11-20-2011, 10:12 PM
stanc Wrote:Judging by those pics, "lead shower" is a very apt description.
But it also brings up another point: One of your objections to replacing 5.56 NATO with 6.5 Grendel in carbines is that with a muzzle velocity of circa 2600 fps, there won't be such a "lead shower" beyond muzzle contact distance.
The trouble is, M855 is being phased out, replaced by M855A1. Since there is no lead in the M855A1 bullet, it cannot produce such a shower of tiny particles. At most there will be only a few large pieces -- the steel tip, copper slug, and jacket.
Even if a 6.5 M855A1-type bullet doesn't fragment, the greater mass and size may compensate. Plus, UK and European armies use non-fragmenting 5.56 bullets, so going to a non-fragmenting 6.5 round seems like it could only improve terminal performance for them.
Which is why I like M193 so much, but still like to have the penetrating ability of Green Tip at times. If it was up to me, carbines would have a 1/9 or looser twist with M193, but still be able to stabilize 62gr M855...but then you lose the ability to spin 77gr enough for distance work with anything slower than 1/8.
Unless things have changed, I thought our NATO partners were using M855, although with less power in the British and French loadings due to the limitations of the L85's op-rod system, and the non gas-operated FAMAS, which shreds brass cases like an ADHD child on a midnight Halloween binge through his pillowcase full of legal crack.
Right now, the M4/M855 combo fills a huge set of shoes that will take a comprehensive and exhaustive approach to replace AND provide real benefits to dismounted infantrymen and actual combat arms personnel. It is no easy task to do.