Need help to ID 5.56 ammo

mskdgunman · April 13, 2009, 08:25 PM

I'm not sure where this ammo came from but I found it while reorganizing my gun room. I've never seen anything like it and don't know if it's frangible or something completely different. I vaguely remember buying it about 20 years ago and I've got about 200 rounds of it. The tip appears to be plastic and the round itself is very light when compared to a ball round. It's all on strippers and if it came with a box, it's long since vanished.

Greygoose · April 13, 2009, 09:24 PM

Manufacturer is Hirtenberger which is good ammo. Not sure on the black tips.

PCJim · April 13, 2009, 10:44 PM

You might want to google the ammo. Black tips usually designate armor piercing ammo.

**Mike Irwin** · April 14, 2009, 01:19 AM

I suspect that what you have is short-range training ammunition given the plastic tip and light weight of the assembled round.

Europeans, especially the Germans, do a lot of their "live fire" training with such ammunition.

I suspect that if you were to disassemble a round you'd find that the bullet is a jacket with no lead core, just the plastic, and it has a very light charge of powder.

I would NOT use the brass for reloading full power .223 rounds.

April 13, 2009, 08:25 PM	#1
mskdgunman Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2008 Posts: 127	Need help to ID 5.56 ammo I'm not sure where this ammo came from but I found it while reorganizing my gun room. I've never seen anything like it and don't know if it's frangible or something completely different. I vaguely remember buying it about 20 years ago and I've got about 200 rounds of it. The tip appears to be plastic and the round itself is very light when compared to a ball round. It's all on strippers and if it came with a box, it's long since vanished.

April 13, 2009, 09:24 PM	#2
Greygoose Junior Member Join Date: March 1, 2009 Posts: 4	Manufacturer is Hirtenberger which is good ammo. Not sure on the black tips. Last edited by Greygoose; April 13, 2009 at 09:24 PM. Reason: edit

April 14, 2009, 01:19 AM	#4
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	I suspect that what you have is short-range training ammunition given the plastic tip and light weight of the assembled round. Europeans, especially the Germans, do a lot of their "live fire" training with such ammunition. I suspect that if you were to disassemble a round you'd find that the bullet is a jacket with no lead core, just the plastic, and it has a very light charge of powder. I would NOT use the brass for reloading full power .223 rounds. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

April 13, 2009, 10:44 PM	#3
PCJim Senior Member Join Date: July 11, 2008 Location: FL Posts: 570	You might want to google the ammo. Black tips usually designate armor piercing ammo.