5.56mm Cartridges
The .223 Remington cartridge's recoil, as well as that of almost identical 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge, is negligible compared with the .30-06 and .308/7.62mm NATO cartridges that dominated individual weapons used by American troops from 1903 until 1966. Soldiers persistently criticized the smaller round for its lack of "stopping power." The small-diameter bullet travels at high speed, and frequently passes through enemy soldiers without inflicting immediately visible injury.
| Designation | Notes |
| US Army 5.56mm Cartridges | |
|---|---|
| Cartridge, 5.56mm: Ball, M193 | 5.56x45mm NATO 55-grain FMJ |
| Cartridge, 5.56mm: Grenade, M195 | 5.56x45mm NATO rifle grenade launching blank cartridge |
| Cartridge, 5.56mm: Tracer, M196 | 5.56x45mm NATO 54-grain tracer cartridge; red tip |
| Cartridge, 5.56mm: High Pressure Test, M197 | 5.56x45mm NATO 56-grain high-pressure test cartridge |
| Cartridge, 5.56mm: Dummy, M199 | 5.56x45mm NATO dummy cartridge |
| Cartridge, 5.56mm: Blank, M200 | 5.56x45mm NATO blank cartridge |
| Cartridge, 5.56mm: Ball, M202 | 5.56x45mm NATO 58-grain FMJ cartridge; FN SSX822 |
| Cartridge, 5.56mm: Dummy, M232 | 5.56x45mm NATO dummy cartridge |
| Cartridge, 5.56mm: Ball, XM287 | 5.56x45mm NATO 68-grain FMJ cartridge; IVI Canada produced |
| Cartridge, 5.56mm: Tracer, XM288 | 5.56x45mm NATO 68-grain tracer cartridge; IVI Canada produced |
| Cartridge, 5.56mm: Blank, M755 | 5.56x45mm NATO blank cartridge specially for use with the M234 launcher |
| Cartridge, 5.56mm: Ball, XM777 | 5.56x45mm NATO FMJ cartridge |
| Cartridge, 5.56mm: Tracer, XM778 | 5.56x45mm NATO tracer cartridge |
| Cartridge, 5.56mm: Ball, XM779 | 5.56x45mm NATO FMJ cartridge |
| Cartridge, 5.56mm: Tracer, XM780 | 5.56x45mm NATO tracer cartridge |
| Cartridge, 5.56mm: Ball, M855 | 5.56x45mm NATO 62-grain FMJ cartridge; FN SS109; green tip |
| Cartridge, 5.56mm: Tracer, M855 | 5.56x45mm NATO 63.7-grain tracer cartridge; FN L110; orange tip |
| Cartridge, 5.56mm: Plastic Practice, M862 | 5.56x45mm NATO plastic projectile training cartridge; blue bullet; Short Range Training Ammunition (SRTA) |
| Cartridge, 5.56mm: Armor Piercing, M995 | 5.56x45mm NATO plastic projectile training cartridge; blue bullet; Short Range Training Ammunition (SRTA) |
| Cartridge, 5.56mm: Dim Tracer, XM996 | 5.56x45mm NATO dim tracer cartridge |
| Cartridge, 5.56mm, Practice M1042 | 5.56x45mm Ultimate Training Munitions training cartridge; specifically for use with the Close Combat Mission Capability Kit |
| Cartridge, 5.56mm, Practice M1071 | 5.56x45mm Ultimate Training Munitions training cartridge; specifically for use with the Close Combat Mission Capability Kit |
| US Navy 5.56mm Cartridges | |
| Cartridge, 5.56mm, Jacketed, Frangible, Mk 255 | 5.56x45mm NATO 62-grain jacketed frangible cartridge; aka Reduced Ricochet, Limited Penetration (RRLP) |
| Cartridge, 5.56mm, Special Ball, Long Range, Mk 262 | 5.56x45mm NATO 77-grain OTM/HPBT cartridge |
| Cartridge, 5.56mm, Ball, Carbine, Barrier, Mk 318 | 5.56x45mm NATO 62-grain OTM/HPBT cartridge |
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