Thoughts on armor piercing bullets in AR pistols?

[slingshot77]

Thoughts on armor piercing bullets in AR pistols?

18 USC 921(a)(17):
(B) 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;


I know the M-855 (green tip) are exempt & are OK to use as well as most frangibles are OK to use in an AR pistol but what about some of the new all copper or other all alloy bullets?

This came up today over morning coffee & shooting BS (or BS shooting, I’m never sure which) when I mentioned I was looking at a super deal on pulled all copper .30 cal bullets.

It was then brought up that they might be considered armor piercing so I might not be able to legally use in my 300Blk pistols.

I’m not really worried as all copper look just like FMJ lead core but it would be nice to know the law on this.

Anybody have anything firm on this?

[hunterspirit]

AP is OK in 30/06, but knot .308 / 7.62 x 51. AR10 can be a pistol, as well as a 300 BO, since most are Pistol gas

[10x25mm]

Do yourself a favor and don't load any projectiles which respond to a magnet in any .30 caliber / 7.62mm cartridge with a cartridge case length shorter than 55mm. The bimetal jacket/lead core projectiles are actually legal, but you cannot prove it without sectioning them. The M1158 and M1159 nonmagnetic tungsten core projectiles are so rare that you don't have to worry about acquiring them in a bulk pulled bullet buy.

[slingshot77]

Do yourself a favor and don't load any projectiles which respond to a magnet in any .30 caliber / 7.62mm cartridge with a cartridge case length shorter than 55mm. The bimetal jacket/lead core projectiles are actually legal, but you cannot prove it without sectioning them. The M1158 and M1159 nonmagnetic tungsten core projectiles are so rare that you don't have to worry about acquiring them in a bulk pulled bullet buy.

Good to know, I try to not shoot any magnetic bullets but if I ever do & will section a couple on my band saw & toss them in my kit.

What about the full copper-alloy bullets starting to show up?

[10x25mm]

What about the full copper-alloy bullets starting to show up?

You should be OK with pure copper bullets, but 18 USC 921(a)(17) never defined brass, bronze, or beryllium copper alloys. Some alloys with as much as 97% copper content are colloquially known as brass, bronze, or beryllium copper alloys. This has never been tested in court, but you don't want to be the guy who gets to fund the court test.

[slingshot77]

You should be OK with pure copper bullets, but 18 USC 921(a)(17) never defined brass, bronze, or beryllium copper alloys. Some alloys with as much as 97% copper content are colloquially known as brass, bronze, or beryllium copper alloys. This has never been tested in court, but you don't want to be the guy who gets to fund the court test.

Do you think the standard (available) copper bullets would fall under the definition of-- "a projectile which the Attorney General finds is primarily intended to be used for sporting purposes"?

I know (well read anyhow) that Remington got in jam of some sort a while back with some copper bullet .223 rounds.