SS109? - AR15.COM

Posted: 3/4/2001 7:01:19 PM EDT

I tried some SS109 Saturday and I really couldnt tell the difference between it and 55gr FMJ as far as piercing steel plates. I thought SS109 was better for this type of work. Does anyone have any info on AP for .223. Be easy on me guys this is my first time on the board.[8)]

Posted: 3/4/2001 7:50:16 PM EDT

[#1]

Try a 3/8 inch plate at 100 yrds and get back to us. [:)] [:)] [:)] [:)]

Posted: 3/4/2001 7:58:55 PM EDT

[#2]

The plate I used was just under a 1/4 inch at 100yds the 55 fmj left a dimple that you could put your pinky in. The 62gr green tip was almost the same size maybe just a bit deeper. By the way this is mild steel I was dealing with.

Posted: 3/4/2001 9:00:24 PM EDT

[#3]

Armalite Man,

Are you sure that you had an SS109 made by IMI?? I have tried this before with my 14.5" barreled M4 and the SS109 punches through the 3/8 inch I-beam that I shot at while the UMC made dimples and the Winchester, something close to a "hanging chad" but not totally through. I do know know whether the I-beam that I used was "soft" or hard but my point is that there is a difference.

Posted: 3/4/2001 9:09:22 PM EDT

[#4]

I do not have any experience with the .223 round but I have some 30-06 AP from the mid 60's that will punch through a 7/8" plate like paper. I know this has nothing to do with your SS109 but I thought it was an interesting point.

Posted: 3/4/2001 9:10:22 PM EDT

[#5]

This is my topic. I was shooting 1" steel at 25 meters with a mix of Wolf .223 55 grain standard and IMI SS109. The ss109 would go through two steel plates seperated by 4". The Wolf ricocheted off the steel and hit my friend in the thumb. Left a good bruise.
I haven't tried the S&B or the Spanish made, but the Israeli is Bonafide.
[sniper]

Posted: 3/4/2001 10:11:58 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
This is my topic. I was shooting 1" steel at 25 meters with a mix of Wolf .223 55 grain standard and IMI SS109. The ss109 would go through two steel plates seperated by 4". The Wolf ricocheted off the steel and hit my friend in the thumb. Left a good bruise.
I haven't tried the S&B or the Spanish made, but the Israeli is Bonafide.
[sniper]

View Quote

I'll be sure to keep a safe distance away from you if I ever meet you! LOL [isn't 25meters a bit close for that!!]

Posted: 3/5/2001 5:00:56 AM EDT

[#7]

Thanks for your opinions does anyony else have some input. The ammo I used was not IMI or Spanish I bought 100 rds at a gun show it was green tip however. Does anyone know of regular 55gr being made to look like SS109? By the way I guess that explains the high price of IMI SS109.[:)]

Posted: 3/5/2001 6:58:07 AM EDT

[#8]

Are you sure the rounds were SS109 and not regular rounds someone dipped in green paint? There should be a noticable difference between the two rounds. Who was the manufacture? Did the rounds come sealed in a manufactures box? What does the headstamp read?

Here's are some of my results and descriptions from testing various ammo and steel plates. [url]http://www.swiretech.com/ballistics/testresults.asp[/url] click the pictures to enlarge them.

Here's the small view of SS109 and FMJ. You can see that the SS109 clearly punched all the way through and the FMJ only left a dimple.
[img]http://www.swiretech.com/ballistics/images/223_blade_ss_fmj_t.jpg[/img]

Posted: 3/5/2001 7:59:36 AM EDT

[#9]

Armalite Man,

Do this test.

get a magnet and put it near the bullet tip. if it sticks and holds then it has a steel penetrator in it otherwise, it is just an ordinary round dipped in green paint.

I hope that this will clear up all doubts.

take it easy

Posted: 3/5/2001 8:05:27 AM EDT

[#10]

SS109 should have the nato Mark on the head stamp a circle with a cross! I have some that was made in spain and they dont have green tips but are SS109 the primers are mark green!I really dont think that the SS109 is a True Armor pierceing round even though it has a very tiny pice of steel in the nose!Does the military currently make a steel core AP of some type?

Posted: 3/5/2001 5:04:39 PM EDT

[#11]

Is the Army or Marines even getting 855 anymore ? I shoot on a Air Guard marks team and get issued 193 because of the old 1-14 twist guns, the last issue was LC 99. I have tried the 855 at small arms firing schools and it shot like s#!+ at 500 yds, every 5th round or so would go off into the wild blue yonder all by itself !The Army guys said that it was being dropped and that the Army was going back to 193 because 855 wouldn't meet accuracy standards. Anyone else know more ????

Posted: 3/5/2001 6:13:23 PM EDT

[#12]

Yeesh!
SS109 is NOT M855!!
You can ask Chuck Santose on that one!!
M855 (the green tipped stuff) is NOT armor piercing!
M995 IS the armor piercing stuff.

Real M855 goes through 1/2' steel plate at 100 yards like a knife through butter!

Here is a great web page that explains it all (except SS109, which Chuck Santose calls "Europen pussified ammo")
(my apologies to Chick if I got that last part wrong)

[url]http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/556.htm[/url]

Posted: 3/5/2001 6:58:53 PM EDT

[#13]

Ok I checked the mags I had loaded with green tip and dicovered that the stuff I thought was true ss109 seems to have been dipped. This however was dicovered by my wife after she compared it with what I know to be the real macoy. Seems that the mag I used Saturday was loaded with the junk. That explains the poor results.
I bought the ammo loose in a bag at Knob Creek last Oct. So I guess buyer beware. The fake stuff does however have the NATO cross on it. I only mention that to try and excuse my poor judgment.[;)]
I cant wait to try the real stuff this weekend.
By the way can you get true AP in .223 either loaded or just the bullets?

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