SS109 bullets

Aroz

Aroz

New member
Anyone have any experience using these steel core military bullets(M855, SS109)in .223? What type of expansion and or penetration would be expected? I haven't found anything that says these bullets are illegal for hunting use in SC, but if you know otherwise, pipe up!! Thanks again!

Adam /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
You won't get expansion, period. They are a full metal jacket (FMJ) and in most places they are not allowed for hunting, and shouldn't be anyway. They are designed to penetrate body armor and wound an enemy soldier. They are not designed to expand at hunting rifle velocities in game animals and shouldn't be expected to. I would expect complete penetration in most game animals with a small hole going in, a small hole going out and a small hole in between. Not the kind of performance you should seek in a hunting bullet. If you are planning on using them for home defense, look elsewhere. You want to leave the bullet in the home invader, not have to worry about which neighbor's house it will end up in.

I wouldn't use them for anything except target practice, or war. They have no use in the field, or tactical situations, unless you are LEO and expect the perp to be wearing body armor.

Fast Ed
 
Actually both M855 and SS109 make poor hunting ammunition because you do not have controlled expansion at all ranges. With either round if the bullet is traveling over 2700 fps there will good penetration and dramatic fragmentation, however once the speed drops under 2700 the reliability of fragmentation decreases and continues to go down as the velocity of the bullet decreases.

For defense within most legitimate defensive ranges (say under 100 yards) SS109 would be devastatingly effective. I have shot a coyote with SS109 (its what I had at the time) at 60 yards, the result was a mess, it made a huge exit wound. M855 would do about the same thing at that range but its velocity will also drop faster do to its heavier weight. Of course the muzzle velocity will depend on what length barrel you are shooting them out of and therefore the range at which reliable fragmentation occurs will be different for your 20 inch rifle and your 11 inch SBR.

Check out AR15.com for additional information on this subject.

Buy some ballistic tips, hollow points or soft points to hunt with. Keep the other stuff for defense.
 
I've used em to shoot PD's with but that would be the only animal application I would say they are good for.
 


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