What is it? How does it work?

If you have an AR platform, whether you just got it or you are someone that has been shooting for quite some time, chances are you have probably heard the infamous “green tip ammo.” You may also hear this 5.56 cartridge sometimes being referred to as a “penetrator round”, and rightfully so, as it is a 62-grain projectile, partially steel core, and made with an enhanced ability to punch through hard targets, such as plate carriers and other forms of body armor.

The U.S. military official designation for green-tipped 5.56 rounds is M855, and for those who do not know, with ammo, the “M” usually stands for munitions; the military likes to keep it simple. There are probably plenty of rumors you have heard surrounding green tip ammo, and a lot of them are true, but there still are some common misconceptions to discuss. To make things easier, we cut through all of the hype and get straight to the facts about the infamous green tip rounds.

Where Did Green Tip Ammo Come From?

Under the original name SS109, green tip ammo was introduced way back in the 1970s, when ARs still had triangular handguards. The Belgian made SS109 round was entered into NATO’s standardization trials, and it won. At the time, NATO did not have a standardized 5.56 round yet, hence the reason the trials were being held. NATO was looking for a round that could provide optimal penetrating ability at extended distances, and one of the tests was firing at steel helmets.

The SS109 was adopted in the 1980s by the U.S. military to replace their M193 5.56 ammo, and it was renamed the M855 and the tips were painted green. The reason for the green paint was to help troops tell the difference between the new cartridge and the old M193 rounds. Even though the military now only utilizes the M855, the tradition of painting the tips of the M855 green remains in place.

However, the green tip ammunition was not only being made for the military, and firearms manufacturers quickly capitalized on this new round, introducing the M855 to the commercial firearms market in the United States, just under different names. Even though the cartridge is virtually identical to the one that the military uses, you will still see the ammo companies adding different markings to make sure people know it is green tip. Some companies just added the letter “X” onto the front of the name to indicate that the green-tipped cartridge was for civilian sale.

Is Green Tip Ammo Legal?

This is a common question, but as of now green-tipped ammo is legal for civilians to own in the United States under federal law. However, for certain states like California, they have Draconian gun laws that are constantly going after what gun owners may own and trying to restrict them. Due to these restrictions varying in each state, it’s important to check up on the latest anti-gun laws where you live before trying to purchase anything.

As far as how long green tip will be legal, the future is somewhat uncertain, as the ATF and lawmakers have been trying to get this ammo banned for some time. However, these attempts have been met with minimal success. One of more recent attempts came towards the end of 2015 with regulations that prohibited the use of lead ammunition on federal land, but these environmental restrictions were lifted.

In the 2015 legislation regarding lead, legislators did not specifically mention the M855 round, but it still had a primarily lead core and could not be used on federal lands during that ban. Around the same time as that ban, the ATF also made an attempt to state that green tip ammo qualified as an “armor-piercing” round, arguing that it should be banned under the 1985 Law Enforcement Officers Protection Act. The ATF said that green tip ammo should no longer be granted a sporting exemption due to the rise in ownership of AR-pistols.

However, green tip ammo did meet their definition of armor piercing ammo because the core is 80% lead, which lead to the ATF retiring the the pending ban after they received swift and overwhelming backlash, which came from 53 U.S. Senators and over 200 members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Classifying “Armor Piercing Round”

Let’s look at the official definition of “Armor Piercing Ammunition” according to the ATF:

“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.”

M855 vs. the Original M193 Cartridge

Though the M193 Cartridge is no longer in military circulation, the civilian market still sees it. It is a popular alternative to the M855, as the M193 contains a 55-grain boat-tail (shape of the bullet) bullet that has a full copper jacket and lead core. When it comes to the M193 cartridge vs. the M855 green tip ammo, if you are just shooting at paper targets then the M193 is your best bet.

The same goes for distance shooting, the M193 is alright. However, for really doing some damage at a distance, the M855 cartridge is going to be a better option due to the semi-steel core.

Ballistics of Green Tip Ammo

Green tip ammo performs better with certain twist rates of your rifle, but also the ballistics of the M193 and M855 vary greatly. The M193 projectiles are “softer” and do more ballistic damage when hitting soft targets, making them a good choice for target shooting. The M193 will tend to fragment quite a bit and leave a huge wound cavity, especially when in close quarters.

This can be confusing, as green tip ammo is considered “penetrator ammo”, so why does M193 do more damage when looking at the ballistics? To put it simply, is because the lead steel core and the added grain weight of green-tipped ammo do their job a little too good at close ranges, meaning you will go right through a target at close quarters and unless you hit an artery or a vital organ, your target might still be standing.

When looking at the ballistics over 100 yards, the comparison is a little more even, and once you surpass 300 yards, the green tips pull ahead. This all involves changes in the velocity of the bullet and angle of impact as the distance traveled increases blah blah blah.

Training

Now green tip ammo is great and all, but if you are not familiar with your rifle and how to maneuver with it, you are shorting yourself big time. Knowing how to operate in close quarters, long distance, in low light conditions, and different terrains is crucial. That being said, a standard tip to the gun range might not be enough, and tactical training could be the way to go.

Core Vision Training offers some great trainings to choose from when it comes to tactical training! From close quarters to long range, find a training near you.

Green Tip Ammo Wrap Up

Overall, green tip ammo is a great option for your AR. It does the job and has good ballistics, but it will be a bit pricier than your standard M193 cartridges.

What are your thoughts on green tip ammo? Let us know!

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