Too many people see the mysterious sounding M855 designation and say “Nope, this 5.56×45 ammunition can’t be for my AR-15.” But that’s not so! Any firearm chambered for 5.56 can safely fire M855 ammo. And whether you just want to pulverize some targets or prepare for an emergency, you’ll find this ammo makes a great investment in your rifle.

The M855 cartridge is magnetic, but its 62 grain bullet’s jacket actually contains zero steel. The steel is all in the front section of its core, where it forms a tip that facilitates penetration of barriers including sheet metal. The M855 bullet may even break in half as it penetrates soft tissue, which lets it create twice as many wound channels as a conventional FMJ projectile.

You can’t fire magnetic ammo at all indoor ranges, and you’ll definitely want a 1:9 or 1:8 twist barrel if you want to witness the M855 round’s peak accuracy. (You can get away with a 1:7 barrel too, especially if you’re not firing over several hundred yards.) Igman is based in southeast Europe and has been in business for several decades. You can trust their reloadable brass cases to feed and extract reliably, and their Boxer primers do not produce corrosive salts.