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 machinegun.

Cartridge	Use
M2 Ball	In marksmanship training, against personnel, and light materiel targets.
M1 Tracer	To aid in observing fire-secondary purposes are for incendiary effect and for signaling.
M2 Armor-piercing	Against armored aircraft and lightly armored vehicles, concrete shelters, and other bullet-resisting targets.
M1 Incendiary	Incendiary effect-especially against aircraft.
M8 Armor-Piercing	Combined armor-piercing and Incendiary effect.
M20 Armor-Piercing	Combined armor-piercing and incendiary effect, with the additional tracer feature.
M1 Blank	For simulated fire (contains no bullet).
M2 Dummy	For training (completely inert).
M858 SRTA
M860 SRTA
M903 SLAP
M962 SLAPT
GDT
Raufoss	Next generation of multipurpose ammunition

 

Sources and Resources

• FM 9-13 AMMUNITION HANDBOOK A GUIDE FOR AMMUNITION SPECIALISTS - 4 November 1986

Last Modified on January 12, 2000
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