You may see green tip 5.56 ammo for sale at gun shops (like you can here at Bucking Horse Outpost). You’ll also see it at fairly good prices since it’s produced for the military and is mostly sold as surplus. Anyone selling it is probably really trying to get rid of it.
So you can probably get green tip 5.56 for a good deal. But one thing you should never do with it is shoot it at steel targets. Here’s what you need to know.
The Deal with the Steel Penetrator Insert
Green tip 5.56 is just like regular 5.56, except that it has a steel tip penetrator insert. This changes the weight of the bullet slightly and shifts the center of gravity of the bullet.
It also has a significant impact on the hardness of the bullet nose. Even FMJ ammo, which is designed for penetration, pales in comparison to the performance of green tip.
If you shoot an FMJ bullet at a steel target, there’s still a slight risk of ricochet, but more or less the bullet is going to flatten itself out or even disintegrate on heavy steel plates.
Green tip 5.56 is not like this, even though it is not technically armor piercing, like black tip 5.56. Rather, if you shoot green tip 5.56 at a steel target, there’s a serious and dangerous risk of ricochet.
This produces a public safety risk, for everyone else at the range, but unfortunately, it is not the only reason not to shoot green tip 5.56 at steel.
Another, which you can probably also have guessed at, is that these bullets, which are designed to penetrate thin steel plate, will wreak havoc on your steel targets.
Now, one of the big things about shooting steel is that the targets are supposed to be reusable (plus they provide pleasant auditory feedback). With a steel-tipped bullet, your steel targets aren’t going to be nearly as reusable as you’d like.
Even if the bullets don’t actually penetrate the steel plate, they will pit and deform it. At close ranges, they might even be able to punch through (this depends on the thickness of the target). At long ranges it really won’t be a huge deal but at close and intermediate ranges green tip and steel targets really shouldn’t mix.
There’s one more reason you shouldn’t shoot steel targets with green tip 5.56, although it’s not applicable in all cases. The contact between a steel-tipped bullet like green tip 5.56 and a steel target can strike sparks, which can cause wildfires.
In the east it might not be as big of a deal, but if you’re out west or live anywhere in the country that has chronically dry conditions, then shooting green tip at steel can produce a higher risk of fire - just something to keep in mind.
So What Is Green Tip 5.56 Good for?
Don’t take all of this the wrong way. You shouldn’t shoot green tip 5.56 at steel but, at the same time, we sell it, and see the use case. This post shouldn’t turn you off of green tip entirely.
One of the great things about green tip 5.56 is the cost. Since it’s often sold in bulk or as surplus, you can get pretty attractive prices on a good deal. That’s one reason to stock the cans.
Because of the cost and availability, green tip can be a good ammo for high-volume target shooting and training.
If all you shoot at are paper targets, and you only shoot outside, green tip can make a great choice. Just be aware that if you hit the frame of your target stand, it’ll probably be cooked.
Ultimately, if you’re looking for a low-cost ammo that you can really burn through with a high-volume shooting discipline, and which will prove effective for training and drilling, green tip 5.56 might be a good option.
Just keep the scope of use to target practice. This ammo has very little sporting application, is useless for hunting and self-defense, and not the best for long range shooting. The cartridge and caliber are acceptable for long-range shooting but there are far better rounds.
Save Big on Bulk Ammo Here
Want to stock up your ammo cans with some quality green tip 5.56 ammo? You can get it at great prices if you know where to shop. Make your first stop our online catalog.
Also, check through our other bulk ammo deals and make sure you don’t miss our police trade-in specials. Even if you aren’t snared by a green tip deal in there, there are tons of other hot buys on which you won’t be likely to get a second chance. When they’re gone they’re gone!