The M855A1 Round an Explanation

**JenniferG** · October 27th, 2024, 10:15 PM

The US military had switched over to an M855A1 round a few years ago and there were many technical issues that had to be overcome. Magazine design had to be modified, different style primer crimping and dealing with high chamber pressures. I've watched this man's channel for some years now. He was an employee at Colt and has technical knowledge that will put you to sleep for those with short attention spans.

**Emptymag** · October 27th, 2024, 10:33 PM

Just happy to see something gun related!

**bogey1** · October 28th, 2024, 09:10 AM

It's amazing how much work goes into something just to kill another human being.

**GeneCC** · November 8th, 2024, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by JenniferG

The US military had switched over to an M855A1 round a few years ago and there were many technical issues that had to be overcome. Magazine design had to be modified, different style primer crimping and dealing with high chamber pressures. I've watched this man's channel for some years now. He was an employee at Colt and has technical knowledge that will put you to sleep for those with short attention spans.

The M855A1 was a "green" round, meant to reduce lead pollution. Clinton started this crap during his Presidency.

https://loadoutroom.com/thearmsguide...better-badder/

The shorter barrel of the M4 prompted problems with terminal ballistics.

Glenn Dean wrote a book called In Search of Lethality: Green Ammo and the M855A1 Enhanced Performance Round

You can buy it online for a couple of bucks.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/138472

The Magazine modification was meant to reduce wear on the M4.

https://www.army.mil/article/177640/...ine_and_m855a1

You can use older magazines, but they will cause some issues. Allegedly the newer magazine is compatible with M855 rounds, but whether it's compatible with M193 or other rounds? I don't know.

**akley88** · November 8th, 2024, 01:33 PM

i picked up 100 of these for reloading, so this is some god info.

**GeneCC** · November 15th, 2024, 09:03 PM

Originally Posted by bogey1

It's amazing how much work goes into something just to kill another human being.

Hunting ammunition is designed to cleanly and quickly kill a game animal.

The results of heavy lead bullets in war lead to a campaign to reduce trauma. People had to have limbs amputated because of heavy lead rounds.

I don't recall the name of the group, based in central Europe, who proposed jacketed ammunition. They wanted to reduce damage to people.

The Hague Convention of 1899 reached some agreements on jacketed rounds but just in Europe. Colonial operations permitted the use of partially jacketed rounds. During the Italian campaign in Ethiopia the British issued 303 SMLEs and Dum-Dum arsenal rounds to the Ethiopian government. Italians a generation or two later still remembered "dum-dum bullets".

Most people still die from artillery or bomb fragments than small arms. I sometimes think that the point of small arms is to protect the forward observers and radio people while they guide fire.

**GeneCC** · November 15th, 2024, 09:15 PM

Originally Posted by akley88

i picked up 100 of these for reloading, so this is some god info.

Did you get seconds or surplus?

I would use a decent hunting round myself. Maybe the AMAX, Varmint Grenade or Varmaggedon rounds. All are good performers.

The Varmint Grenade claims to be derived from "military rounds".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSe8N0jBXhs

Varmaggedon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57sztAmVBFM

Gorilla Ammunition - 300 Blackout Varmageddon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTdEIymEH1M

AMAX

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ztnqn-g6OcA