ar15.com (also known as “arfcom“) is a tremendous resource for all things firearms (I know people have varying opinions on it, but hey, it’s still got some good stuff), but with an obvious focus on the AR-15 platform.

One of the resources provided by ar15.com is The Ammo Oracle. The tagline: “Everything you ever wanted to know about .223 and 5.56 ammunition or double your money back.” I’ve read it before, but they seem to have improved the format and navigation of the information. 

In The Oracle you can find all sorts of information: history and design; performance; how barrel twist comes into play; terminal performance, including discussions of fragmentation, over-penetration, and self-defense ammo;  M193 vs. M855 vs. other .223/5.56 rounds; ammunition testing results; ammunition selection; purchase and storage; legal questions; and much much more. As you can see, it’s rather a complete resource.

I revisited The Ammo Oracle yesterday because a friend asked me what I think about “green tip” ammo (M855). I gave him some opinion and pointed him to The Ammo Oracle, but then I started re-reading it myself because it’s been a while since I last read it. I’m glad I did as I become much better informed about M855. In the end I discovered that for my purposes, M193 is a better choice. M855 is fine, but in the end it’s like any tool: you have to pick the right one for the job. All depends what you’re after.

If you own and/or use a firearm that is chambered for .223 Rem/5.56×45 NATO, you owe it to yourself to take the time to read The Ammo Oracle.