OK, I see. The 5.56 AP round, as opposed to the 5.56 FMJ round. Which was the topic of discussion here. Duh. Just ignore the crazy woman posting here… :smack:
Just a definitional thought: Strangely, here in the U.S. armor piercing ammunition is defined not by performance but by material. Ammunition whose projectile is constructed using metals like steel or titanium is deemed armor piercing. It is defined as such regardless of whether it will penetrate armor. Also, U.S. law is more restrictive for armor piercing cartridges are designed to be fired from a handgun. Armor piercing handgun ammo cannot be manufactured or imported for civilian sales, only police and military.
Here’s the definition from Section 921 of the 1968 Gun Contro Act:
(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 term “armor piercing ammunition” does not include shotgun shot required by Federal or State environmental or game regulations for hunting purposes, a frangible projectile designed for target shooting, a projectile which the Secretary finds is primarily intended to be used for sporting purposes, or any other projectile or projectile core which the Secretary finds is intended to be used for industrial purposes, including a charge used in an oil and gas well perforating device.
And the restriction to civilians as per Section 922:
(a) It shall be unlawful:
(7) for any person to manufacture or import armor piercing ammunition, except that this paragraph shall not apply to:
(A) the manufacture or importation of such ammunition for the use of the United States or any department or agency thereof or any State or any department, agency, or political subdivision thereof;
(B) the manufacture of such ammunition for the purpose of exportation;and
© any manufacture or importation for the purposes of testing or experimentation authorized by the Secretary;
(8) for any manufacturer or importer to sell or deliver armor piercing ammunition, except that this paragraph shall not apply to:
(A) the sale or delivery by a manufacturer or importer of such ammunition for use of the United States or any department or agency thereof or any State or any department, agency, or political subdivision thereof;
(B) the sale or delivery by a manufacturer or importer of such ammunition for the purpose of exportation;
© the sale or delivery by a manufacturer or importer of such ammunition for the purposes of testing or experimenting authorized by the Secretary
Because of this and several other threads here in SDMB-land, I have decided to start a thread in MPSIMS about info that shooters/reloaders might be interested in having. Please join me there to share any interesting info you have.
The hysteria over so-called “cop killer” handgun bullets was completely irrational, since any rifle round (even a .22LR) can penetrate any vest (except perhaps level IV).