AP ammunition

[SA M1Dom]

I swore I read this somewhere,(maybe Bruce Canfield's book), that at some point during the war US Army started using AP ammo almost exclusively. Am I correct about this?

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[browningautorifle]

For the .30 cal in the M1's...I'm under the impression it was for the Korean conflict that they had changed to AP for the clips. There was some story about it retaining energy and being more accurate at range...

[SA M1Dom]

That's actually the reason I was asking. I recently fired some AP from my M1 and I found it did better than standard surplus. My groups were tighter.

[browningautorifle]

And that was the story I had heard. I know others will be along in a minute. Wait...

[RT Ellis]

Somewhere I read that during WWII the Marine Corps had requested AP ammunition as Ball didn't penetrate log and wood defensive positions. The Army in the Pacific also went to AP, and it had become a standard replacement for Ball in rifle, BAR, and machine gun packaging during the Korean War.

[emmagee1917]

Patton requested that AP replace all ball in ammo supplied to his units if possible . This was post D-day but while still in France IIRC .
Chris

[SA M1Dom]

OK I just looked it up in Bruce Canfield's book, page 636. M2 AP essentially replaced M2 ball in the second World War.

"The Armor-piercing cartridge had replaced the ball for combat use because of its greater all-around penetrating power against a wide range of targets, together with its greater wounding effect against personnel due to secondary wound damage caused by the hard steel core."

Apparently by 1943 (approximately) M2 ball was relegated to state side training, and rifle and machine gun units were being issued M2 AP exclusively.
Aberdeen found M2 AP was more accurate than M2 Ball.

[catman]

I use AP's in my 30-06's, left over from the late 60's and they shoot very good.
Back in the day, I was even able to get some pulled 150 grain AP's for my 308, which I loaded and shoot in my M-14, whoops, I mean M1A. Wouldn't leave home without them.
Here's some test results from a 30-06. After going through 13 phone books, then 2 plates of 5/8 aluminum and then a 1/2" steel plate, then the projectile stuck in the 2nd, 1/2" steel plate.
Notice it is still sharp and pointed. The jacket came off in the 1st Alum plate and is melted into it--- forever.
The other big "hit" in the plate is from a FMJ, only hitting this 1 plate after the 13 books, but no alum. plates., big difference.
Chuck

[SA M1Dom]

I would imagine that these rounds would do terrible damage to a human body.

[catman]

Yeah, and anything else, that is in the way also.
Chuck