Painted identification
A thin painted marking can identify a particular military loading under a specific ammunition system. Interpret it through that country’s official publication and the exact cartridge designation.
AMMUNITION IDENTIFICATION
Same color.
Different meaning.
A painted military tip and a commercial polymer tip can share a color while identifying entirely different things. Use the exact cartridge designation, packaging, and official product record to interpret the mark.
2A Ledger reference desk · Sources checked October 18, 2026
Start with the material
Painted mark or separate tip?
Commercial polymer tip
A colored polymer piece is part of the bullet’s construction. Manufacturers may use its color to identify caliber or product family, and different companies use different conventions.
Color is one clue
A photograph, worn paint, a loose cartridge, or an unknown provenance can leave identity unresolved. Color does not establish chamber fit, projectile construction, condition, or current legal status.
Named systems, not a universal chart
A color needs a named source
Simplified original illustrations, not identification photographs or dimensional drawings. Surface color can appear different with lighting, wear, or photography.
| Specific example | What the source says | Primary source |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. 5.56mm M855 ball | Green painted tip. The Army identifies this named ball cartridge; green does not universally mean the same thing on other ammunition. | Army source ↗ |
| Nosler Ballistic Tip / Ballistic Tip Varmint | The maker’s FAQ gives examples: .22 caliber orange, 6mm purple, 7mm red, and .30 caliber green. | Nosler color explanation ↗ |
| Hornady Heat Shield | A heat-resistant polymer tip is an aerodynamic construction feature. It is not the Army’s painted ammunition identification system. | Hornady technology explanation ↗ |
Read the whole identity
How to interpret an unfamiliar tip
Begin with the complete box label, cartridge designation, manufacturer, and product or military loading number. Then compare the marking against that maker’s documentation or the applicable country’s official ammunition publication. Preserve uncertainty when those records are absent; do not assign a projectile type from color alone.
The caption “painted tip = military, polymer tip = civilian” is a helpful visual starting point, but it is too broad to use as an identification rule. Commercial ammunition can have painted markings, and projectile technology is not exclusively civilian. A product-specific explanation is more reliable than a color legend detached from its source.
Record the exact load description and source in your ammunition inventory. A useful record says “manufacturer, cartridge, product number, bullet weight, construction, lot,” rather than just “green tip.”
Explore 5.56 NATO → · Explore .308 Winchester → · Browse every cartridge guide →
Trace the facts
Sources & methodology
Compiled by 2A Ledger from the linked standards, manufacturer publications, and identified test records. Checked October 18, 2026. Historical tests and older catalogs retain their original dates; a listing here does not establish current availability.
- U.S. Army: 2010 M855 identification description, hosted by EPA ↗
- Nosler: Ballistic Tip color designations ↗
- Hornady: Heat Shield polymer-tip technology ↗
- Hornady: anatomy of a bullet ↗
Diameter figures preserve the cited drawing convention. Inch–millimeter conversion uses exactly 25.4 mm per inch. Factory specifications describe the maker’s test setup; your firearm, ammunition lot, temperature, and measuring method can produce different results. This is an educational factory-ammunition reference, not a reloading manual.
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