Ammuntion Color Coding


 

Significant Colors


Color

Interpretation

Yellow Indicates the presence of high explosives
Brown Identifies low explosive items or components, or indicates the presence of a low explosive
Gray Identifies ammunition that contains irritant, incapacitating, or toxic agents when used as an overall body color except underwater ordnance
Gray with dark red band Indicates the ammunition contains an irritant (riot control) agent
Gray with dark green band Indicates the ammunition contains a toxic agent other than binary agents
Gray with broken dark green band Indicates the ammunition contains a binary nerve agent
Gray with violet band Identifies ammunition with an incapacitating agent
Black Identifies armor-defeating ammunition, except on underwater ordnance, dummy hand grenades, and when used for lettering or marking
Silver/aluminum Identifies countermeasures ammunition
Light green Identifies screening or marking smoke ammunition
Light red Identifies incendiary ammunition or indicates the presence of highly flammable material for producing damage by fire
White Identifies illuminating ammunition or ammunition producing a colored light; exceptions are underwater ordnance, guided missiles, dispensers, and rocket launchers and when used for lettering or marking
Light blue Identifies ammunition used for practice
Bronze, gold, and brass Identifies dummy/drill/inert ammunition not for firing but only used for handling, loading, assembly and testing, training, and display. Some dummy hand grenades may be painted black

Non-Significant Colors


Olive drab All ordnance items
Black For lettering
White For lettering, also used for guided missiles, dispensers, and rocket launchers

The following colors, or when applied as stated, have no identification color coding significance:
1. The colors gray, black, white, or green on underwater ordnance, such as mines and torpedoes, and the color white on guided missiles, dispensers, or rocket launchers.
2. The colors black and white when used for lettering or special marking
3. Unpainted or natural color
4. Colors specifically applied to identify the color produced by smoke ammunition or pyrotechnics

 


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