the same?

**smith m4** · 08-30-06, 10:18

are these three rounds the same?

M855 62 grain fmj

XM855PD 62 grain fmj

SS109 62 grain fmj

if they are different ; what is different about them?

**Submariner** · 08-30-06, 11:20

Quality Control on the first two. M855 is purchased by .mil; MX855PD is rejected by .mil for any variety of reasons.

The last?

**SethB** · 08-30-06, 11:32

SS109 uses the same bullet, but may use different powder and brass, as well as lower quality control. Radway Green springs to mind.

**SuicideHz** · 08-30-06, 12:02

Radway Green comes to mind as having a lower quality control?

I just received my 2x720 cans of RG from Aimsurplus and it's much nicer than the last case of federal XM193 I bought. Not a single dent or ding.

Manufactured in 1989 and is supposedly the Brits' version of M855. I forget what makes M855 "M855."

I checked and they are the correct bullets with the steel penetrator...

Smith- check this site- I think it's www.ammooracle.com

**SethB** · 08-30-06, 12:05

SHZ,
All I know is that it is supposedly downloaded for function, and that a lot of people complain about it.

As far as it coming to mind, the bullet is the same, but the powder is different.

I'd rather shoot 55 grain anyway.

**smith m4** · 08-30-06, 12:43

Originally Posted by SethB

SHZ,
All I know is that it is supposedly downloaded for function, and that a lot of people complain about it.

As far as it coming to mind, the bullet is the same, but the powder is different.

I'd rather shoot 55 grain anyway.

Why 55 grain over 62 grain?

**TOrrock** · 08-30-06, 14:39

SS-109 is the NATO designation for the 62 gr. 5.56 with a steel penetrator. M855 is the US version.

SOME British manufactured SS-109 was downloaded for the British SA-80/L85.....but not all of it was.

Out of a shorter barreled rifle, the 55 gr. M193 loads tend to fragment better than the heavier loads. This is especially true past 100 meters.

20" barrels allow M855 to perform just fine. There was some widely publicized issues with military M4's that use a 14.5" barrel that occurred in Afghanistan and to some extent Iraq. Many blamed the lack of stops on the failure of the bullets to fragment.....it could also have been shot placement.

PD ammo is widely regarded as "seconds", and some people have experienced some serioius QC issues with it.

**SethB** · 08-30-06, 20:08

Templar, thanks.

The 55 grain is faster, more effective, more accurate, cheaper, and since I don't like to shoot through intermediate barriers (a few of ya'll know what I'm talking about) I'd rather not use a round designed for it.