Monday, November 15, 2004
Question from Reader
What is your experience [using the 5.56mm rifle]? I have read complaints that the 5.56mm bullet is considered too light to have one-shot knockdown power (like that which 7.62mm / M60 rounds are said to provide)?
Though it may have done the job in the Viet Nam era, the current 5.56mm does not provide adequate knock down power because it no longer tumbles. From what I've heard and read, in 1983 while the Cold War was still on, the US wanted the 5.56mm to be able to penetrate Ivan's helmet at several hundred meter's distance. This was done by increasing the charge, the bullet mass, and adjusting the rifling.
The 5.56 now makes straight through, “ice pick”, wounds with out tumbling or much fragmentation, unless it hits bone. I, personally, haven't seen what they have done to humans as the only one we engaged was burned to death, but when we had to shoot dogs the dogs didn't go down. Shots would go right through their chest and they'd run off. When the dogs laid down a few minutes later, then they'd be shot in the head with a 9mm pistol. Of course, dogs don't know they've been shot, so, like someone on drugs, they don't panic or go into psychogenic shock when they are hit.
I also read recently that at 200 meters and less the M4 has better knock down power than the M16. I figure this is because the shorter barrel puts less spin on the bullet and it’s more likely to flatten and tumble.
I sat at lunch with a lieutenant colonel (LTC) in the Polish military. I said, cautiously, like a question, “Sir, Poland is now a member of NATO.” He responded with a little agitation, “We have been a member of NATO for FIVE years.” I guess this wasn’t the first time he had to explain this. I shrugged my shoulders, grinned, and said, “Well you know, we Americans aren’t very well educated.” He said that they had to adopt the 5.56mm NATO round, but didn’t seeming too happy about it, confirming that the round isn’t as effective is the 7.62mm.
What is your experience [using the 5.56mm rifle]? I have read complaints that the 5.56mm bullet is considered too light to have one-shot knockdown power (like that which 7.62mm / M60 rounds are said to provide)?
Though it may have done the job in the Viet Nam era, the current 5.56mm does not provide adequate knock down power because it no longer tumbles. From what I've heard and read, in 1983 while the Cold War was still on, the US wanted the 5.56mm to be able to penetrate Ivan's helmet at several hundred meter's distance. This was done by increasing the charge, the bullet mass, and adjusting the rifling.
The 5.56 now makes straight through, “ice pick”, wounds with out tumbling or much fragmentation, unless it hits bone. I, personally, haven't seen what they have done to humans as the only one we engaged was burned to death, but when we had to shoot dogs the dogs didn't go down. Shots would go right through their chest and they'd run off. When the dogs laid down a few minutes later, then they'd be shot in the head with a 9mm pistol. Of course, dogs don't know they've been shot, so, like someone on drugs, they don't panic or go into psychogenic shock when they are hit.
I also read recently that at 200 meters and less the M4 has better knock down power than the M16. I figure this is because the shorter barrel puts less spin on the bullet and it’s more likely to flatten and tumble.
I sat at lunch with a lieutenant colonel (LTC) in the Polish military. I said, cautiously, like a question, “Sir, Poland is now a member of NATO.” He responded with a little agitation, “We have been a member of NATO for FIVE years.” I guess this wasn’t the first time he had to explain this. I shrugged my shoulders, grinned, and said, “Well you know, we Americans aren’t very well educated.” He said that they had to adopt the 5.56mm NATO round, but didn’t seeming too happy about it, confirming that the round isn’t as effective is the 7.62mm.
But turnabout is fair play: the US had to get rid of all of their .45's in exchange for the European 9mm, so now we both have crappy rounds for our long guns and sidearms.
We have heard that the insurgents do not fear the 5.56 round, but do respect the 7.62 and the .50.
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