Steel core bullers legal in Ca?

[Hogxtz]

I am waiting for delivery on 1000 .224 62 gr. FMJSCBT military projectiles from Wideners. A few days later a buddy told me they are illegal in Ca. Does anyone know if this is so?

[Hk996]

they are not illegal that I know of... I have bought several cases of steel core surplus ammo here... problem is, there are ranges that don't allow you to shoot them, especially in fire season.

[Scratch705]

i thought they were due to having slight armor piercing capabilities? hence the entire importation ban on them in the USA. but that is what i remember... so it may be wrong.

illegal for importation now, not illegal to possess if they were inside USA before the ban. IIRC

[freakshow10mm]

The SS109 are exempt from the "armor piercing" definition.

[problemchild]

Tungsten core 308's are the ones to have. They sell for 10.00 each.

[RogueSniper]

Penetrator with the steel core ARE NOT armor piercing as ruled by BATFE. Are talking you about the Green Tipped rounds?

Link to a previous discussion: http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=152254

I found these two sites helpful to understand.

http://www.thegunzone.com/556faq.html
http://www.inetres.com/gp/military/infantry/rifle/556mm_ammo.html

[POLICESTATE]

Penetrator with the steel core ARE NOT armor piercing as ruled by BATFE. Are talking about the Green Tipped rounds?

I found these two sites helpful to understand.

http://www.thegunzone.com/556faq.html
http://www.inetres.com/gp/military/infantry/rifle/556mm_ammo.html

The weird thing is that ss109 penetrate pretty darn good :)

[cmcconn]

I thought AP Handgun ammo was illegal in CA, your talking rifle ammo, as long as it's not incendiary or tracer should be GTG.

[Hogxtz]

Penetrator with the steel core ARE NOT armor piercing as ruled by BATFE. Are talking you about the Green Tipped rounds?

Link to a previous discussion: http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=152254

I found these two sites helpful to understand.

http://www.thegunzone.com/556faq.html
http://www.inetres.com/gp/military/infantry/rifle/556mm_ammo.html

Thank you for the info, very interesting stuff and I learned something. Here is the link to the bullets.

http://www.wideners.com/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=7237&dir=278|281|727

According to the link you gave me these are actually M855 ball rounds. Wideners is calling them MBSS109B ? It's also interesting that the BATF exempted these.

I have read many times that a 1-9 twist is ok for a 62 gr projectile, but that link says a 1-7 is needed. What is your opinion on these 62 gr M855 in a Stag AR-15 16 inch barrel with a 1-9 chrome lined barrel?

[freakshow10mm]

The SS109 bullet is the same length as the 69gr SMK class bullet. That's why it needs the 1/7 twist. 1/9 is a possibility and about a 50-50 success rate.

The lighter steel core present in the bullet means to obtain the weight of the 62gr, it needs to be longer, since the diameter is restricted to .224.

When handloading the SS109 bullet, use 69gr data and work up.

[Hogxtz]

The SS109 bullet is the same length as the 69gr SMK class bullet. That's why it needs the 1/7 twist. 1/9 is a possibility and about a 50-50 success rate.

The lighter steel core present in the bullet means to obtain the weight of the 62gr, it needs to be longer, since the diameter is restricted to .224.

When handloading the SS109 bullet, use 69gr data and work up.

Thanks!

[smoothy8500]

Your buddy may have meant that some ranges will not allow "steel core" or bi-metal jacketed bullets that attract magnets. They are concerned that sparks could ignite a brush fire.

[ar15barrels]

The SS109 bullet is the same length as the 69gr SMK class bullet. That's why it needs the 1/7 twist. 1/9 is a possibility and about a 50-50 success rate.

It really depends on barrel length.
If you are talking about 10.5 to 14.5" barrels, certainly go with a 1:7 for 62+gr bullets.
If you are talking about 20" barrels, then 1:9 is fine.
The extra velocity of a 20" barrel over the shorter barrels will help to stabilize a 62gr bullet.

[freakshow10mm]

90% of the guys here run a 16 inch barrel.