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The 5.56x45mm / 223 Cartridge in Military and Civilian use

Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2023 4:14 am
by timmy
Here is a very interesting military paper on the development and history of USA military arms from the adoption of the 30-06 cartridge up to the date of this paper's publication.

What is good about the The 5.56x45mm / 223 in military use? What are the negative aspects of the The 5.56x45mm / 223 in military use?

What military knowledge is transferable to the varied uses of this cartridge by civilians, such as ourselves?

Note that the operational use of this cartridge in USA military use faces largely the same issues as what is faced by India's military: identifying the best cartridge and weapons system that can be used from close quarters urban combat to long range high altitude combat in places like Kashmir, and the wide range of conditions in between.

Reading this paper, one can easily identify the reasons behind the new military cartridges one reads about that operate at much higher pressures than current cartridges (some of which require a two-piece cartridge case) and which use newer powders, allowing what used to be considered long range performance in shorter barrels.

This article is, in short, an education to be considered by all who are interested in modern weapons development, whether from the academic perspective of selecting a military rifle, or helping to identify a cartridge for personal use for some sort of target or hunting (illegal in India, of course!) purpose, or just because one wants one.

I think that the curious among us will find this interesting. It is 76 pages long with pictures, tables, and extensive references, and less than 1.5MB in size.

http://www.mlefiaa.org/files/ERPR/5.56m ... nistan.pdf

Re: The 5.56x45mm / 223 Cartridge in Military and Civilian use

Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2023 1:03 pm
by eljefe
From ball powder, chrome lining, forward bolt assist to looking for a new caliber.
So Petraeus got shot in the chest and went on to become the General running US Army in Afghanistan?
I am lucky to own a 6.5 grendel and 7x57 and dont feel I have a caliber gap. The 6.5 easily reaches out to 400y and clover keafs with hand rolled ammo. 120gr is optimum for the twist I have. Only kill being a rabbit at a lasered 407 yds. Fallow do drop, some DRT, others run a few yards.

The other 6.5 I had a long time ago was a pristine 6.5x55 Swede. Had fun in every Service match I used it in.

Looks like the Russians got everything right with the 7.62x39, and the 7.62x54 combo.
The Martini Cadet featured here a while ago handles everything from 123 gr Chicom, Geco FMJ to commercial loads ,155 gr Lee cast to 174 gr .303 pills. It wears a 1:10 SMLE barrel with a B:G of .303”. : .313”

The latest .223 is a Sauer with 1:10 and max pill weight I have is 62 gr ex service round pulled projjies. Keeps 3 touching. I havent gone any heavier because I dont want to.

The new 6.8 touted as the future US service round, with its 60 odd K operating pressure and 2 material case is more suited to the deep pockets of the services. I hope it works…

Bottom line is :
its the man on the ground who goes through hell for the armchair commando bureaucrats.

Re: The 5.56x45mm / 223 Cartridge in Military and Civilian use

Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2023 4:44 pm
by eljefe