M193 or m855

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BlueBuck

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Hey y’all is m855 worth it if it’s a little cheaper then m193 or would you just keep staking m193.
 
M193 has a 55gr. bullet and is normally cheaper than M855.
M855 has a 62gr. bullet with a steel penetrator inside.
This is Ball ammo, so don't expect match accuracy.
As long as your barrel has the appropriate twist to stabilize M855 and it's cheaper, get it.
 
I was just curious because I hear people trash m855.
 
If you are doing informal shooting, and especially "mag dumps", it isn't going to matter.

I can't really give you a first-hand comparison as all of my AR shooting was in competition using handloads with match bullets.
But someone here has shot both and will chime in before long.

Theoretically, it is more difficult to make a bullet with a separate penetrator inside. Keeping everything concentric so it doesn't affect accuracy is difficult when mass producing millions of rounds of ammo annually. But is it enough to matter at typical ranges you will use it at? Probably not.

If you have a real need for ammo that is more accurate than Ball, then buy or load ammo with match grade bullets. It will cost a lot more than Ball ammo, so save it for when you need it and use the Ball ammo for informal use.
 
Your mileages may vary of course, but my RRA carbine AR didn't like it. 16" barrel, 1 in 9 twist. Groups went from 3" at 100 yards with xm193 to immeasurable with M855. By immeasurable I mean they were 12+ inch groups.

I haven't put any through my 24" 1 in 8 CBC yet but I did pick up a couple boxes to try. I'm still in the break in count and will have to catch a weekend when I'm not too busy and the weather is co-operating.
 
Curmudgeon said:
Your mileages may vary of course, but my RRA carbine AR didn't like it. 16" barrel, 1 in 9 twist. Groups went from 3" at 100 yards with xm193 to immeasurable with M855. By immeasurable I mean they were 12+ inch groups.

I haven't put any through my 24" 1 in 8 CBC yet but I did pick up a couple boxes to try. I'm still in the break in count and will have to catch a weekend when I'm not too busy and the weather is co-operating.
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12+ inch groups that’s literally insane, is that because it’s a 1 in 9?
 
Some ranges don't permit steel core ammo, so there could be that angle to consider depending on where you use it.
 
BlueBuck said:
12+ inch groups that’s literally insane, is that because it’s a 1 in 9?
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I'm assuming that it was due to the twist rate but at the time I didn't have any other barrels to try it in. I did choose the RRA for the Wylde chamber and that may also have contributed to the wild swing. If I see a large group out of my 24", which is also a Wylde chamber, then I will attribute it to that. If anyone else has experience with this I would appreciate any feedback.
 
I’m curious if it will fragment like m193 of rifle length barrels.
 
BlueBuck said:
I’m curious if it will fragment like m193 of rifle length barrels.
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It was designed to penetrate a USGI steel helmet at 500yds, so I would think not.
 
Curmudgeon said:
I'm assuming that it was due to the twist rate but at the time I didn't have any other barrels to try it in. I did choose the RRA for the Wylde chamber and that may also have contributed to the wild swing. If I see a large group out of my 24", which is also a Wylde chamber, then I will attribute it to that. If anyone else has experience with this I would appreciate any feedback.
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I don't think the Wylde chamber is the cause. Although I am curious as to why you have a Wylde chamber paired with a 9 twist. Gunsmith Bill Wylde designed the chambering bearing his name for High Power Service Rifle competitors.

To oversimplify things, the Wylde has the tighter neck and ball seat of the 223 chamber, but the longer throat of the 5.56 chamber. It was created to allow competitors to long seat the 80gr. SMK to increase powder capacity for the 600yd. stage of the match.
 
no4mk1t said:
I don't think the Wylde chamber is the cause. Although I am curious as to why you have a Wylde chamber paired with a 9 twist. Gunsmith Bill Wylde designed the chambering bearing his name for High Power Service Rifle competitors.

To oversimplify things, the Wylde has the tighter neck and ball seat of the 223 chamber, but the longer throat of the 5.56 chamber. It was created to allow competitors to long seat the 80gr. SMK to increase powder capacity for the 600yd. stage of the match.
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The reason I went with the Wylde chamber was to be able to load long. Unknowing at the time that a 1 in 9 twist wasn't really fast enough to stabilize the longer, heavier bullets. I built my 24" with shooting longer ranges in mind.

We live and hopefully we learn.
 
Curmudgeon said:
The reason I went with the Wylde chamber was to be able to load long. Unknowing at the time that a 1 in 9 twist wasn't really fast enough to stabilize the longer, heavier bullets. I built my 24" with shooting longer ranges in mind.

We live and hopefully we learn.
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To be fair, the 9 twist came out when the heaviest commercial bullet was the 69SMK. It is sufficient for that. It should stabilize M855 as well.
 
Most indoor ranges don't permit M855. Ive seen them ask to see your ammo and check it with a magnet.

Steel shank ammo is for filling the air with lead. It's the anti-social ammo for ARs.
 
no4mk1t said:
To be fair, the 9 twist came out when the heaviest commercial bullet was the 69SMK. It is sufficient for that. It should stabilize M855 as well.
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It should, but for some reason mine doesn't.
 
Bongo Lewi said:
Most indoor ranges don't permit M855. Ive seen them ask to see your ammo and check it with a magnet.

Steel shank ammo is for filling the air with lead. It's the anti-social ammo for ARs.
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My range is the back 40 with no restrictions on ammo type or shooting style. Just basic common sense and firearm safety.
 
So I’m assuming m855 would work good in a 1 in 7 and maybe even 1 in 8 twist.
 

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