what's the difference? (AP vs SC)

[Kerplow]

What's the diff between armor piercing and steel core? Are AP rounds legal in PRK?

[Mrskylinetou]

Ap rounds I think are illigal in Cali. Most ranges hate it bec of the damage. I think steel core is just that. But nothing like Ap. Don't quote me on that it's just what I remember hearing third hand

[gunboat]

I may stand corrected but:
AP has a hardened steel core with copper or soft steel jacket. - not illegal in rifle bullets --
Steel core is just that, a soft steel core instead of a lead core with copper or soft steel jacket.
I believe some areas of calif require a non-lead hunting bullet and often some ranges will not allow steel jackets/cores to various degrees.
my ha-penny

[CSDGuy]

AP ammunition is illegal ONLY in handgun ammo, in California.

AP ammunition is designed to penetrate armor. Basically, it's a penetrator made of steel or some other heavy metal that is encased by some kind of jacket. That jacket likely will be discarded on impact with the armor.

Steel Core ammo may have some armor piercing capability, but the steel is not going to be hardened for that purpose. There may be a soft metal jacket, but it's not expected to be shed on impact. Steel is lighter than lead for a given volume, so a steel core bullet of a given weight will be longer than a lead core bullet. That may result in a higher ballistic coefficient or perhaps better stability. Since there's no lead in the bullet, steel core bullets may be considered more eco-friendly. They also do NOT deform as much (if at all) as lead core bullets do, so they're not all that great for hunting...

At least that's the way I understand the two...

[Mrskylinetou]

I agree with cds. Most of the time ap is dipped in green, read is tracers then u can get into all kinds of different colors and strips. I may stand corrected on the colors.

Go look up the 50 bmg survival kit. They got some cool stuff that might help explain things

[joelogic]

You guys are killin me.
Black: AP
Blue: Incendiary
Orange/Red: Tracer
Green: Semi-AP (newish .223 only)
Green w/ silver band: Frangible
Silver: API
Yellow: Spotter (exploding)

[Mrskylinetou]

I can never remember the colors. I supose I should have looked it up first.

[Mssr. Eleganté]

It is a confusing subject. To even begin to understand it you first need to learn all of the terms in use and by whom the terms are used.

First you have the military. They designate certain types of ammunition to be armor piercing. Usually the ammo will have projectiles with hardened steel or tungsten cores. The military designation of "armor piercing" has absolutely zero meaning when it comes to Federal or California laws on "armor piercing" ammunition.


Next you have the definition of "armor piercing" ammunition under Federal law. The definition is supposed to only apply to handgun ammo, but the wording of the law allows BATFE to declare just about any caliber to be "handgun ammo". They have done this with 7.62x39 and 7.62x51.

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.

As you can see, this Federal definition ends up encompassing many types of projectiles that were never intended to be "armor piercing" by any military and which have no more ability to penetrate armor than standard FMJ projectiles. It is also important to understand that the Federal restrictions on "armor piercing" ammunition only apply to importation or manufacture of the ammo/projectiles or to the disposition of the ammo/projectiles by FFLs. That means it's perfectly legal to own and shoot "armor piercing ammunition" under Federal law and it is perfectly legal to buy and sell it as long as you are not an FFL.


Then you have California law. The term "armor piercing ammunition" is not used in the California Penal Code. Instead it uses the term "handgun ammunition designed primarily to penetrate metal or armor." This type of ammo is completely restricted in California. You can't possess, use, buy or sell a single live round of "handgun ammunition designed primarily to penetrate metal or armor" within California. The good news is that California does not have the ability to declare rifle ammo to be handgun ammo like the Feds do. The Penal Code specifically excludes "ammunition primarily designed for use in rifles" from the definition.

"Handgun ammunition designed primarily to penetrate metal or armor" means any ammunition, except a shotgun shell or ammunition primarily designed for use in rifles, that is designed primarily to penetrate a body vest or body shield, and has either of the following characteristics:

(1) Has projectile or projectile core constructed entirely, excluding the presence of traces of other substances, from one or a combination of tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, beryllium copper, or depleted uranium, or any equivalent material of similar density or hardness.

(2) Is primarily manufactured or designed, by virtue of its shape, cross-sectional density, or any coating applied thereto, including, but not limited to, ammunition commonly known as "KTW ammunition," to breach or penetrate a body vest or body shield when fired from a pistol, revolver, or other firearm capable of being concealed upon the person.

[bigstick61]

I can never remember the colors. I supose I should have looked it up first.

It differs. Combloc I think is a bit different. I know the British for a time as well as others used green (any .303 with a painted tip that is AP will have a green tip; not all have painted tips, though, just different colour primer sealant).