Help identifying ammo please - Detailed pics and info

[us3]

Hello

I have some ammo and I'm not sure what it is. (556/223?)

It has a crimped primer pocket with red sealant, polished brass with FC 06 headstamp and a hollow point bullet.

It does not appear to be reloaded as far as I can tell. (no extractor or ejector marks and no markings or bulging on the case at all, looks like new brass)


As far as I know, LC M193 has annealed brass, no sealant, NATO marking and a FMJ. This ammo is very different than that and was sold to me loose in a lot with other .223 and 5.56 ammo.

If anyone has any info it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Matt

[edgerly779]

Federal ammo may be frangible training ammo.

[us3]

Federal ammo may be frangible training ammo.

Thanks for the quick reply

Hmm, you might be onto something there. I did think the hollow point looked serrated instead of smooth like Match ammo. (and a bigger diameter) I did get this from a Mil guy so maybe that's what it is.

I'd still like to know if anyone could confirm exactly what it is.

Thanks again

Matt






EDIT: I did a quick search and there is Z or XM556NT1 frangible ammo and they do have a blue sealant but have an annealed case, gray/black tip and look to be soft point instead of hollow point.

Still would like to know exactly what I have if anyone knows for sure

[CamW]

Maybe Federal American Eagle ammo?
50 grain hollow point. Can you pull one of the bullets and weigh it?

https://www.federalpremium.com/rifle/american-eagle/american-eagle-varmint/11-AE223G.html

[us3]

Maybe Federal American Eagle ammo?
50 grain hollow point. Can you pull one of the bullets and weigh it?

https://www.federalpremium.com/rifle...11-AE223G.html

I'll weigh them compared to other ammo and see. (I don't want to pull a bullet if I don't have to)

The Fed AE 223 JHP is headstamped 223 REM so I'm thinking this round is 5.56 training ammo.

Thanks for the info, I'll update the post once I weigh them.

Matt




Edit: I just weighed some other rounds to compare

Fed
unknown HP 11.5g
M193 FMJ 55gr 11.6g
Tactical Bonded SP 55gr 11.6g

Speer
GDSP 55gr 11.6g
GDSP 64gr 12.1g

Win Ranger
Power-Point SP 64gr 12.3g


It's the lightest of the bunch but only by .1g

[us3]

Any other insight as to what these rounds are exactly?

Thanks for the info

Matt

[hermosabeach]

http://cartridgecollectors.org/headstampcodes

FC Departmento de la Industrial Militar, Mexico City, Mexico 1
FC Federal Cartridge Corp., Anoka, MN 55303 (also produced in Germany and Austria for Federal) 1
FC Prvi Partizan, Titovo, Uzice 31000, Yugoslavia 1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_military_headstamps

FC or FCC Federal Cartridge Corporation (1917-?) - Anoka, Minnesota[2]

https://www.firearmstalk.com/threads/fc-headstamp-question.23056/

Just got a delivery of FC Crimped brass that I ordered.

Its all Federal, but with different headstamps.

Can anyone tell me the difference in the markings?

I know the numbers mean the year of production, but what would be the difference between FC 223 Rem & FC 08?

Are there any years better than others? It seems that I have from 05 - 08

[hermosabeach]

Frangible is compressed dust. I have NEVER seen Hollow Point Frangible

I would be afraid it would be damaged on the feed ramps

My Guess the Head stamp is just Federal Cartridge - made in 2006



Serious Question - how did you end up with unknown ammo?

[us3]

Frangible is compressed dust. I have NEVER seen Hollow Point Frangible

I would be afraid it would be damaged on the feed ramps

My Guess the Head stamp is just Federal Cartridge - made in 2006



Serious Question - how did you end up with unknown ammo?

Thanks for the info.

The pictured ammo is for sure Federal ammo. (Mil/LE/Training) It came with a large lot of other Federal .223/5.56 ammo and it was in a Ball M193 can so that's what I assumed it was until I opened the can and found these rounds.

It was purchased from a Mil/LE person so I'm assuming it's some sort of training 5.56 round. (still not sure about the hollow point though)

As far as I know, .223 REM stamp is .223 brass and just the LC stamp is 5.56 brass. Real NATO 5.56 has the circle and cross stamped in it so that's why I'm thinking these are training rounds.

Thanks again

Matt

[us3]

Also, some hunting/varmint ammo that is frangible do have a tip or hollow point and are copper jacketed, not the dust frag kind for safety like mentioned.

Matt

[tabascoz28]

I have some of that brass and you can see it's sealed so most likely 55 grain 5.56. If you have a chrono you can see how fast it moves.

Also, are you trying to weigh these as grams? Wouldn't the overall weight in grains be more than 55, plus powder, plus primer plus brass?

My sealed FC223 55g weighs 177.1 grain or 11.5g

[us3]

I have some of that brass and you can see it's sealed so most likely 55 grain 5.56. If you have a chrono you can see how fast it moves.

Also, are you trying to weigh these as grams? Wouldn't the overall weight in grains be more than 55, plus powder, plus primer plus brass?

My sealed FC223 55g weighs 177.1 grain or 11.5g

I was just weighing the full rounds for reference. I weighed 3 known rounds and all of the 55gr full cartridges weighed 11.6 grams.

Federal
M193 FMJ 55gr 11.6g
Tactical Bonded SP 55gr 11.6g

Speer
GDSP 55gr 11.6g

[tabascoz28]

This is actually a good reference. I tried weighing 308/7.62nato brass once and they can be off as much as 20 grains. I think you're safe to assume this is 223/55g.

[FLIGHT762]

If you really want to know what it is, pull a bullet and weigh it in Grains, not Grams. It could very well be a light weight Varmint / target bullet.

[us3]

If you really want to know what it is, pull a bullet and weigh it in Grains, not Grams. It could very well be a light weight Varmint / target bullet.

I hear you but I don't know why Federal would load a varmint or target bullet in this casing. (has a crimped primer and sealant like Mil but also has a polished casing like target so that's what has me confused)

I weighed the full round compared to known 55gr and 64gr and it was .1 gram under 55gr so I do believe it's under a 55gr bullet.