M855 SS109 Cross Section of Projectiles (Bullets)

Gun Watch ^ | 6 March, 2015 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

K. Gross made these images to show the inner construction of the M855 and SS109 projectiles, or bullets.  You can see the steel tip in front of the lead core.  The mostly copper jacket is the layer around the outside in the images.

I do not have contact information for Mr. Gross;  I will gladly take down the picture or provide a link as he may desire.  I believe that he would like these images made available to inform the public.  

Here is the definition of "armor piercing ammunition" from the applicable federal code:

(B) The term “armor piercing ammunition” means—

(i) 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 

(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.

The SS109 and M855 projectiles do not seem to fit, as their cores are mostly lead.   But clear reading of definitions does not a legal scholar make; we all know how muddied "shall not be infringed" has been.  I think more and better information helps people to understand the arguments.

Note that the composition of the core has little effect on the ability of 5.56X45 or .223 (basically interchangeable cartridges) to penetrate the soft body armor worn by police.   All common 5.56X45 and .223 ammunition does that quite easily.  It is only the presence of the steel tip in the projectile that the BATFE is basing their claim to be able to ban the ammunition on, even though it is actually irrelevant in penetration of police armor; and irrelevant in the sense that it has been commonly available for the entire existence of the law, and has never been used as the BATFE claim is the problem. 

©2015 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch

[marktwain]

The "armor piercing" bullet ban never made any sense whatsoever.

[Paladin2]

Most gun laws (1934, 1968?, etc.) make no sense. Those laws were enacted by emotional thinkers.

[deoetdoctrinae]

The left loves to use buzz words like “cop-killer”, “automatic” “armor piercing”, “assault rifle” and others, in order instill panic in the low information crowd, hoping they will gain new recruits to their gun-control agenda.

[Vermont Lt]

That must be some .223 handgun.

[Sasparilla]

Much of government agencies’ political decisions are based on subjective and irrelevant information. They agenda oriented. Nothing new here.

[43north]

“Those laws were enacted by emotional thinkers.”

No, they were enacted by emotional FEELERS. No thinking was involved.

[Yo-Yo]

This is but one type of AR handgun:

[kingu]

Were those projectiles created and intended for handgun use? I’m going to wager no, thus are part of the exception of that definition.

Having said that, it would not surprise me that some drone declared them banned. And it shouldn’t take that much effort to get such a ban overturned by a court, since the law is very specific that the round must be intended for use in (not just usable in) a handgun.

[jughandle]

Always thought “armor piercing” only made politicians tremble when they rode in automobiles...

[Vermont Lt]

It slides right into your pocket. Ha Ha.

[Paladin2]

Yeah, Duh.

Correct.

Social Justice involved.

[Jaxter]

And 7.62x39 be far behind? This too is a pistol..

[Jaxter]

Sigh..”can” not “and”.

[Paladin2]

Kool. Do they have an AR-12 handgun?

[Sasparilla]

“This too is a pistol.”
With the rear stock, isn’t it classified as a short barrel rifle?

[timlilje]

Carbine
If it is using “Pistol” ammo

[Clint N. Suhks]

That’s a big bag of NOPE!

Ouch!

[Rodamala]

It is important to note that there are differences between NATO spec M855 and 223 Remington. Shooting M855 out of a 223 Rem chambered weapon may result in overpressure failure of the casing where the primer is ejected... SAAMI has issued a specific warning about this.

[Lurker]

The author doesn’t get it at all.

The letter of the law no longer matters.

[Tailback]

Those pictures explain why the M855 sucked so bad at 600 yards in the EIC match at the Wilson match. Total inconsistent quality control.