;

It's not AP because it's not designed as one and the ATF says it's not.

A 220gr SMK from a 300 Win Mag will penetrate a heck of a lot more then SS109 or M855 will does that make it AP?

If you test 60gr SP against metal plate you'll find that they penetrate better then FMJ does.  Does that make it AP?  No it does not.

ARMOR PIERCING AMMUNITION
under Title 18, UNITED STATES CODE, CHAPTER 44 as amended by Public Law 103-322
The Violent Crime and Law Enforcement
Act of 1994
(enacted September 13, 1994)
18 U.S.C. CHAPTER 44
§ 921(a)(17)(B) the term 'armor piercing ammunition' means --

(i) [RED]a projectile or projectile core which may be used in a handgun and which is constructed entirely (excluding the presence of traces of other substances) from one or a combination of tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper, or depleted uranium; or [/RED]

(ii) a full jacketed projectile larger than .22 caliber designed and intended for use in a handgun and whose jacket has a weight of more than 25 percent of the total weight of the projectile.


See it all at
http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/legal/armor.htm

For the same reason that .308 is considered a pistol round... cause the ATF says so.

Sure can. RAUFOSS (sp) rounds are legal in 50BMG also, plenty of AP, API, and APIT stuff is available right now.

If you want to shoot SLAP make sure the muzzle break on your rifle will work with it, many won't. Or just remove it.

More from Phil in Seattle's link ( [url]http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/legal/armor.htm[/url] ).
Good link, BTW.......

[i]sect; 929(a)(1) Whoever, during and in relation to the commission of a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime (including a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime which provides for an enhanced punishment if committed by the use of a deadly or dangerous weapon or device) for which he may be prosecuted in a court of the United States, uses or carries a firearm and is in possession of armor piercing ammunition capable of being fired in that firearm, shall in addition to the punishment provided for the commission of such crime of violence or drug trafficking crime, be sentenced to a term of imprisonment for not less than five years.[/i]

LIST OF ARMOR PIERCING AMMUNITION

KTW AMMUNITION, all calibers. (Identified by a green coating on the projectile)

ARCANE AMMUNITION, all calibers. (Identified by a pointed bronze or brass projectile)

THV AMMUNITION, all calibers. (Identified by a brass or bronze projectile and having a headstamp containing the letters SFM and THV)

CZECHOSLOVAKIAN manufactured 9mm Parabellum (Luger) ammunition having an iron or steel core. (Identified by a cupronickel jacket and headstamp containing a triangle, star and dates 49, 50, 51, or 52. The bullet is attracted to a magnet)

GERMAN manufactured 9mm Parabellum (Luger) having an iron or steel bullet core. (Original packaging is marked Pisolenpatronen 08 m.E. May have black colored bullet. This bullet is attracted to a magnet)

MSC AMMUNITION, Caliber .25. (Identified by a hollow point brass bullet. NOTE: MSC ammunition Caliber .25 identified by a hollow point copper bullet is not armor piercing)

BLACK STEEL ARMOR PIERCING AMMUNITION, All Calibers, as produced by National Cartridge, Atlanta, Georgia.

BLACK STEEL METAL PIERCING AMMUNITION, All Calibers, as produced by National Cartridge, Atlanta, Georgia.

7.62mm NATO AP (Identified by black coloring in the bullet tip. This ammunition is used by various NATO countries. The U.S. military designation is M61 AP)

7.62mm NATO SLAP (identified by projectile having a plastic sabot around a hard penetrator. The penetrator protrudes above the sabot and is similar in appearance to a Remington accelerator cartridge)

PMC ULTRAMAG .38 Special caliber, constructed entirely of a brass type material, and plastic pusher disc located at the base of the projectile. NOTE: PMC ULTRAMAG 38J late production made of copper with lead alloy projectile is not armor piercing.

OMNISHOCK, a .38 Special cartridge with a lead bullet containing a mild steel core with a flattened head resembling a wad cutter. (NOTE: OMNISHOCK cartridges having a bullet with an aluminum core are not armor piercing.)

7.62x39mm with steel core. (NOTE: these projectiles have a steel core. Projectiles having a lead core with steel jacket or steel case are not armor piercing).

[size=4][red]NOTE: THE FOLLOWING CARTRIDGES HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE DEFINITION OF ARMOR PIERCING AMMUNITION:

5.56MM (.223) SS109 and M855 Ammunition, Identified by a green coating on the projectile tip.

U.S. .30-06 M2 AP, Identified by a black coating on the projectile tip. [/red][/size=4]

I don't know if anyone who's talking about Depleted Uranium projectiles is serious (Not that you could obtain it, even if you wanted to). That is some nasty, hot chit, & a lot of people are getting sick from it.
I don't mean nasty, & hot as in good performing ammo - I mean nasty/bad as in radioactive.
The military has finally admitted that there's quite a few Americans pretty sick from just walking over sand where Warthogs have laid their eggs,,, lately Warthog pilots, & munitions people have been getting the same symptoms. It's supposed to be doing a lot of damage in Iraq right now.
The bad part is that it doesn't read especially hot on a geiger counter.