Why do people say the 5.56 round is weak??

[Diesel]

Tweet
Well obviously one would go for a sem .308 there are plenty of great options out there.. but he was trying to make me choose between two unrelated animals, just to see how strong my alleignace was to the better round

As far as having a 5.56 semi, or .308 bolt, why not just get a .308 semi like the DPMS LR308 AP4? I like the AR platform---as much is as made about the direct gas system, as long as you're controlling your rate of fire, it won't overheat, and as long as you clean it after the firefight's over, it's not gonna jam, it's a lightweight rifle, very accurate (unlike the AK), has a solid platform for mounting optics (unlike the AK and a number of other stalwart assault rifles), the safety's easy to reach (unlike the AK)---it's just the round that sucks. I don't care what anyone on here says---about tumbling, or ballistic gel tests, or being able to carry more rounds---the stuff doesn't kill. And it's not just my personal experiences I'm drawing on; I got dozens of friends who served in Iraq or Afghanistan, all with stories of having to empty half a 30-round mag or more into a guy to get em to drop. And what's the point of being able to carry twice as many rounds if it takes over twice as many of those bullets to stop someone? Why not just carry half as many .308? And it is true you can spend more and buy a more lethal 5.56 round---but at a price that's just as expensive if not more than having to buy .308.

[Apocalyptic_Sojourner]

Tweet

Umm im going to call B.S on this post who the hell would shoot at each other for fun? Im thinking an armchair commando here.

No, they didn't shoot @ each other intentionally. It was just a case of, taking enemy fire, and one platoon not knowing exactly where the other was operating. Either way, it's pretty piss poor professionalism and I'm glad my PLT never had such an incident.

[kenno]

Tweet
"Regardles of which side of the fence you sit on in the civialian debate, in the military there is no movement to change from the 5.56 (yet) round as the standard, only changes to the platforms used to send it downrange and minor cartridge changes necessitated by platform innovations (see previous post). You can agree or disagree, but the operators with the greatest flexibilty in weapon choice (aka, the Hardy Boyz) still retain the 5.56 platforms (really like the H&K416 / don't like the SCAR). Personally, I think we will see something along the lines of the 6.5 grendel or 6.8 come of age in the military arena in the next five to ten years"
Back in the early 70's after I was posted to Grafinvere I drew-up a 25 caliber version of the 5.56 and sent it off up the chain of command, i guess they have yet to get that memo!

[Long_Hunter]

Tweet
Yea, it's still in staffing... somewhere.

RLTW!!
LH

[556lee]

Tweet

I don't believe that is what he was saying neverknow, believe he was poking fun at them for screwing up and engaging in friendly fire once in a blue moon, it does happen. Furthermore his account of 5.56 not stopping Foes in their stride has been the AAR over and over. Believe it, 5.56 was designed to wound not kill.

tell that to the men that killed 75 talaban with 77 shots

[nakadnu]

Tweet
I have a ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, No wait I am not even going to get in the middle of this.

[nakadnu]

Tweet
Okay I can't resist. I own an AR15 and a Mini-14 chambered in 5.56/223. For me the 5.56 is the best option due to availability, price and versatility. With the right bullets I can and have taken rabbits, furbearers, varmints, and deer. I see myself using these guns more in this role than as a battle rifle. But if it comes down to that they will fill that roll also. I don't dispute the fact that 5.56 is weak compared to a 308 etc. But the 5.56 fits my needs much better. If I had to choose a caliber that I knew I would be using as a mankiller and only for that roll then bigger is better. Hard to dispute. Until that time comes I think my lttle pipsqueak will do nicely!

[Survivorman]

Tweet

Why do people say the 5.56 round is weak??

Because they've never been shot with one.

[RICHFL]

Tweet
It has problems in the jungle and forest in that a leaf or twig can change the bullets path. It is a very fast round in access of 3000 feet per second. That speed gives you great accuracy out to 500 yards. The max weight for the.223 currently stands at 75g. That is not a lot of weight.

The next bullet that the military used is the ,308 win or 7.62x51mm NATO round. Started using it in 1958. You can get the round with weights of 110g up to 185g. So there is more weight and the bullet will not have its path changed as much as the ,223 with a leaf. Range goes out to 800 yards. This is the current standard sniper round for the military and SWAT. This round is a cut down to the real champ of the US military for the 20th century.

The last round is the .30-06 it was the round used from 1908 thru WW-I, WW-II, and Korea, till 1958. This rounds weight goes from 110g thru 220g; it will take any game in North America including buffalo or the Brown Bear. It's speed is beyond 2800 feet per second. NO leaf or twig will change the path of this round.

Why did the military change the rifle rounds? Politics, weight of carrying 120 rounds (Military load), new weapon systems, Politics again.

While I was in the military I shot all 3 rounds and each has its good and bad points. the 30.06 bad points are size and weight. Its good points are weight and size of bullet. The 7.62x51mm is near the same as the 30.06 so same bad and good points remain the same.

The .223 is in a class by it's self. Originally a round for the USAF survival rifle (Pilots) in a stripped down AR-15. The Army tested it in Viet Nam and the rest is history. Worst problem is the weight of bullet. If you fired the AR-15/M-16 in the military from 1968-1998 you shot a .55g round; it did not change, until they found problems with the round ability to penetrate walls and doors. They bounced off!! So they increased the weight up to 75g or 25%!!!
Guess what, the accuracy went down to just under 300 yards. Same as the 7.62x30mm for the SKS or AK-47.

[countryboy6685]

Tweet

Okay I can't resist. I own an AR15 and a Mini-14 chambered in 5.56/223. For me the 5.56 is the best option due to availability, price and versatility. With the right bullets I can and have taken rabbits, furbearers, varmints, and deer. I see myself using these guns more in this role than as a battle rifle. But if it comes down to that they will fill that roll also. I don't dispute the fact that 5.56 is weak compared to a 308 etc. But the 5.56 fits my needs much better. If I had to choose a caliber that I knew I would be using as a mankiller and only for that roll then bigger is better. Hard to dispute. Until that time comes I think my lttle pipsqueak will do nicely!

Well said and I agree with you 100%
it is kind of like saying the 308 is weak well it is compaired to the 50 BMG
and the 22LR is weak comapored to the 223 (5.56)
The 5.56 is a good all around gun
Robert W