USGI ammo tip colors and identification hints.

[AFJuvat]

Put this together as a reference. If you are in the market for specialty ammo, it may help you avoid getting scammed at a gun show or online.

Notes on 5.56 AP ammo: The US does make black tipped armor piercing ammo in 5.56 which is designated M995, The bullet features a an outer copper jacket, an outer lead core, and a tungsten dart.

M995 ammunition was never sold as surplus. The few confirmed legitimate rounds that are out there on the commercial market were likely brought back from the middle east or taken from ammo dumps here in the US. Legitimate M995 rounds sell for between $25 - $75 each on the collector market.

Much of the 22 caliber black tipped ammo on the market is either green tipped ammo painted black (scam), or it uses bullets pulled from 5.7x28mm AP rounds (SS190) when that ammo was banned in the US. SS190 rounds weigh 30 grains and have are aluminum cored bullets with a steel penetrator tip. While they shoot fine in a 5.7x28, the velocities reached shooting it in a 5.56 usually result in the bullet tearing itself apart.

Notes on 7.62x51 Armor Piercing Ammo 7.62x51 AP ammo had two distinct production runs. The first run, starting during the Vietnam war through the early 1990s used the M61 AP bullet. US made 7.62x51 Ap ammo was never sold as surplus on the open market.

However, an unknown quantity was imported from Israel. Factory ammo will have a FN or IMI headstamp. The M61 projectile is easily identified by having a second cannalure visible.

Modern 7.62x51 ammo designated M993 has no visible cannelure and a tungsten core. M993 ammo has never been sold as surplus. The few confirmed legitimate rounds on the collectors market bring in close to $100 each.

Most of the 7.62x51 AP that is out there for sale is reloaded ammunition using pulled 30-06 AP bullets. There is nothing wrong with it, and it shoots just fine.

30-06 AP is still very common and available. Millions of rounds were made annually up through the late 1950s. If you look around, it is available as loaded ammunition for about $1.00/round. Pulled bullets go between $0.50 - $1.25 each depending on supply. Some of the very last runs of 30-06 AP used the M61 AP bullet made for the 7.62x51.

Notes on Incendiary Ammo The last small caliber (< .50) incendiary ammunition was reportedly made during the Korean war. 5.56 and 7.62 Incendiary ammo available on commercial market today is reloaded ammo using new manufactured bullets.

Armor Piercing Incendiary ammo was made for the 30-06 until the mid 1950s. It is identifiable as having a weight between 155 and 160 grains, it is magnetic, and has a silver tip.

Any 7.62x51 Armor Piercing Incendiary ammo should be presumed to be remanufactured using 30-06 API bullets.

US Small Arms Ammunition .50 or smaller

5.56 x 45
Black tip - Armor Piercing: LC or WCC headstamp. M995: Solid tungsten core. Non-magnetic. Never sold as surplus.
Green Tip - Light Armor Piercing: - Commercially available, magnetic at tip.
Steel Tip - Light Armor Piercing (Enhanced) Bigger penetrator than green tipped. Exposed steel tip.
Red Tip - Tracer: 55 grain, lights in the barrel. Military used until supply exhausted. Commercially available.
Orange tip - Tracer: 62 grain. This is Green tip with a tracer. Commercially available
Violet Tip - Tracer: (IR Visible) 62 grain with a dim tracer that shows up with night vision equipment without over-saturation. Never sold as surplus.
White Tip - Reduced Ricochet Limited Penetration (RRLP): Never sold as surplus. Limited military use.

7.62 x 51
Black Tip - Armor piercing: Factory Mfg 7.62x51 (M61) AP bullet will weigh 151 grains and have two knurled cannilures on the bullet. One for 7.62x51, the other for 30-06.
Black Tip - Armor Piercing: LC or WCC headstamp, M993 No visible cannelure, non-magnetic Never sold as surplus.
Orange Tip - Tracer: 152 grain, bottom of the bullet is cupped with a copper cover.
Brown Tip - Overhead Tracer (T raining) Never sold as surplus. Used during infantry t raining for overhead fire.. Very short range with short duration tracer.
Purple Tip - Tracer (IR Visible) 152 grain with a dim tracer that shows up with night vision equipment without over-saturation. Never sold as surplus
Green Tip with white ring - Frangible ball: Bullet breaks up on impact with hard object, leaving visible mark. T raining Use only, some commercial availability
White Tip - Riot control: Mention this because I have seen it at gun shows and online. It was made by IMI for use in Israel, but some of it was imported to the US. Each projectile contains a small amount of tear gas. An interesting curiosity for the ammo collector, but tactically it was next to useless.

30-06 (7.62 x 63)
Black Tip - Armor piercing: Will have a single wide cannelure visible. Black tar sealant around case mouth. Magnetic throughout body. 163 grain weight.
Silver Tip - Armor piercing/ Incendiary: No cannelure, weight approximately 155 - 160 grains. Steel penetrator in mid body, lead bullet base.
Red Tip over Silver Ring - Armor piercing/incendiary/tracer - Very rare on commercial market
Red Tip - Tracer: WWII surplus. Lights at firing.
Orange Tip - Tracer: Later variant of tracer. Same bullet as used on 7.62 x 51.
Blue Tip - Incendiary: 130 grain, no cannelure visible. Light or Dark Blue tip.
Green Tip with White Ring - Frangible ball: Same as 7.62x51

30 carbine WWII
Red Tip - Tracer: Still available as surplus.
Yellow Tip - Observation (T raining) - Limited production and thus rare. Essentially a extended duration incendiary used for t raining/spotting.
Yellow Tip over Red Ring - Observation/tracer (T raining): Same as above, but with a tracer.

50 Caliber - Not observed, but included for reference.
Black Tip - Armor piercing
Silver Tip - Armor piercing/ incendiary
Red Tip over Silver Ring - Armor piercing/incendiary/tracer
Green Tip - Long Range Sniper
Red Tip - Tracer
Orange Tip - Tracer
Blue Tip - Incendiary
Red Tip over Yellow Ring - Raufoss Spotter Round
Green Tip over Grey Ring - High explosive/ armor piercing/ incendiary/ tracer
Yellow Tip over Grey Ring - High explosive/ armor piercing/ incendiary

[sdmc530]

man the info is flowing today, nice job!!

[skosh69]

Great stuff. I got some orange tip 7.62 rds courtesy of Ft. Stewart, Ga.

[RKP]

I would suggest this thread become a sticky.

[Caleb]

Great info, thank you.

[AFJuvat]

Made the document into a PDF, complete with pictures.

It can be downloaded from here:

http://s000.tinyupload.com/?file_id=...86317624456529

[Gatorade]

I have quite a few 7.62X54R Silver Tips if anyone needs them for collecting. I am stacking them for an NDM-86 I have dibs on.