“Regular,” Black Tip, and Green Tip 5.56: A Primer

It’s often said that green tip 5.56 NATO ammo is “armor-piercing,” albeit mostly by people that are either antis or have no idea what they’re talking about.

With that said, there’s a justifiable reason for this misnomer, especially if you’re not familiar with bullets, performance, and nomenclature.

So let’s peel back the layers.

Green Tip 5.56

Green tip 5.56, officially designated as M855, is a type of 5.56x45mm NATO ammo loaded with a special bullet.

These bullets are 62 grains and have a steel tip insert that shifts the center of gravity. It also hardens the nose of the bullet, improving penetration characteristics.

As a result, green tip 5.56 ammo is categorically able to penetrate a .135” steel plate (the same thickness as a WWII-era USGI M1 helmet pot) through one side at a distance of 800 meters.

These bullets have their noses painted green to help soldiers (and anyone else, really) distinguish them from regular FMJ rounds - hence the name.

As you can see, they can penetrate light armor (ergo the reason they are sometimes referred to as LAP, or light armor-piercing) but alongside a true armor-piercing round, they pale by comparison.

Black Tip 5.56

Black tip 5.56 is distinguished from green tip 5.56 by its hardened, exceptionally dense, tungsten carbide core.

Officially known as M995, black tip 5.56 ammo is able to penetrate steel up to 7mm thick at a distance of 500 meters. To put that in perspective, 7mm is .275 inches thick, more than a ¼”, and more than twice as thick as what green tip 5.56 could penetrate at the same distance.

Like green tip, black tip 5.56 has the noses of its bullets painted black to distinguish them from other rounds.

These are actually armor piercing rounds, and are not legal to buy or own in the United States. As a general rule, only soldiers have access to them.

The Penetration Capabilities of Standard FMJ 5.56 Ammo

Now that we’ve seen the functional difference between a true armor-piercing round and a light armor-piercing round (which isn’t really armor-piercing at all) let’s leave with a note on standard FMJ 5.56.

When the 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge was originally developed starting in the 1950s, one of the requirements for acceptance was that a bullet fired from the cartridge be able to penetrate a US M1 helmet through one side at 500 yards.

That sounds a lot like green tip 5.56, doesn’t it? That’s because it is. They offer very similar performance; the green tip just penetrates better than 5.56 does. That doesn’t technically make either of them armor-piercing.

But it is helpful to know that both can penetrate mild rolled steel plate, especially the next time this topic comes up in an argument.

A Note on Usability

One thing to note about both green tip and standard full metal jacket 5.56. Neither one of these is a good choice for defensive applications or hunting. They can both be a good choice for training, however.

Also, some ranges may not allow green tip 5.56x45mm NATO ammo because it is very hard on steel targets and presents a high risk of ricochet, so be aware of that before you buy any, especially if you plan on buying a lot.

Stock Up on 5.56 Ammo

Looking for FMJ or green tip 5.56 ammo, or for surplus or police trade-in deals? Visit Bucking Horse Outpost. They carry a ton of bulk deals in popular calibers and 5.56 is no exception - and on top of that they frequently run sales. Bookmark them and don’t miss a beat.