News Article: Bring back the 7.62 ?

[Mojave Desert]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080527/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/battling_over_bullets;_ylt=AguR3W.pL.b5xK5EPIYPZ.wDW7oF

For all you AR fans, especially short ARs.

[Pathfinder]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080527/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/battling_over_bullets;_ylt=AguR3W.pL.b5xK5EPIYPZ.wDW7oF

For all you AR fans, especially short ARs.

Interesting article, almost had it right - up until they referred to the "bullet" being about the size of a AAA battery.

[jnevis]

Interesting article, almost had it right - up until they referred to the "bullet" being about the size of a AAA battery.

The bullet might not be but the cartridge is, and to Joe Public they are the same. 

There are other glaring issues in the article besides that:

"The faster a bullet hits the tissue, the more it's going to fragment," says Fackler. "Bullets that go faster cause more damage. It's that simple."
I thought that had more to do with bullet construction than speed, sure a faster bullet that breaks apart will send the peices farther into the tissue but it isn't the speed that causes the initial break up but impact force (more mass would cause the same thing at the same speed).

"Larger rounds are not necessarily better, they also said. Other factors such as the weather, the amount of light and the bullet's angle of entry also figure into how lethal a single shot may be."
Ok, these all affect SHOT PLACEMENT not the effectiveness of the ammunition.   It was a government study.

"The M14 rifle used by Joe Higgins was once destined to be the weapon of choice for all U.S. military personnel."
Sure was issued to a LOT of people for one that was DESTINED to be.  Hell we still had a dozen of them at Security when I left in 2003 that no one was qualified on except Range Staff  Most built before any of us were born, I saw a July 63 stamp on a couple.

[Neon Knight Anubis]

Yes, while there are a few other factors to consider (ie bullet weight/size), high speed rounds do tend to fragment easier than sub sonic/slower rounds. The size of the 5.56 certainly doesn't help either.

The M14 was issued to a lot of people back then, but the weapon was too expensive to outfit the entire US Armed Forces and that's why it was only issued for about 6 years and only until recently has it been in use outside of specops.

I'll stay out of the whole shot placement argument, I have my opinions and there's some glaring irony in the Army's defense of the round but I'm not a warfighter.

[kmitch200]

Nearly one-fifth of those who used the M4 and M16 rifles wanted larger caliber bullets.

Meaning:  Over 80% didn't have any issues with it.  Sounds like a solution in search of a problem.

They could mitigate the short barrel of the M4 by going back to the M193 55gr round.
It would be more likely to yaw and fragment like its supposed to.

[Sponsor]

[tombogan03884]

FMJ is crap regardless of caliber. If it is not effective on animals why would anyone think it would be effective on people?

[Pathfinder]

FMJ is crap regardless of caliber. If it is not effective on animals why would anyone think it would be effective on people?

Not the point. Mandated by the Hague Convention as noted in the article, can't use soft points of JHPs in war - wouldn't be humane don't you know.

[Krazy Okie]

 The 5.56 round is not what our troops should be using; as the article points out, we are fighting a different kind of war; more close up and personal.  Thus the need for a more effective one shot kill round; in my humble experience the 7.62 would be that round.  Some of our elite forces are using the 6.8 with good success, that might also be a good replacement.  I guess I am still in the stone age with my wish that our boys and girls would be able to go back to using the 30-06 round, that is a one shot round at any range.   

[WymoreWrangler]

I qualified with the M-14 for Ship Self Defense Force, I've also shot the M-16, and I would take the M-14 any day over the M-16, that said, when we had drills, aboard ship, I'd alway grab a 870 with buckshot, internal in the ship, that's what I wanted in my hands if things with south...

[twyacht]

Not the point. Mandated by the Hague Convention as noted in the article, can't use soft points of JHPs in war - wouldn't be humane don't you know.

Reminds me of Dr. Strangelove again,... "You can't fight in here, this is the War room!"  No JHP's  PLLLEEEAAASSSSEEEE!