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Caliber .50 Cartridges

The caliber .50 cartridge consists of a cartridge case, primer, propelling charge, and the bullet. The term bullet refers only to the small-arms projectile. There are eight types of ammunition issued for use in the caliber .50 machine gun. The tips of the various rounds are color-coded to indicate their type. The ammunition is linked with the M2 or M9 metallic links for use in the machine gun.

Cartridge

M2 Ball


M1 Tracer


M2 Armor-piercing


M1 Incendiary

M8 Armor-piercing

M20 Armor-piercing


M1 Blank

M2 Dummy

M858 SRTA

M860 SRTA

M903 SLAP

M962 SLAPT

GDT

Use

In marksmanship training, against personnel, and light materiel targets.

To aid in observing fire-secondary purposes are for incendiary effect and for signaling.

Against armored aircraft and lightly armored vehicles, concrete shelters, and other bullet-resisting targets.

Incendiary effect-especially against aircraft.

Combined armor-piercing and Incendiary effect.

Combined armor-piercing and incendiary effect, with the additional tracer feature.

For simulated fire (contains no bullet).

For training (completely inert).


Sources and Resources



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http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/50.htm
Maintained by Robert Sherman
Originally created by John Pike
Updated Sunday, October 25, 1998 9:25:36 AM