05-10-2012, 06:53 AM
LRRPF52 Wrote:Yes, but another requirement for the M855 is for it to be armor-piercing, with the steel penetrator. Asking a bullet to perform to the most damaging possible threshold on flesh, and then asking it to penetrate light armor is a tall order,
Well, it's what the US Army is claiming for the M855A1....
Quote:This is why I lean to the experience of guys in units who are involved in almost exclusively direct action encounters, where they have decided where, when, and how they will be, in-fact, killing enemy targets. Their perspective on small arms capabilities and limitations is much more practical, and they are much less affected by new, cool toys from enthusiastic contractors looking for a sell. Their response to this issue usually involves a suggestion to go to the range more often, with very high standards for marksmanship performance.
Talking of which, on my last visit to the US when I was giving a presentation on this subject, I was afterwards approached by a US special forces soldier fresh from Afghanistan who told me that he was happy with the 5.56mm within 200m but was very dissastisfied with it at longer ranges and wanted something much better for his rifle (he put it a lot more colourfully than that, but you get the picture!).