Guy, when to the indoor range yesterday to shoot my 9mm AR. I brought my Colt MT M4 cause the range said I could shoot their frangable 5.56. When I opened their box the bullet looked something like a steel core.  So I passed on it. Maybe  it was a different type but since it was reloaded ammo I didn't want to take a chance. What should frangable ammo look like. I have never used it before .

Frangible ammo can vary.

The PMC Green line of frangibles used a sort-of-reddish flat-nose bullet made by "Longbow."

The FrangibleBullets.Com ammo uses the Sinterfire bullet, which is a brass-colored taper-point round.

The Winchester Ranger frangible looks different from the other two: a frangible bullet that is partially copper jacketed, with an exposed "nose cone."  Maybe this is what you saw?

I guess the jacketing is to help with feeding or something? The PMC Green's bullet would tend to shed particles on the AR feed ramp, so maybe the jacketing helps to stop  this.

What you describe definately sounds like the Winchester Frangible.  I have fired thousands of round of the stuff.  Its 45 grain and good out to about 150 yards.  It works pretty good on jackrabbits.  Its the filthiest ammo Ive ever shot, buy I get it free so I cant help myself.