like this:

plain copper coated+ ball
red tipped= tracer
blue tipped= incenderary
silver bullet= a.p. incenderary
black tipped= a.p.


I hope that helps. and yes its getting harder to find the red,blue and silver.

 

[clem]

Don't shoot it. Save it.