Is all green tip 5.56 ammo steel cored?

[Balrog]

Does green tip 5.56 US military surplus have a steel core?
Is it considered armor piercing?

 

[GunsBeerFreedom]

Yes they are steel cored, no they are not considered armor piercing.

 

[Al LaVodka]

Correctamundo (in honor of Cinco de Mayo). They are penetrating ball, not armour piercing.
Al

 

[Sgt_R]

The NATO standard, M855 round is intended for use against light matériel targets and personnel, but not vehicles. Identified by a green tip, the 62 grain projectile is constructed of a lead alloy core topped by a steel penetrator, the whole contained within a gilding (copper alloy) metal jacket. The primer and case are waterproof. (See representative cartridge drawing.) Despite the round's penetration abilities, BATF has specifically exempted it from the AP ban.

Source

R

 

[Balrog]

Despite the round's penetration abilities, BATF has specifically exempted it from the AP ban.

So what barriers will green tip penetrate that regular 5.56 ammo not penetrate?

 

[Jeremy2171]

Not "cored" but "tipped"...

There is only a tiny steel penetrator in the tip of the bullet..the rest is lead. I have a penetrator around here somewheres...it's small..about the size of the green paint of the bullet...

Found a pic...the red points to the steel penetrator.

 

[Balrog]

So what barriers will green tip penetrate that regular 5.56 ammo not penetrate?

 

[Jeremy2171]

A steel helmet at 600 yds

 

[RP88]

A steel helmet at 600 yds

This, as well as having a much higher probability of defeating level IV armor within reasonable ranges. From my experience, indoor ranges ban it because it will damage their backstop, so it must be able to go quite a ways through things.

 

[Boba Fett]

Does green tip 5.56 US military surplus have a steel core?
Is it considered armor piercing?

But not all steel core 5.56 has a green tip.
http://www.wideners.com/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=9019&dir=

As in the pic, use a magnet to be sure. Heck, someone could just dip regular 5.56 in green paint and sell it as "green tip steel core."

Found an interesting blog post from someone shooting steel core 5.56.:
http://flatlandgunnut.blogspot.com/2009/12/return-to-broke-disc-mountain.html

 

[benEzra]

So what barriers will green tip penetrate that regular 5.56 ammo not penetrate?

At close range, absolutely nothing. M855 penetrates less at close range than 55gr M193, due to the lower velocity.

Due to its higher ballistic coefficient, it retains its velocity better at long range, and residual penetration of M855 at 600 yards is decidedly superior to that of M193.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Yes, the steel penetrator in M855 is a whopping 4.7gr., so it isn't exactly "steel core." The penetrator tip was added so that the round would penetrate the old steel M1 helmet (10ga mild steel) at 600m; because that was one of the requirements for the ammunition used in the SAW/M249 program (which is where M855 got its start).

 

[HorseSoldier]

At close range, absolutely nothing. M855 penetrates less at close range than 55gr M193, due to the lower velocity.

Hmmm. I'd question drawing that conclusion too liberally. My last active duty unit we had minimum range restrictions we could shoot target steel at with green tip because it would pit it so badly. M193 at 25 meters didn't do anything but throw off spall from the bullet itself (in turn making our sergeant major and other senior types much less annoyed, etc).