Posted on 04/03/2010 1:03:04 PM PDT by neverdem
An outstanding idea. Just so long as they start in Beirut and work their way east to Kabul.
His new ROE are calibrated to protect the Taliban - his friends - over our troops.
They even had the audacity to admit that the new ROE would increase losses on OUR side - but that it would be "worth it in the long run."
Nobody asked "Worth it to who?"
How about the M1917 BAR? WW !, Heavy, crew served, but deadly.How about the M1917 BMG?
barbra ann
There is a distinct lack of enemy combatants who are coming forward and saying that the 5.56 does not hurt.
As far as being able to hit a target at 500 meters, with open sites, a human sized target at five hundred meters is going to be roughly half the size of the front site post and that is standing still with full frontal profile.
Those targets rarely present themselves to shooters outside a range.
It might be worthwhile to explore issuing more optics and match grade bullets rather than trashing an entire platform that has been in the US arsenal for 50 years now.
Ffrthur but with less retained energy. The article is honest in it stated more hits less kills.
barbra ann
Actually, it’s more the shooter than the weapon. They are just not taught the marksmanship skills that Americans have had since the revolution. There was one unit from Virginia that in order to qualify to be in it, you had to hit a head size target at 250 yds on the first shot. This was in 1775 with flintlocks! Anyway, the Appleseed Project has already traind two military units, one NG and one RA. Here are the links http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=10060.0 and http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=12337.0 There is also a good video dated from WW2 on how the US used to train riflemen. http://www.archive.org/details/Rifle_Marksmanship_with_M1_Rifle_Part_1 Here is how the army currently trains advanced marksmen (not everybody gets this http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=12315.0
The 7.62x39 round is pretty much the same as a 30-30.
At 500 yards 5.56 has less energy than 9mm muzzle energy, and has severe bullet drop, necessitating very accurate estimation of range in order to have your bullets not hit the ground in front of your target or sail overhead.
Yes, better optics, but also bigger, higher velocity ammo for long-range engagements.
I remember the M-14 as being full auto. You just need a 'key.'
Mark
Back in 1983-85, when I was an Armored Cavalry Squadron S-2, each of our Cav platoon’s had an M-14 for the soldier who was trained as a sniper.
“The question that needs to be asked is, why aren’t we using the most effective ammunition?”
Treaty.
At the kind of ranges encountered in Afghanistan, the 5.56 bullet will be much more suseptible to wind, as well as the loss of velocity and bullet drop. I have been saying for over forty years that the M-16/M-4 is a popgun. Please check out the experiences of the Marines in Fallujah when engaging insurgents doped up with a cocktail of cocaine and adrenolin. The Philipine insurrection of 1902 all over again.
“At 500 yards 5.56 has less energy than 9mm muzzle energy, and has severe bullet drop,”
Elevation changes in MOA at 600 yards are about the same as 7.62 NATO. 17 minutes up from a 100 yard zero.
Thanks for the ping Lancey. Everybody in my immediate family shoot .270s. Love that caliber. Hit a Taliban baddy in the guts with a Nosler 130 grain boattail Ballistic Tip bullet and he’s going to really wish you hadn’t. For about 2.3 seconds. :-)
“At the kind of ranges encountered in Afghanistan, the 5.56 bullet will be much more suseptible to wind, as well as the loss of velocity and bullet drop”
Then issue the Mk 262 Mod 1.
Yep, the ballistic coefficient is almost the same for both rounds.
It appears that the Army still has an adequate supply of M14 rifles.They have been accurizing them at a frantic rate and shipping them out to the troops.
The issues with the .223(5.56) is that each bullet just doesnt have enough mass to give decent stopping power. The 7.62, on the other hand, starts falling out of the sky at a couple hundred yards. I am surprised that you were the first I saw to mention the 6.8SPC... From what I’ve seen its one of the best compromises between the .223’s flat trajectory, and the 7.62’s stopping power.
http://www.barrett.net/firearms/rec7
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