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Posted: 10/16/2012 7:41:40 AM EDT
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I have always used m193 55gr. FMJ, or regular 55gr.,like PMC bronze or Win Q3131.
I recently got ahold of some m855 62gr. green tip, to see how my rifle likes it. (never used it before) The m855 green tip is just painted on, I always thought it was a plastic tip. Is this how all green tip is? (painted on) I imagine if this is the case, they just dip the tip (so to speak) so you can identify it by sight? I looked in the stickies but didn't find much. Thanks fellas |
| Yep, it's just paint. The only purpose of it is to make the M855 easily distinguishable from M193. It might have been an issue when M855 was first introduced and the military still had a lot of 1/12 barrels in use, but I doubt there's a military need for the paint now. |
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Not to hijack...but to answer the op's original question, yes it's all painted on, no ballistic tips.....
Here's why it's painted, but only for our troops. The US was just about the only NATO country that at one time was issuing both 62 grain penetrators (M855) as well as 55grain (M193). At that time there were rifles/carbines in the US inventory with 1:12. 1:9 as well as 1:7 twist. The heavier M855 didn't perform that well in the slower twist bbls. Only exception to this that I know of is mentioned below. Thus the painted green tips to quickly identify the two rounds. Most other NATO countries went with the SS109 (62 grain comparable to our M855) immediately when they adopted the 5.56mm round. Those countries like England, Germany, etc never used/issued the 55 grain round. Thus there was never any confusion about having to tell the difference. All they issued and produced was SS109 62 grain penetrator 5.56mm. That's why you never see Radway Green, or Hirt with painted green tips. BUT I will contradict myself on what I just said. I remember buying and still own some Israeli green tip...Headstamped TZZ"2" at 12 o'clock, 88 at 6 o'clock...Just went downstairs and looked at it again....so perhaps the Israelis did use both at one point. I can say that I ever saw "IMI" painted with green tips, but I've got 800rds of the TZZ2 '88 green tip in my bunker. Currently all IMI 62 grain "M855" (as marked on their boxes) are NOT painted w/green tips. Hope that cleared up more than confused anybody. Anybody care to back me up on this? |
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I'm not sure how they're painted on.
I assume it's done with a CNC type machine where the bullets (after it has been loaded) are placed into a collect that acts kind of like a felt tipped marker (except that it's recessed to match the bullet and is loaded with paint) The paint on the bullets look too thin and too smooth to be dipped. |
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Quoted:
Stay away from the IMI. LOL! Why would you want to stay away from arguably the best M855? I have ran Federal,Prvi and IMI. IMI blew the other two away hands down. http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_16/519740_Attack_of_the__M193__Clones__Part_Two___M855_Comparison_.html |
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