Shahid
New Member
I've been doing a lot of research lately about the different calibres and ammo types in service with armed forces around the world to see if I can determine which one has the best overall caracteristics and fits better with modern warfare requirements. Unortunately I couldn't even come close to making a final choice.
Unlike a gun that must fit with the morphology and the physiological caracteristics of the shooter, a bullet's caracteristics must fit with those of the target, which is, in this case, the average human body. Along with some other parameters, like the distance or range, the protection of the target (Kevlar helmet, body armor), the ballistic performance, etc... that must be determined.
I thought that should be easy to pick the round combining the best caracteristics, but I was wrong.
Every cartridge features some good performances. For example, the russian 7,62 can penetrate a Kevlar helmet at range greater than 300 m and go through a brick wall at close range, but the 5,56 NATO round inflicts greater damage by rotating inside the body and making a big nasty hole. And so on. And every round type has it's own fanatic supporters that say "it's the best of them all". Obviously you cannot have the best range AND the greatest lethality AND the best penetration ...unless you carry something more like an AA gun than an assault rifle.
And there are also some "bullet of the future" types; although I am still sceptic about the ultra small calibre rounds combined with 3-round bursts, and I beleive that flechette (dart) rounds is bullshit, being deflected by rain or leafs!
So I said I should try to settle this matter in a scientific way, with the help of some guys that have real shooting and field experience.
So here we go.
I suggest we proceed step by step, by answering the following questions :
1- According to most recent analysis, what is the average range of a gunfight in modern warfare (including urban warfare)?
2- What is the maximal range at which a soldier can differentiate friend from foe with no additional optics (Daylight and full moon light)?
3- What is the maximal range at which an average soldier with no sharpshooter training can accurately take down a target, with optical sights?
Then we shall evaluate the effectiveness of different rounds at these ranges against soft or hardened targets. But first things first.
Unlike a gun that must fit with the morphology and the physiological caracteristics of the shooter, a bullet's caracteristics must fit with those of the target, which is, in this case, the average human body. Along with some other parameters, like the distance or range, the protection of the target (Kevlar helmet, body armor), the ballistic performance, etc... that must be determined.
I thought that should be easy to pick the round combining the best caracteristics, but I was wrong.
Every cartridge features some good performances. For example, the russian 7,62 can penetrate a Kevlar helmet at range greater than 300 m and go through a brick wall at close range, but the 5,56 NATO round inflicts greater damage by rotating inside the body and making a big nasty hole. And so on. And every round type has it's own fanatic supporters that say "it's the best of them all". Obviously you cannot have the best range AND the greatest lethality AND the best penetration ...unless you carry something more like an AA gun than an assault rifle.
And there are also some "bullet of the future" types; although I am still sceptic about the ultra small calibre rounds combined with 3-round bursts, and I beleive that flechette (dart) rounds is bullshit, being deflected by rain or leafs!
So I said I should try to settle this matter in a scientific way, with the help of some guys that have real shooting and field experience.
So here we go.
I suggest we proceed step by step, by answering the following questions :
1- According to most recent analysis, what is the average range of a gunfight in modern warfare (including urban warfare)?
2- What is the maximal range at which a soldier can differentiate friend from foe with no additional optics (Daylight and full moon light)?
3- What is the maximal range at which an average soldier with no sharpshooter training can accurately take down a target, with optical sights?
Then we shall evaluate the effectiveness of different rounds at these ranges against soft or hardened targets. But first things first.