Federal Ammo 556 55gr FMJBT (Bulk) 1000 for $282.94 shipped

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    OLM-Medic

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    May 5, 2010
    6,588
    Its all pretty well documented

    Here's an excellent discussion complete with references.

    I'll take the heavier round thats slightly better at longer ranges as well as better penetration

    If you're just buying ammo to plink at the range or just in case your neighbors poodle goes rabid one day then does it really matter what you buy?

    http://www.bayoushooter.com/forums/...Some-Information-on-M193-amp-M855-5.56mm-Ammo

    It's well documented IMHO that as long as M193 is going >2700fps then it will fragment pretty often, and M855 is just less likely to fragment.

    If you are target shooting, then it doesn't matter. That's what I have Wolf and cheap FMJ for.
     

    jpk1md

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 13, 2007
    11,313
    It's well documented IMHO that as long as M193 is going >2700fps then it will fragment pretty often, and M855 is just less likely to fragment.

    If you are target shooting, then it doesn't matter. That's what I have Wolf and cheap FMJ for.

    Keep buying that 193.....that ways there's more 855 for the rest of us :D
     

    MauiWowie

    I have the SIGness...
    Nov 23, 2008
    7,347
    Harford Co.
    I bought the 193 b/c it was the cheapest I could find at the time with the coupon code.... I'm not a good enough shooter to know a damn difference in ammo. Hell I'd buy wolf all day long if freestate allowed it.
     

    OLM-Medic

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    May 5, 2010
    6,588
    Keep buying that 193.....that ways there's more 855 for the rest of us :D

    It doesn't matter to me, I shoot Wolf almost exclusively these days. If you really want to talk about great terminal performance I think Hornady 75gr TAP has it all beat.

    M193 penetrates better at closer ranges. I just don't see the point in M855.
    img41841ki2.jpg

    . SS109 full power load (spec to M855) on the left. M193 on the right.. The bottom is .308. Distance is 50 yards.
     

    slog403

    Active Member
    May 11, 2011
    254
    Crofton
    It doesn't matter to me, I shoot Wolf almost exclusively these days. If you really want to talk about great terminal performance I think Hornady 75gr TAP has it all beat.

    M193 penetrates better at closer ranges. I just don't see the point in M855.
    img41841ki2.jpg

    . SS109 full power load (spec to M855) on the left. M193 on the right.. The bottom is .308. Distance is 50 yards.

    Did you shoot at that straight on? If so try it with tracers sometime (M856 same as M855 but you can see the wicked ricochets) to get an idea why you might not want to (hint i'd go for an angle)
     

    newmuzzleloader

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Apr 14, 2009
    4,765
    joppa
    I've had this article bookmarked for a while. It's an interesting read.
    5.56mm (.223) PARAMILITARY AMMUNITION

    The following article is from the January/February, 1988
    issue of Rifle magazine pages 36, 37, 70 and 71. This
    article was written by John Schaefer.

    "Anyone who has shot firearms equipped with oversized magazines knows
    the rate of ammunition expended is directly proportional to the magazine
    capacity. As the popularity of assault rifles has increased, the need for
    reasonably priced ammunition has skyrocketed, creating a market for what is
    known as paramilitary ammunition.

    "Western countries use 7.62x51mm and 5.56x45mm ammunition for their
    official military rounds, so most paramilitary rifles are offered in those
    calibers. With the adoption of the new SS109 5.56x45mm round as NATO's
    standard small caliber rifle cartridge, there is a great demand for that
    ammunition to feed all the rifles now available to the public.
    Advertisements for "NATO-type ammunition" are now quite common, though the
    ads are misleading as the ammunition does not meet NATO specifications.

    "Any cartridge that does not have the cross and circle (+) in its
    headstamp is not NATO approved, no matter what the ads say. Real NATO
    ammunition must be manufactured under NATO surveillance and be certified to
    meet strict requirements for velocity, chamber and port pressure, barrel
    time, temperature stability, barrel erosion, waterproofing and other
    characteristics. Furthermore, NATO ammunition must be produced by a
    specified facility in a NATO country. Ammunition made by surrogate nations
    cannot carry the NATO symbol or interchangeability code. An item often
    overlooked is that M193 Ball 5.56mm ammunition cannot be NATO approved,
    since the official NATO round is the SS109 (U.S. M855) cartridge, and only
    7.62mm Ball ammunition with a 146 to 148 grain boat tailed bullet, such as
    the U.S. M80 Ball or Canadian C21, could be considered for NATO
    certification. That does not mean there is anything wrong with available
    paramilitary ammunition. As thousands of shooters can attest, it is safe
    and serviceable.

    "Because the standard military rifle cartridge of the free world is
    fast becoming the 5.56mm round, this article will deal with its
    paramilitary versions.

    "U.S. military specifications for M193 Ball ammunition require a 55
    grain bullet (q 2 grains) at a muzzle velocity of 3,250 q 40 fps from a 20
    inch test barrel measured 15 feet from the muzzle. The accuracy requirement
    from a test fixture calls for a maximum of a two inch mean radius at 200
    yards from ten 10 shot groups (which equates to approximately three MOA).
    "Statistically average" M193 ranges from 1.2 to 1.6 inches mean radius,
    which is equivalent to 1.8 to 2.4 MOA. Velocity from an M16 rifle or
    pressure test barrel usually runs about 3,200 fps due to gas loss through
    the port. Accuracy is typically around 2 to 2+ MOA from an M16A1 rifle at
    ranges of 100 to 300 yards. M193 ammunition is suitable for use in 1 twist
    in 12 inches or faster twists. While commercial sporting rifles in this
    caliber usually have one in 14 rifling, the M193 boat tailed bullet is
    barely stabilized with that rate of twist at ambient temperatures, and will
    not stabilize at all when the air temperature drops below freezing.

    "NATO specifications for SS109 (U.S. M855) Ball require a 61.7 grain
    (q 1.5 grains) with a hardened steel penetrator at a velocity of 3,025 fps
    (q 40 fps) from a 20 inch barrel 25 meters from the muzzle. Typical
    velocity 15 feet from the M16A2's muzzle is around 3,100 fps. The accuracy
    requirement from a test fixture equates to a maximum of approximately four
    MOA over the 100 to 600 yard range. Typical accuracy of average lots in an
    M16A2 is about 2+ MOA. This round must also penetrate a nominal 10 gauge
    SAE 1010 or 1020 steel test plate at a range of at least 570 meters (623
    yards). The M193 round will penetrate this same plate reliably at 400
    yards, and about half the time at 500 yards. The 5.56mm and 7.62mm NATO
    rounds will penetrate it reliably out to 700 yards or more. Nominal
    ballistics for M193 and M855 Ball rounds are given in an accompanying
    table. The tables were constructed from the latest data supplied by the
    U.S. Army Ballistic Research Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Ground,
    Maryland.
    5.56 NATO Ball Ammunition Ballistic Comparison
    based on Aberdeen Proving Ground Data
    velocity (fps) trajectory (in.) drop (inches) drift (inches)*
    range M193 M855 M193 M855 M193 M855 M193 M855
    (meters)
    0 3,200 3,100 -2.5 -2.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
    100 2,774 2,751 +2.8 +4.4 -2.2 -2.3 1.3 1.1
    200 2,374 2,420 +2.7 +5.8 -9.9 -10.2 5.8 4.9
    300 2,012 2,115 -4.9 0.0 -25.1 -25.3 14.2 11.8
    400 1,680 1,833 -23.0 -15.0 -50.8 -49.5 27.6 22.4
    500 1,373 1,569 -56.2 -42.9 -91.6 -86.7 47.5 38.0
    600 1,106 1,323 -113.1 -88.2 -156.1 -141.3 76.4 59.5
    700 995 1,106 -206.8 -156.1 -257.3 -220.9 113.5 88.4
    800 927 1,010 -339.9 -267.7 -398.0 -339.2 156.1 124.9

    * Drift for 10 mph wind.
    M193 Ball ammunition fired in M16A1 rifle with 250 meter battle sight zero.
    M855 Ball ammunition fired in M16A2 rifle with 300 meter battle sight zero.
    ____________________________________________________________________________

    5.56mm Velocities and Accuracy

    ammunition
    55 grain Ball bullets
    U.S. M193 "TW 73"
    Lot TW-2-699
    PMC M193
    "PS 80"
    Lot PS-E5-2139-79

    Because the steel penetrator increases the length and changes the
    weight distribution of the SS109 bullet, it is suitable for use only in
    barrels with a twist of one turn in nine inches or faster. Pre-1986 Ruger
    Mini-14's with the one in 10 inch twist will handle this round but
    stability is marginal and accuracy falls off below zero degrees Fahrenheit.
    Military rifles intended to use this ammunition have a seven inch twist to
    ensure bullet stability under arctic conditions and to stabilize the even
    longer L110 and M856 tracer bullets. Current production Mini-14's and some
    Ranch Rifles now have seven inch twists.

    To set the baseline for testing, U.S. M193 Ball was fired from both an
    AR-15 (12 inch twist) and an AR-15-A2 HBAR (seven inch twist), to establish
    velocity and accuracy standards. No M855 was available, as that ammunition
    is restricted to U.S. government agencies.

    The Hirtenberger SC ammunition tested in the AR-15-A2 came from an
    initial lot supplied by Hansen Cartridge Corporation. It is suitable for
    nine inch or faster twist barrels, and was included for comparison.

    The IMI 223-13CL 63 grain softpoint load was included in the tests
    since it is currently the only 5.56mm round with a heavy bullet readily
    available. While it is usable in twelve inch twist barrels because of the
    bullet's flat base and short overall length, it is sure to find favor among
    owners of AR-15-A2's.

    Paramilitary 5.56mm ammunition should not be fired in commercial
    rifles with chambers reamed to SAAMI specifications. The SAAMI chamber used
    in sporting firearms has a smaller diameter bullet seat, a shorter throat
    and less free bore than military chambers. Chamber pressures can rise
    dramatically when military ammunition is fired in them.

    SAAMI specifications for commercial .223 ammunition specify an average
    chamber pressure of 52,000 CUP. When military ammunition is fired in the
    SAAMI chamber, pressures may rise to 55,000 or 60,000 CUP!

    U.S. manufactured paramilitary ammunition intended for civilian
    consumption is purposely loaded down to SAAMI pressure levels and bullets
    are often seated deeper to accommodate the SAAMI chamber. Ammunition
    certified to meet Mil-C-9963F (the military specification for M193 Ball) is
    only available to U.S. government agencies and private security firms under
    contract to provide security for U.S. government installations.

    Imported ammunition of that type is generally loaded to standard
    military levels and should be fired only in firearms with military
    dimensioned chambers. To the author's knowledge, the only U.S. manufactured
    commercial firearms with military chambers are the Colt AR-15 series, the
    Ruger Mini-14 and Ruger No. 1 rifles manufactured since 1986.
     

    Dowagiac

    S&W Member
    Aug 3, 2008
    303
    Anne Arundel
    I received an e-mail from Brownells that this ammo was back in stock. I had to call and confirm I still wanted it. I got the 10% discont and free shipping. 1000 rounds $270.00.
     

    virtus

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 11, 2010
    1,493
    Got the same email. Came just in time...ammo stash was getting to critical levels! :omg:
     

    erwos

    The Hebrew Hammer
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 25, 2009
    13,866
    Rockville, MD
    Didn't get the email, either. Must not have been enough in the shipment to fulfill all backorders... and I ordered in mid-February.
     

    Inigoes

    Head'n for the hills
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 21, 2008
    49,362
    SoMD / West PA
    erwos said:
    Didn't get the email, either. Must not have been enough in the shipment to fulfill all backorders... and I ordered in mid-February.

    As brownell gets in quantities to fill orders they let those customers know.

    I had 1 order filled, and 1 order remains outstanding
     

    jrumann59

    DILLIGAF
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 17, 2011
    14,024
    Yea, not the best deal but that's not bad considering the prices I've been seeing lately. X-Tac has been pretty good stuff for me in both 55 and 62 grain.


    I would jump on it but for whatever reason my AR does not like PMC, only ammo to date I get FTFs on.
     

    Stein79

    Surf&Turf
    Feb 3, 2011
    645
    Murderland
    jrumann59 said:
    I would jump on it but for whatever reason my AR does not like PMC, only ammo to date I get FTFs on.

    Hmm what kind of AR? I got a case of pmc 55gr fmj on sale from Natchez and shot around 120 this weekend with no hiccups. I have a spikes tactical mid length.
     

    jrumann59

    DILLIGAF
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 17, 2011
    14,024
    Hmm what kind of AR? I got a case of pmc 55gr fmj on sale from Natchez and shot around 120 this weekend with no hiccups. I have a spikes tactical mid length.

    Pretty much the same. When I went to Freestates anniversary i burned through 300 rounds of federal and the 2nd and fourth round in the PMC mag FTF and after the last round it didn't lock the bolt back. Switched to a federal mag and fed flawless.
     

    Stein79

    Surf&Turf
    Feb 3, 2011
    645
    Murderland
    jrumann59 said:
    Pretty much the same. When I went to Freestates anniversary i burned through 300 rounds of federal and the 2nd and fourth round in the PMC mag FTF and after the last round it didn't lock the bolt back. Switched to a federal mag and fed flawless.

    I have brand new pmags. No issues.
     

    MauiWowie

    I have the SIGness...
    Nov 23, 2008
    7,347
    Harford Co.
    Yup just called and got my case for $270 shipped....

    FYI they don't know who previously ordered and who didn't she had no record I placed my order in February.... :innocent0

    So if you want a case for $270 shipped!!! just call now!! :innocent0

    Tell them you want one case of Stock #: 105-200-938
    Tell them you got an email saying it was in stock
    and that you want to apply the OLD 10% off and free shipping code: DFM

    good luck! I hope it works for you
     
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