Not really retro ammo, but lot's of us shoot 62s in 1/9 twist retro builds....

I got some 30 round boxes of ZQI 5.56 ammo at Walmart for $10/30.  It is marked "NATO STANAG 4172" on the box. I was told at the store it was M193, 55 grain, but...That is the Nato spec for 62 grain 5.56 SS109/M855 with steel penetrator ammo.  It is made in Turkey by MKE.  Nice brass cased ammo with annealed case mouths, and sealed, crimped primers.  

While the projectile does not have the requisite "Green Painted Tip", it locks onto a magnet, indicating a steel penetrator inside.  That precludes it from use where steel core ammo is prohibited.

I haven't shot any yet, but the reviews on it I have seen seem to say it is equal to US Milspec M855 ammo.  What excites me is that it is a readily available, cheap SS109 ammo for practice. I know Federal Lake City can be had online at reasonable prices, even including shipping, but this is still cheaper and handier for most people.

I do mostly shoot M193 Lake City in my ARs, so I load 55 gr 5.56 spec reloads for practice.  On the other hand, I keep three mags of M855 Lake City 5.56 in my 6-pack "go bag" for hardened targets, along with 3 mags of M193 for general anti-zombie (personnel) use.  To this point, I have only been practicing with M193.  It will be nice to mix it up.  I know the two rounds differ ballistically, but 100/150 yards or less, the difference will only be an inch or so based on my tests.



I really prefer M193 out of 14.5/16" barrels, since it takes a 2650 FPS threshold for 5.56 to tumble and break apart at the channular.  M193 will do this reliably out to about 200 meters from a 20" barrel, 150-160 meters from a 16" barrel, and 100 meters from a 14.5" barrel.  M855, on the other hand, will only do it to 150 meters from a 20" barrel, 90-95 meters from a 16" barrel, and 50 meters from 14.5" barrel.

With that said, however, it is nice to have penetrator rounds in your kit.  Realistically, if I use it, it will be under the 95 meter limit.  past that range, it is time to escape and evade!

Good article on 5.56 fragmentation ranges on Ammo Oracle

http://www.ar15.com/ammo/project/term_fragrange.html

Up to this point, I haven't wanted to order a bunch of M855/SS109 online to get it cheap, because of my preferences. I got 100 rounds, though, at a local gunshop for $62.00 out the door - just to have three mags full in my kit. The 20 rounder in the M4gery will have alternating M193 and M855 rounds. Not cheap, but not too bad for a LGS price for new USGI M855. (the stuff I got at the LGS current issue Lake City M855)

Hey don't think ss109 is going to take down harden targets the steel core is thin and was primarily for some weight to keep the round going straiter down range to the target . Its the civilian market that calls it SS109 (penetraitor rounds) not so and against a car windshield not so much penetraitor as you think FYI and also thanked for the heads up on ammo anytime I can get 62 grain ammo for cheap is a solid.

Well, actually at 80 yards, it blows through 1/4" welding steel.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dGxRw8Jq70[/youtube]

Even at 200 yards, from a 16" barrel, at 2300 FPS, it goes through 1/4 plate

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0gIvaw_dPY[/youtube]

Thanks for the heads up, I actually was headed to Walmart yesterday and saw the Federal M193 Black Box on the shelf, it was $44.95. I returned a few items, crumpled up my Honey-Do list and spent my Errand money on ammo and some Shoot N See targets. LMAO. I also saw that Walmart now sells 90 round Federal black boxes of M855 AR556 ammo on 5 round stripper clips for $34.95, they also sell 100 round black boxes of Federal M193 for $44.95 when you can actually get you hands on it. They were almost out of stock of the 90 round boxes but I managed to get a few of SS109 and a box of Federal 525 .22LR.

FIVE-round stipper clips?

That's what the clown at the counter said, I kind of believe him because the box doesn't look big enough to house 10 round stripper clips.

The ZQI 5.56 is a pretty decent deal. I've put a couple of hundred rounds of it through my GUU-5/P clone with an M4 barrel with no issue.

Steel of the same volume weighs less than lead, so the steel tip actually makes the bullet lighter than a pure lead slug would be.  Whatever your thoughts on its usefulness, the steel core was not added to provide extra weight.

SS109 is the FN designation for their steel-core insert bullet design, which is used in the production of this type of ammunition, including US M855 ball ammo.

First I've heard of such a critter.  Thanks.

 

Where can I obtain one? Or do I smell a conspiracy?