jlh820

I've got about 1,250 rounds of steel core 556 ammo. I bought a case of 1,000 at a gun show the same day I bought my AR-15. I knew extremely little about them when I bought it. However the first time at the range taught me not to buy more steel core. However I later ordered some online that said nothing about being steel core. Since then I try to keep around 2 cases of non-steel core ammo on hand. I figure the steel core I'll keep for SHTF day or the zombie invasion.

I believe you can identify it by the numbers but it seems as if there are several that are steel core. So before I buy now I look up the number designation.

I'm just wondering if there's a quick and easy way to tell before making an online purchase?

303lithgow

I don't know the answer but am interested in what others have to say.

Jamjks

What is wrong with steel core?

From AR15 owner.

jlh820

You can't shoot it at a range.

Dsteele

Magnet? Id imagine one of those tools you use to get screws fallen behind a work bench would work.

303lithgow

A few of my screwdrivers have magnets in them.

Dsteele

Yea, but Id want one with a bit of power to reach through the lead.

303lithgow

Maybe I'll just switch to shootin' silver bullets like The Lone Ranger.

bwinters

Every public indoor range I am aware of in NY and NJ ban steel core ammo in its range. Tehy worry about damage to the backstop.

laidlerj

If a magnet sticks to the bullet, it has a steel core.

You'll need something a bit more powerful than a refrigerator magnet, but even one of those toy horseshoe magnets will work. I use a magnet cabinet latch that I salvaged from an old cabinet and it can detect the steel core in SS109 ammo.

If you have steel-case ammo, you'll need to touch the magnet to the tip of the bullet, since it will stick to the side of the cartridge, even if the bullet is pure lead. My cabinet latch maget is strong enough to hang a 7.63 X 39 steel case, copper-clad steel bullet round by the tip of the bullet.

Jim

303lithgow

I haven't been to an indoor range in a long time. It would seem reasonable to not allow them indoors though.

Nick0410

This is how a range I used to go always did it. They were acting dumb though and would say steel case sticks and is now armor piercing, I think they were too lazy to have the brass sorted for recycling though.

jlh820

I'm talking about before you buy it online. All a magnet's going to do is ruin your hard drive.

KJS

My local indoor range doesn't want any of the steel-cased Russian stuff either, though it would seem like it has to be more than simply a sorting issue. After all, a magnet is all you need to sort out the steel cases.

They allow aluminum cased ammo, which when fired by semi-atuos is largely going to end up on their range floor no matter what. Being the nice guy that I am, when firing Blazer .38s I toss the aluminum empties in a bag such as to not mess up their range floor with junk they don't want.

I certainly see enough aluminum cases on their floor and it would seem the only way to sort them out is manually looking for the dull gray cases to pick out one by one. That sure seems harder than picking out steel cases with a big magnet, doesn't it?

I have no doubt they prefer brass cases, seeing how they worth something, either used by them to produce their own reloads with any extra brass sold to reloaders. Who wouldn't like items of value left on their property?

jlh820

I guess this thread is being informational to some, but I haven't seen any responses to my original question.

I wasn't asking how you can tell if you have steel core rounds while holding them in your hand. I was asking how you can identify them by their numerical designation. Also, I wasn't asking about steel cased rounds, but steel core or steel penetrator rounds, sometimes known as "green tipped". As far as I know these steel core rounds are only made for 5.56x45mm (.223) and 7.62x51mm (.308) and I believe 7.62x39mm (AK47). They are often called armor piercing, but they were originally intended for penetrating things like the old M1 steel army helmet. The reason I asked this question is for ordering ammo online. I don't want to buy any more steel core ammo and vendors often don't tell you it's steel core. Example: This page is from Cheaper Than Dirt for XM193 5.56x45mm 55g FMJ ammo. There is no mention of steel core, steel penetrator or green tip (note: not all steel core is green tipped!)

AMM-207 - 5.56x45mm Federal Lake City XM193 FMJBT 55 Grain 20 Round Box 3165 fps Target and Plinking Ammunition

Ranges may have varying reasons for not allowing these. My experience is that most do not. The two ranges I frequent state that it's because they are damaging to their facility, even though one is outdoors with a dirt backstop.

The way the rounds are checked at these ranges is that first they look to see if they have a green tip. Next they will apply a magnet to the tip of the bullet; not the casing. If the magnet sticks to the tip or the tip is green, they are not allowed. Steel cased ammo is OK to use.

So, back to my question. I'll stick to 5.56mm for this discussion. There are numerous different types of 5.56 ammo produced. Two of the most frequently seen steel core rounds are the M855 and the M193. However, Wikipedia lists 30+ different types of 5.56x45mm rounds.

5.56×45mm NATO - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

My question was does anyone know of a way of identifying a steel core round by it's designation short of memorizing the entire list?