Never considered this:
Ammunition
The 5.56 cartridge has had a reputation of poor to mediocre performance in combat. While I think that a 6.5mm or 7mm cartridge would be far more effective, I believe the 5.56 deserves a much better reputation than it has. Disappointment with the 5.56 is mainly due to the type of ammunition fielded.
If a 5.56 projectile passes straight through a person it makes a very small wound channel. Unlike larger calibers, for the 5.56 to kill effectively, it must fragment. If the 5.56 fragments well enough and early enough, it is quite effective. Fragmentation requires a properly designed projectile and sufficient velocity to cause fragmentation.
During the cold war, the military 62 grain M855 cartridge was developed. It was designed to be fired from a long barreled SAW at a husky potato-fed Soviet soldier wearing a flack jacket. Today our soldiers are firing that cartridge from 14.5″ barrels at 95 pound insurgents wearing man-dresses. The average target for US soldiers today is 7.3″ thick at the chest. The M855 averages 7″ of penetration before beginning to yaw or fragment. The result is small ineffective wound channels. Multiple hits are required to eliminate threats. From an M4 barrel, the velocity drops to the point that fragmentation often does not occur past 100 meters.
I deployed to Iraq with an infantry company that was attached to different infantry brigade. They were to supply our company with weapons and equipment, but as our deployment date came nearer, we h…
762precision.com
www.cnn.com
