Which ammo type is crimped or purple?

• A. Frangible
• B. Blank
• C. Ball
• D. Tracer

Answer: (B)

Blanks are identified by being crimped or purple. In training rounds, there is no actual bullet; instead the case is loaded with powder and a wad, and the mouth is crimped to hold the wad in place. The purple color is a standard visual cue used to mark these as non-projectile ammunition, signaling that firing them will produce a muzzle blast and sound without a bullet. This distinction helps prevent dangerous confusion with live rounds.

Frangible rounds are designed to break apart on impact and still have a projectile, ball rounds are standard live ammunition with a bullet, and tracer rounds carry a visible pyrotechnic element in the projectile or at the tip. None of those rely on a purple coloration or the same crimping cue used to indicate blanks.