Armor Piercing

Armor Piercing Ammo

Armor Piercing (AP) ammo refers to ammunition that will penetrate steel or armor based on the construction of the bullet, its profile and its velocity. SBR manufactures several types of AP ammunition using either hardened steel or tungsten carbide as the core of the projectile. 

A Brief History of Armor Piercing Ammunition

Ironically, the use of gunpowder in cannons on the battlefield began the downfall of metal armor in warfare. Suits of armor were made so thick and heavy that knights had to be lowered onto their horses using a crane and bigger horses were needed to carry such knights into battle.

Eventually, the armored knight declined on the battlefield and gave way to cannons and muskets, but it would only be a matter of time until armor would make a comeback. Ammunition would be modified to meet this challenge.

As warships were fitted with iron plating in the 19^th century, projectiles such as cannon balls were designed to defeat this armor. By World War 1, ammunition was being developed to combat the armor on tanks and metal vehicles. Throughout the twentieth century, armor piercing ammunition was constantly being upgraded in order to defeat personal body armor or flak jackets, metal vehicles and armored vehicles such as tanks or APCs (Armored Personnel Carriers) as new technology and metallurgy became available. This evolution continues in the twenty-first century.

As a side note, handgun ammunition is usually not made to penetrate armor. The velocity is the main drawback here as very few handgun cartridges are capable of generating the velocity needed. Although armor piercing handgun ammunition does exist, it is not the norm.

Types of Armor Piercing Ammunition

As mentioned previously, AP ammo behaves as such based on different characteristics of the round of ammunition in question. Most jacketed high-velocity ammunition is armor piercing by the nature of the round’s velocity, whether it is labeled as such or not.

In many instances, this is improved upon by using a projectile constructed of a hardened metal or something like tungsten carbide.

The difference between using a projectile made from either hardened steel or tungsten carbide depends on the demands of the mission requirements and its parameters. The construction of the target comes into play as well.

For example, a tungsten carbide projectile is normally intended for the penetration of steel armor plating whereas ammunition with a hardened steel core is suited for heavy vehicle doors or something like ballistic glass.  SBR offers a number of different calibers in a wide variety of projectile weights using either material for the bullet’s core.

These rounds are primarily intended for use by military or law enforcement snipers who may need to penetrate a hard target or an armored vehicle in order to stop an enemy threat.

The projectiles feature a thick copper jacket in order to prevent damage to the bore of the rifle from which they are fired. Without this jacket, the rifling would get destroyed after a few hundred rounds as the hardened projectile would wear down the steel of the barrel.

SBR offers armor piercing ammunition in a number of popular calibers for military and law enforcement use to include the following:

5.56 NATO - Tungsten

308 Winchester  - Tungsten

338 Lapua Magnum - Tungsten

375 Chey Tac - Tungsten    

300 Winchester Magnum -Tungsten

7.62x54R-  Tungsten  

300 Blackout-  Hardened Steel and Tungsten  

300 Norma Mag - Tungsten

240 Spectre - Tungsten

388 Norma Mag-  Tungsten  

50 BMG (12.7x99mm) - Hardened Steel

Armor Piercing Ammo from SBR

All of SBR’s AP Ammunition is manufactured as match grade ammunition and meets all of the specifications that you would expect to find in that class of ammo.

That means that each and every round of ammunition is painstakingly assembled and inspected individually in order to preserve this high quality. This ensures uniform consistency, accuracy and reliability for each and every cartridge in every batch. We hold ourselves to the highest standards in the industry in this regard.

Additionally, SBR offers API (Armor Piercing Incendiary) ammunition in a variety of calibers.

SBR’s armor piercing ammunition is only available for sale to government agencies at the state, local or federal levels or for export to other countries.

Feel free to contact SBR for specific needs or cartridge specifications by emailing: [email protected] 

Custom R&D, and testing is available.