Brown Tip 5.56mm for Short Barrels

[rc135]

Brown Tip 5.56mm for Short Barrels (www.StrategyPage.com/htmw/htweap/articles/20080516.aspx )
May 16, 2008: U.S. SOCOM (Special Operations Command) has used its own (bureaucracy free) budget to design and manufacture special ammunition for the short-barrel (10-15") weapons (like the M-4 and SCAR Light). The new ammo, referred to as "5.56 Optimized", or "brown tip" (because the tips of the bullets are brown for easy identification) uses a bullet that is solid copper and 70 grains in weight (compared to 62 grains for the NATO standard 5.56 bullet). The solid copper design is believed to be based on a commercial design (the Barnes Triple-Shock X) that was introduced five years ago. The new round was designed to achieve better accuracy and hitting power at the ranges (under 300 meters) the short barrel weapons are most effective at. The brown tip ammo costs more, because of its unique design and small production runs, but SOCOM doesn't worry about that when it's for something that will make its operators more effective, and help keep them alive.
Comments?

 

[Chuckulator]

That might be a nice round for the Kel-tec PLR-16.

Maybe M2 Carbine can give us a report on it sometime.

 

[230RN]

What are the rifling twists involved... 1 in 7 inches? And these wouldn't be boattails, for those short ranges, would they?

I'm just thinking along the lines that they're trying to match a bullet length to what I personally consider to be too great a twist for jacketed 62 grain bullets at the lower velocities obtainable out of a shorter barrel.

 

[ccd]

If it is indeed a brown tip then it is the Tipped Triple Shocks.

 

[taliv]

heh, "bureaucracy free"


heh heh

heh heh heh




heh

 

[ctdonath]

Where to get?
or recipe to make?

 

[NeoSpud]

I thought that the definition of "armor piercing bullets" included solid copper bullets? Am I mis-remembering?

--edit--
The definition of ap ammo is at 18 USC 921(a)(17):
"(B) The term `armor piercing ammunition' means-

(i) a projectile or projectile core which may be used in a handgun and
which is constructed entirely (excluding the presence of traces of other
substances) from one or a combination of tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass,
bronze, beryllium copper, or depleted uranium; or

(ii) a full jacketed projectile larger than .22 caliber designed and
intended for use in a handgun and whose jacket has a weight of more than 25
percent of the total weight of the projectile.


Ok, so it's "beryllium copper".... what is that?

 

[PTK]

You are indeed incorrect.

The AP bullet definitions are very precise:

nder Title 18, UNITED STATES CODE, CHAPTER 44 as amended by Public Law 103-322
The Violent Crime and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (enacted September 13, 1994) 18 U.S.C. CHAPTER 44 § 921(a)(17)(B) the term 'armor piercing ammunition' means --

(i) a projectile or projectile core which may be used in a handgun and which is constructed entirely (excluding the presence of traces of other substances) from one or a combination of tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper, or depleted uranium; or

(ii) a full jacketed projectile larger than .22 caliber designed and intended for use in a handgun and whose jacket has a weight of more than 25 percent of the total weight of the projectile.

(C) The term 'armor piercing ammunition' does not include shotgun shot required by Federal or State environmental or game regulations for hunting purposes, a frangible projectile designed for target shooting, a projectile which the Secretary finds is primarily intended to be used for sporting purposes, or any other projectile or projectile core which the Secretary finds is intended to be used for industrial purposes, including a charge used in an oil and gas well perforating device.

Link

 

[NeoSpud]

PTK- I've never been happier to be wrong

From the wiki on it, I think that I can rightly conclude that "beryllium copper" is a specially hardened allow, not the same stuff that jackets (or in this case, entirely composes) our bullets. Whew!

I was a little nervous there, for a second

 

[PTK]

Trust me, you do not want to work with or handle beryllium copper anyway. Toxic beyond belief.

 

[TexasRifleman]

Not sure why the existing Mk262Mod1 ammo wouldn't be just as good, and it already exists.

I think the brown tip comes from the whole thing being dunked in bulls**t.

 

[PTK]

Not sure why the existing Mk262Mod1 ammo wouldn't be just as good, and it already exists.

I think the brown tip comes from the whole thing being dunked in bulls**t.

We have a winner!

My AR-15 runs with Black Hills 68gr match HP .223.... and I know for a fact this has quite an effect downrange out of a 16" barrel.

 

[MTMilitiaman]

Not sure why the existing Mk262Mod1 ammo wouldn't be just as good, and it already exists.

Yeah, why didn't think they just go with the Mk 262 again?

 

[ctdonath]

A quick search indicates that the "brown tip" may feature the Barnes TSX 70gr expanding solid-copper(alloy) bullet (or special-run variation thereon), loaded to optimal performance in short-barreled platforms. This would provide reliable expansion to >.50cal, vs. unreliable fragmentation of other military rounds (M855, Mk262).

No solid details on it yet, though.

I may finally have to take up reloading. The ammo I want just ain't available.

 

[TexasRifleman]

This would provide reliable expansion to >.50cal, vs. unreliable fragmentation of other military rounds (M855, Mk262).

That's gonna send all the guys that were arguing with me about how important all that Hague Convention crap is into orbit

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

^ Eh, we never signed that anyway
Send me some and I'll give a report on how it does in a PLR