What armor will M855 defeat?

Level/Type III Body Armor

For example, a NATO M855 5.56 x 45mm bullet with a 62-grain steel core will defeat a Level III armor system.

What armor can M855 penetrate?

When it was designed, it wasn't created to pierce body armor but was meant to penetrate the thin steel helmets worn. The M855 bullet is 0.906” in length and composed of a combination lead and steel core with a partial copper jacket.

How much steel can M855 penetrate?

The Famed 5.56x45mm NATO Round

The NATO ball — U.S. designation M855 — can penetrate 3 mm of steel at a range of 600 meters.

What armor stops green tip?

5.56mm/. 223 Green Tip Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) ammunition has a part steel core. Level IV armor is the best choice for protection among the armors on the CPL.

Can M855 pierce armor?

The M855 bullet is a green tip but not armor piercing, as is the M855 A1 bullet which is not sold to the public. Law enforcement officers generally wear body armor of Class II, which will stop up to a . 45 caliber handgun round or class III which will stop up to a . 44 magnum.

Can Level III+ Body Armor Survive M855A1?

Is green tip really armor-piercing?

The 'green tip' ammunition isn't any more armor piercing than . 22 rim fire rounds. This is perhaps comparing extremely opposite ends of the spectrum, but in this regard the two kinds of rounds are much more similar than most realize.

Which is better M193 or M855?

The 62-grain M855 is heavier and slightly slower at 3,000 fps muzzle velocity, while the 55-grain M193 leaves the muzzle at 3,250 fps. So the M193 is a lighter round that flies at a higher speed and is unstable when it reaches the target—the tumbling results in more extensive and lethal wounds.

Does Level 3 armor stop M855?

Level/Type III Body Armor

Level III will stop most of all 5.56mm and 7.62mm bullets, but will not defeat military-grade armor-piercing ammo. For example, a NATO M855 5.56 x 45mm bullet with a 62-grain steel core will defeat a Level III armor system. It will, however, defeat a 5.56 x 45 mm bullet at 55 grain.

Is green tip 5.56 armor-piercing?

Green-tip ammunition is most common in 5.56/. 223 Rem caliber and is mainly designed for use with the AR platform. These rounds were originally considered controversial, as they meet one of the criteria of the federal definition of armor-piercing ammunition.

Can Level 3 armor stop green tip?

Much of the confusion with the current standards revolve around the M193 and M855(A1). A Level 3+ armor plate will stop a M193 NATO round, but it will not stop a M855 or M855A1 round. Even with all the different brands of Level 3+, none are guaranteed to stop a 5.56mm Green-Tip bullet (M855).

Does the military use M855?

The ammunition used by the soldier was the M855 “green-tip” projectile, adopted by the U.S. Army and Marines in the 1980s. Further reports of M855 underperforming lead the U.S. military on a hunt for a new cartridge that would be more effective.

What is M855 ammo good for?

Although M855 ammo is not armor piercing ammunition, the steel “penetrator” at the tip of the core helps it punch through barriers pretty effectively. It penetrates glass, thin metals, thick clothing, and brush rather well. However, don't expect M855 rounds to plow through auto glass, brick, or modern body armor.

Can M855 penetrate Level 3?

Advanced Rifle Protection - Level III+

As we mentioned previously, M855 is a “penetrator” round designed to penetrate hard surfaces. This particular round is commonly referred to as a “green tip” based on the green painted tip of the bullet.

Is M855 Green Tip good?

However, if you need to punch a hole in something, M855 is the best option. Since green-tipped ammo has a semi-steel core and is heavier than the M193, it's better suited for certain applications.

What is the ballistic coefficient of M855?

The US Army's Ballistic Research Laboratory measured a ballistic coefficient (G7 BC) of 0.151 and form factor (G7 i) of 1.172 for the SS109/M855 ball projectile.

Is M855 illegal?

Ammunition is exempt from the armor piercing ban if it is primarily designed for sporting purposes, as the M855 has been used for since its appearance on the civilian market, and the re-classification of a round previously viewed as sporting to armor piercing is sure to make most every hunter nervous.

Is M855 good for self defense?

M855 is useful in other situations such as punching through cover and concealment, but its utility in those situations means it's not the best 5.56 ammo to use inside the home. This brings us to the last two rounds in our test, the 55 grain M193 and the 69 grain Fiocchi.

Do police use green tip?

The bullet can be used in newly adapted handguns to provide lethal force to pierce the vests and body armor used by law enforcement officers. Until now, the powerful “M855 green tip” bullet has been legal for use in AR-15 semiautomatic rifles, typically used by target shooters and hunters.

Is M855 a steel core?

M855 Ammo. M855, like this Federal American Eagle XM855, has a steel tip. The M855 cartridge is also known as a “penetrator,” a name that offers no small hint as to what it's designed to do. Its bullet weighs 62 grains total, and has a lead core, copper jacket, and seven grain steel tip.

What rounds will a Level 4 vest stop?

Level IV (4) is the highest rating of personal body armor. Level IV will stop pistol rounds and rifle rounds, including a direct shot from a 30 caliber AP bullet. This bullet is the same size that is fired from a 30-06. NIJ only requires one test shot per plate with an Armor Piercing (AP) round.

What caliber will penetrate Level 4 body armor?

Level IV is the highest rifle plate rating under the NIJ personal body armor specs at this time. A level IV must stop a single hit of 7.62MM AP “Black Tip”, which is effectively a . 30-06 Armor Piercing bullet.

What rounds will a Level 3A vest stop?

Level IIIA vests are the toughest 'soft' armor available, able to stop . 357 SIG rounds and . 44 Magnum bullets – for officers expecting to face handgun-fire, this may be the best option. With many layers of protective padding, these can stop all of the above ammunition-types.

Are M855 rounds accurate?

During my 26 years in the Army, the average accuracy from M855 Green Tip I observed averaged between 2 and 3.5 MOA. So, when the military said the new EPR round was “better” (but not by how much) that did not instill much desire in me to give M855A1 a serious look.

Is 62 grain green tip?

M855 is often referred to as green tip ammo for its special color coding (the projectile itself is painted green at the tip). These 5.56 cartridges push a 62-grain bullet designed with a boat tail, lead core, and a special steel "penetrator" tip.

Can I shoot green tip at the range?

You can't shoot green tip ammo at most shooting ranges because it's made to penetrate steel, and most indoor shooting ranges use steel to catch bullets. While the steel backdrop would likely still stop a green tip bullet, it would incur a lot of damage, costing the range a lot of money.