Fiocchi 5.56 55gr FMJ-BT – Proven Range Ammo Boat Tail

Description

Fiocchi 5.56 55gr FMJ-BT is Italian made range ammunition with one detail that separates it from generic ball. The bullet is a boat tail rather than a flat base, which is a small change that improves the ballistic coefficient and tightens groups at distance for no extra money.

• What the boat tail does for Fiocchi 5.56 55gr FMJ-BT
• Full specifications
• Where Fiocchi 5.56 55gr FMJ-BT fits
• Honest notes before you buy
• Know the chamber before buying Fiocchi 5.56 55gr FMJ-BT
• The bottom line

What the boat tail does for Fiocchi 5.56 55gr FMJ-BT

A flat based bullet leaves the muzzle dragging a turbulent wake. The tapered heel on Fiocchi 5.56 55gr FMJ-BT reduces that base drag, which raises the ballistic coefficient slightly and makes the bullet less sensitive to crosswind. At 100 yards the difference is marginal. At 300 it is visible on paper.

It is still ball ammunition and should be judged as such. Expect practical accuracy in the one and a half to two and a half inch range at 100 yards from a decent AR, which is better than most steel cased imports and short of match.

Full specifications

• Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO
• Bullet weight: 55 grain
• Bullet: Full Metal Jacket Boat Tail
• Velocity: approx 3,100 fps from 16 inch barrel
• Case: Brass, boxer primed, reloadable
• Chamber: 5.56 NATO or .223 Wylde, not 223 Rem only
• Intended use: Range and training

Loaded to full 5.56 NATO pressure at roughly 3,100 feet per second from a 16 inch barrel. Cases are brass, boxer primed and reloadable. Fiocchi has been making ammunition since 1876 and the quality control reflects it.

Where Fiocchi 5.56 55gr FMJ-BT fits

General purpose AR practice. Fiocchi 5.56 55gr FMJ-BT is the sensible default for someone who wants brass cased ammunition with slightly better ballistics than bargain ball, without paying for a match load they cannot shoot the benefit of.

It also suits shooters who reload, since Fiocchi brass is well regarded and holds up to repeated loadings. Over several cycles that changes the real cost per round substantially.

Honest notes before you buy

This is marked 5.56 NATO and loaded to NATO pressure, which runs higher than 223 Remington. Fiocchi 5.56 55gr FMJ-BT belongs in a 5.56 NATO or .223 Wylde chamber. Do not fire it in a rifle marked 223 Remington only, where the shorter throat raises pressure further.

The 55 grain bullet stabilizes in every common twist rate, so a 1:9 or 1:7 barrel handles it without thought. There is no twist concern at this weight.

Know the chamber before buying Fiocchi 5.56 55gr FMJ-BT

This is the important caveat. Fiocchi 5.56 55gr FMJ-BT is range ammunition. Full metal jacket bullets do not expand, so they overpenetrate severely and are a poor choice indoors, and on game they wound rather than kill cleanly. FMJ is illegal for deer in many states. Buy a soft point or a bonded expanding load for hunting and a purpose built defensive load for defense.

Stored dry it keeps for decades. Brass cased ammunition from reputable makers routinely outlasts the rifles bought to shoot it.

The bottom line

Boat tail bullets are marginally more forgiving of a worn crown, which is a minor point but a real one on a high mileage barrel. You can read more about the bullet design at swiftbullets.com, or browse the rest of our stock on the MAG5 Firearms ammunition page.

MAG5 Firearms keeps the Fiocchi 5.56 55gr FMJ-BT in stock and moving, and we are glad to talk through bullet choice before you order. If you are working up a load for a new rifle, a single box of the Fiocchi 5.56 55gr FMJ-BT is a sensible place to start.