That Word Doesn’t Exactly Fit

By James Rummel

Some time ago, I posted an essay concerning how bullets fired from derringers can tumble in flight.

Long time reader Fruitbat44 left a comment that has been nagging at me.

“Please correct me if I’m wrong, but I always thought that a bullet that tumbled would do more damage to an attacker than one which didn’t.”

What Fruitbat44 is referring to is a claim made during the vicious and heated debate that ensued when the US military started to replace their front line battle rifles with the M16.

The new rifle was chambered for the 5.56 NATO round, which produced around 1,700 foot/pounds of muzzle energy. This was to replace the 7.62 NATO cartridge, which produces about 2,500 ft/lbs of muzzle energy. They were going to go from bigger to smaller.

The reaction of most people who had been in combat was swift and decisive.

HOLD THE PHONE! The US military, in the middle of a war, was going to replace a proven and battle-tested rifle with one that was weaker? Who the hell thought this …read more

Source:: Hell In a Handbasket