The round tumbles on impact, larger caliber like a 7.62 does not. It was designed to do maximum damage to an enemy and it does just that. I was saying it was fired at close range and never had a chance to tumble because it never really reached it's top velocity. His arm is boo coo screwed up from a very small round and it would be much worse had he been down range. It is on record and described as a tumbler by the DoD. I prefer the M-14 and it just feels like a real weapon, one that you can beat someone to death if your that close. Our M5 40mm was so slow you could watch the round down range and follow it with your eyes. A 51 caliber could penetrate three plates of armor in one of our ships up front and still kill the back seat. I specifically remember being instructed to the deadliness of a M-16 and the tumbling on impact, it was nothing top secret just the size and weight of the round and the tip being so sharp. Look at the old Carbine rounds from WWII and the Korean war, the round was blunt and rounded not sharp tipped. The M-16 only made the cut due to the ammo load each grunt could carry opposed to the M-14s. Today I know nothing about the new weapons there are so many different types in use. Heck I can't even recognize a car's manufacturer today. ;0)
Here is a good read on the 5.56, it is pretty intense but a photo is worth a thousand words. It explains where I was trying to go to.
Why you do not want to get shot with an M16...(Warning: Disturbing photograph) wow, Military M193 stuff is no joke. 5.56 IS a powerful round. Comments on what happened: Estimated range was between 5-10 meters. 20"-barreled M16A1 used. At that range, estimated velocity when bullet hit...
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