Who shoots M855? and Why?

[Greg528iT]

I don't want to get into "I shoot it because I can"


Who here shoots the M855 bullet?

Why do you shoot it? Does it have better trajectory? Are you finding it's cheaper???
Other than cause I can.
Why is this projectile BETTER than the hundreds of other projectiles out there in this caliber?

 

[RX-178]

In my case I like it because it is a cheap 62gr bullet, and 62gr bullets work well in any twist rate from 1:7 to 1:9, and even in some (or most perhaps?) 1:12 barrels. It works in the 1:12 barrel I was lucky enough to get, anyways, I don't know how common that is.

 

[Robert]

I don't because it is far less accurate than my plinking handloads and it tears up steel targets after prolonged use.

 

[FROGO207]

I will provide it as inexpensive blasting ammo with friends/new shooters that just want to do a mag dump at a target at the range or gravel pit. No sense spending good money shooting a more accurate handload when the object is providing a new shooter with a big smile while making noise. The brass is good to reload and I save it for that purpose as well. Accuracy is not the object to me.

 

[Sam1911]

Don't think it is better than anything. Was a decently available and relatively inexpensive choice for bulk factory ammo up until a month or two ago, though.

 

[Sol]

I do.

Sometimes.

Because 'merica!!

I think many other people treat it as an investment portfolio rather than plinking ammo.

 

[moxie]

I don't shoot it. It's not better than anything. In fact it's not nearly as accurate as the 55 gr. M193 and my reloaded equivalents. The M193 is also much cheaper. Before this recent panic, 193 was about 50-100 dollars less per thousand than 855. Why? Because people (including in the Pentagon) have been hornswoggled into thinking that because the 855 is newer and heavier it must be better...therefore more expensive!

We dropped the M193 because NATO never would adopt it. Why? Because it is too violent. Here I am thinking the more violent the better. The 855 typically causes far less damage to soft tissue than the 193. Read "Blackhawk Down" for the Rangers' take on the 855.

 

[lilguy]

It's inexpensive plinking ammo, that's it. I keep a case or two on hand but did not panic buy it ever. It's been good entertainment watching prices and tempers
go through the roof. The only good point in this whole fiasco is the fact that it woke a lot of folks up about how tenuous some of or freedoms are. Elected officals come and go but faceless, unaccountable beaurocrats are the most dangerous element in our society.

 

[1911 guy]

Ditto what Moxie said. For all practical uses, M193 is better, including trajectory. Especially when used in rifles shorter than 20".

However, because it's "military issue", some are sure it MUST be better.

It does make a decent plinking ammo because it's mass produced and until recently relatively inexpensive.

 

[Reloadron]

The only time I bother with the stuff is when I get a pile of it at little cost and then only for the brass. If I want hunting ammunition I load hunting ammunition with a bullet suitable for hunting and if I want match grade target ammunition I load that accordingly. Overall my experience with military ammunition is for the better part it sucks for either hunting or accurate target use so really matters not to me what they do with the stuff.

Just My Thinking
Ron

 

[Normandy]

I have bought it in bulk over the years. The first time I bought it, it cost $400 for 2,000 rounds. And it is more frequently available than other types of 5.56/.223 ammo in bulk. Several times, I've bought it loose in boxes or cans, and have my rifles zeroed with the stuff. I suppose the worst that could happen, in my case, is that I re-zero my rifles on some other ammo.

 

[grter]

I don't shoot ARs because I live in Bloomberg's (now D Blasio's) dream utopia hell for even being a wanabe gun owner.

I guess that alone may exclude me but I will give my 2 cents anyway.

I suppose the heavier bullet (M855) will give a slight edge when better penetration and power is needed whether it's hunting or self defense.

If it's surplus well then it may be cheaper to buy and use for range fun as well

My take is if knockdown power and penetration are not a concern the lighter (M193) bullets should have a flatter trajectory (range advantage) and are known to wreak havoc on living tissue. The lighter rounds are known to produce some horrible, destructive wounds.


If it shoots better out of ones rifle that is another reason to use it.

I think they can both be lousy when shot out of shorter barrels. These rounds are made to be fired out of full length rifle barrels (20 inches.) Forget the movies and television, get the uncool long non stubby barrel version for more value for your money and a much better tool.

 

[herkyguy]

I've got maybe 60 - 80 rounds of it. I've got other ammo for plinking. I just think it might come in handy one day to have a magazine or two of 5.56 capable of punching something a bit harder than your standard .223 FMJ.

 

[Dr.Rob]

I bought some to try various bullet weights out of my 6920. Within 200 yards its on par with M193 accuracy wise. Our match director doesn't allow it as it beats up our steel targets.

So I mostly target shoot with it.

 

[jdh]

It is more accurate in the 1 in 7 twist barrel of my 6920 than M193 by a bunch.

 

[ViniferaVizslas]

I don't shoot it because steel ammo is not allowed on the range I use. I have 400 rounds in the safe. 200 from last week and 200 from a few years back. It is good for stock since I cant shoot it so it stays put.

 

[Inebriated]

It's less barrel wear than with Wolf, it's a little cheaper than 193, and it's available locally in abundance, so I can buy as much as I plan to shoot on the way to my range.

I buy Wolf in bulk, 193 and 855 locally by the 100-ish round lot.

 

[wojownik]

I do not shot M855 at any of the indoor ranges in my area. AFAIK, green tip or M855 is not permitted at any area ranges (including the NRA range, btw).

I have only been able to use it at outdoor ranges, as an somewhat lower priced alternative.

btw, the ATF decided today that it would not pursue the M855 ban "at this time" ... they put it on the shelf, but implicitly could revisit this issue at some future point.

 

[lionking]

lol from what I saw at Walmart last week people that don't even shoot it or don't even know the difference between ammo grains were gobbling it up just because...

 

[Old Dog]

jdh said

It is more accurate in the 1 in 7 twist barrel of my 6920 than M193 by a bunch.

Concur. Indeed, in my two 6920s, 55 grainers are the least accurate and 62 grain bullets (and above) provide significantly better accuracy.

But, as others have noted, M855 es no bueno for steel targets, and that's some of the most fun AR shooting there is ...

 

[Walkalong]

It is, or was, cheap surplus, which for high volume shooters is a real benefit. It should work well for defensive purposes, but the main draw has always been the low price of surplus ammo compared to brand new.

 

[Browning]

I shoot it sometimes. Mostly because it was cheap, it was brass cased (and so much better than the steel cases former Commie fodder) and it worked pretty well because most of my 5.56's are 1:7.

Also shot a few hogs and assorted small game with it as a bargain basement pest control/removal cartridge.

 

[Robbins290]

My a2 seems to be more accurate with 62 grain. And the m855 is very cheap. So thats why i shoot it.

 

[PowerG]

Fairly cheap, fairly accurate, brass case. I have two 720 round boxes I was thinking about selling, too late now I guess.

 

[OilyPablo]

I shoot it because it's the most accurate bulk ammo I can buy. It's significantly more accurate out of my 1:7 DD barrel than any 55gr bullet, even a casual shooter who shoots my gun notices the difference. To the point of my next 5.56 AR will be a 1:9 twist!!!

I love my Daniel Defense M4V3. The thing has been with me three years, it's heavy duty and just an excellent rifle. The fact that I need to feed it 62-77 gr bullets is a bit irksome.