Penetration 5.56 vs .308

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Penetration 5.56 vs .308

Posted: 3/10/2006 3:35:52 PM EDT

I'm considering getting some plates. I'm wondering... does anyone have experience shooting your AR-15 with some SS109/M855 at steel plates vs. some .308 ball?

Level III is rated to .308 ball (and is only tested against .308 ball), Level IV is rated to .308 AP (and is only tested against .308 AP)... I just want to know if .308 ball will out-penetrate SS109/M855.

I would figure .308 ball would beat 5.56 AP hands down, but I'm just assuming, I have no idea.

Posted: 3/10/2006 3:52:17 PM EDT

[#1]

Quoted:
I'm considering getting some plates. I'm wondering... does anyone have experience shooting your AR-15 with some SS109/M855 at steel plates vs. some .308 ball?

Level III is rated to .308 ball (and is only tested against .308 ball), Level IV is rated to .308 AP (and is only tested against .308 AP)... I just want to know if .308 ball will out-penetrate SS109/M855.

I would figure .308 ball would beat 5.56 AP hands down, but I'm just assuming, I have no idea.

Past tests have shown the opposite...

M855 (which is NOT AP) out-penetrates 7.62mm ball when fired at steel plates (eg 855 can still penetrate farther down range)...

Immagine what the AP round does in the same scenario

Posted: 3/10/2006 3:56:11 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
Quoted:
I'm considering getting some plates. I'm wondering... does anyone have experience shooting your AR-15 with some SS109/M855 at steel plates vs. some .308 ball?

Level III is rated to .308 ball (and is only tested against .308 ball), Level IV is rated to .308 AP (and is only tested against .308 AP)... I just want to know if .308 ball will out-penetrate SS109/M855.

I would figure .308 ball would beat 5.56 AP hands down, but I'm just assuming, I have no idea.

Past tests have shown the opposite...

M855 (which is NOT AP) out-penetrates 7.62mm ball when fired at steel plates (eg 855 can still penetrate farther down range)...

Immagine what the AP round does in the same scenario

I just shot some steel with 855 today, did not go through the thick end (sides) of an I-beam, but went through the thinner "center".

Two rounds of 62 grain wolf next to an M855 impact, you can almost see how the tip dug in. would'nt go through , at least from 100 yards.

Posted: 3/10/2006 4:06:57 PM EDT

[#3]

Should be noted: Test I was referring to is ability to penetrate a same-thickness plate at varying distance...

Not how thick of a steel plate the round can penetrate at a fixed distance....

Posted: 3/10/2006 4:13:48 PM EDT

[#4]

dude you must mean the level 3a plates, they will stop AP 5.56 and and AP 7.62x39,
level 3 will defeat up to a 44mag
level 4 will stop a AP 30-06
go wit the level 4 its worth the money

Posted: 3/10/2006 5:16:26 PM EDT

[#5]

I have not seen documentation that IIIA will stop 5.56.

Here's a link to the classifications:

www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/body-armor1.htm

Has anyone here tried m193 and m555 or Mk262 on vests (IIIA or III), since level IV inplies ceramic plates.

Posted: 3/10/2006 5:46:21 PM EDT

[#6]

One of the tests to be certified level three NIJ standards is sustaining 5.56 hits. If it cant it cant be certified level III. Military certifications are different.

Posted: 3/10/2006 5:47:02 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
dude you must mean the level 3a plates, they will stop AP 5.56 and and AP 7.62x39,
level 3 will defeat up to a 44mag
level 4 will stop a AP 30-06
go wit the level 4 its worth the money

No IIIa is soft armor. Level III is the plate and it stops 5.56

Posted: 3/10/2006 6:25:52 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
Past tests have shown the opposite...

M855 (which is NOT AP) out-penetrates 7.62mm ball when fired at steel plates (eg 855 can still penetrate farther down range)...

Immagine what the AP round does in the same scenario

I thought M855 has a steel core, like SS109?

Posted: 3/10/2006 8:00:55 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Past tests have shown the opposite...

M855 (which is NOT AP) out-penetrates 7.62mm ball when fired at steel plates (eg 855 can still penetrate farther down range)...

Immagine what the AP round does in the same scenario

I thought M855 has a steel core, like SS109?

M855 has a steel tip with a lead "base" the ammo-oracle page has some good drawings of it. I think they also have a cut in half M855 bullet picture that explains it very well.

Posted: 3/10/2006 8:12:52 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Past tests have shown the opposite...

M855 (which is NOT AP) out-penetrates 7.62mm ball when fired at steel plates (eg 855 can still penetrate farther down range)...

Immagine what the AP round does in the same scenario

I thought M855 has a steel core, like SS109?

The M855 ROUND uses the SS109 BULLET. And the above post is correct, the actual "core" is lead, only 7 gr (out of the 62) are steel.

Posted: 3/11/2006 12:02:00 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
dude you must mean the level 3a plates, they will stop AP 5.56 and and AP 7.62x39,
level 3 will defeat up to a 44mag
level 4 will stop a AP 30-06
go wit the level 4 its worth the money

Little off. 3A will stop up to a 4 4mag.
Level 3 which is hard protection will stop 308 ball ammo.
Level 4 will stop 308 AP ammo.

Whopps guess that was already corrected.

Pat

Posted: 3/11/2006 4:59:53 AM EDT

[#12]

Level III will stop M855, I have seen it firsthand. My plate took a hit, and after I got a replacement we shot the old one a couple of times.

I wanted to keep it but the Army took it back

ETA: Of course, these are the ceramic SAPI plates, but all Level III plates should have equivalent protection.

Edited to change IIIA to III

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Penetration 5.56 vs .308

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