Wtf: M193 and M855 on steel

[Bennyboy]

So I recently got some new targets: one is a 1/2” AR500 which I placed at 50 yards. Manufacturer says no steel core and nothing over 3,000 fps. Longest AR is 14.5” so even M193 should be under the velocity threshold and I just planned not to use M855. After shooting some M193 and seeing more damage than expected, I shot one round of M855. Pics show the results: the M193 makes a significantly wider and deeper crater than M855. Kinda makes me wonder what the point of M855 is. 193 on the left, 855 on the right.

 

[Moe_Fugga]

I have plenty of steel targets and I make sure all gongs swing freely from shepherd hooks and silhouettes hang static at a decent forward angle. I don’t shoot closer than 50 yards with rifles. Most are more like 60-70 yards. I don’t get worried about what type of 5.56 I shoot. Just no steel core. Never saw this type of damage on mine.

I have one large and super heavy steel silhouette that I don’t know the rating of. I was told it was AR500. I hung it up, but it was too heavy to swing and got dented up pretty deep with a 10.5 barrel AR. Kinda bummed me out, but it is what it is. The fact that I was hitting it dead straight and it didn’t swing is what I believe caused the damage. That energy has to have somewhere to go rather than straight into the steel. I didn’t think about the weight before I hung it. I need to angle it on a static holder.

 

[fattboyzz]

I have a 3/8" mild steel gong. The 855 blows right thru.
Some of the copper fmj did as well.
That Tula fmj thats steel core did too.

Thanx for testing yours