Identifying M855 without the green tip!

[The_War_Wagon]

Soooooo... is M855 attracted to magnets (steel core), whether it has a green tip or not? IS M855 in fact, a "steel core" round?

I've just tried ye olde magnet trick on some rounds I KNOW are M855, and got nothing (green & NON-green tipped). And I have this old "NPA 99" headstamped stuff, that I THOUGHT was M855 (I got it loose back around '08 - '09), and the magnet don't stick to it, either.

Here's a look, for reference:




MOST have that green shellac around the primer. I'll let wiser heads than I weigh in, on what this stuff ACTUALLY is! Thanks!

[markm]

Magnets don't stick very strongly, but a good magnet should have some pull. Otherwise the tungsten penetrator isn't in there.

[Disciple]

Otherwise the tungsten penetrator isn't in there.

Tungsten?

[bp7178]

Pull one of the bullets and cut it in half.

[Clint]

The penetrator tip is medium carbon steel.

[militarymoron]

I always thought that the M855/SS109 steel penetrator core vs. 'standard' M193 bullets had a very subtle shape difference. The M855 has less of a curve and is more conical. Anyway, use a good magnet. The pull is strong enough to support half a clip of M855 from a single pullet, plus a non-green tip Radway Green SS109 round.

[TomMcC]

Tungsten?

I wish it were tungsten.

[The_War_Wagon]

STRONGER magnet did the trick!

I have an old roof mount CB antenna, and it was MORE than strong enough to confirm the steel core in my KNOWN M855 rounds. And it confirmed these NPA 99 rounds... are NOT, M855.

I was told by the previous owner when I traded for them, they were Taiwanese Police contract M855. He was HALF right. The M855 was S. African produced; this is S&B produced M193 for Oly, that was sent to Taiwan for THAT end of the police contract.

Which is a good deal for me - I'd rather have more M193!

[markm]

Not sure why my brain thought it as a tungsten piece. I've forgotten a lot of useless ammo factoids in the last few years.

[jsbhike]

55gr fmj, M855 bullet, and the steel core.



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