Reach Out and Touch Someone!!!

[christopher_wolf]

Even a pissant .22 can mess you up pretty bad at close range.

Pissant, eh?

It really isn't, believe me, great to look at the results of ballistic impact between any round and the human body. You could do all the modeling with FEMs for even a 9mm (some still claim that 9mm aren't that powerful, do I ever disagree). One of the worst places it could hit would be a joint; talk about complex reconstruction jobs.

The thing about such rounds, even a .22LR, is that they generally start to tumble part way through the body (especially evident with .223 rifles); it just gets worse if they encounter a heterogeneous materials environment like the body. They are deceptively small, which leads to the idea that they aren't really powerful...far from it.

[JHEM]

They are deceptively small, which leads to the idea that they aren't really powerful...far from it.

Far from it indeed!

I used to setup a half dozen large watermelons on the known distance range and put a .50CAL on a tripod an M16 next to it at the gun line.

Once I had my personal ration of minds and bodies on hand, most of whom were in whispering awe of the .50, I'd tell them to watch the watermelons as I proceeded to go down the line with the .50 laying a round or two into each one.

After safing everything I'd take everybody downrange and show them the neat, cleanly drilled holes in the front and back of each melon showing the entry and exit points.

Then we'd go back to the gun line and I'd pick up the M16, usually to a few comments from the crowd about what I might be doing with "that little thing".

But silence would quickly descend as I worked my way down those same melons with the 16, each melon literally exploding from the impact of the 5.56mm round.

There was never any necessity to go back downrange to look for the exit holes.

Bigger isn't always better.

This is NOT for the faint of heart or any PETA members on the Forum! The majority of these taps are with a Hornady V-Max, or Sierra BlitzKing in .17 HMR, .204 Ruger, .223, .22-250 and .243 Ackley Improved at 100 yards or more.

James

[Kyocera]

Range is the key though.

I'll take my M60 or .50 cal any day for effective killing power. As long as there is someone to help carry the ammo, tripod, t & e, spare barrels, etc.

Ever notice Rambo never had to carry any of that stuff? And for sure he should have melted several barrels with that sustained rate of fire .

[christopher_wolf]

Range is the key though.

I'll take my M60 or .50 cal any day for effective killing power. As long as there is someone to help carry the ammo, tripod, t & e, spare barrels, etc.

Oh so *you're* the one that wants to slow down the team by being the slowest member, eh?

M60s, M125 SAWs, or M249 SAWs are great if the enemy starts pouring through and you need some powerful supressive fire fast; but you really can't nail a bunch of enemies out at range with them. Enemies, mind you, that might have accurate SVD Dragunovs as opposed to the usual AK47s "Heoric Rebel" ARs; AK47s where the operator either needs to be a terminator, even then firing 2-3 bursts, to shoot at range with accurately or have a bunch of clips to waste .

IIRC Rambo only carried the belts and, at times, would fire the M60 *one-handed*. Talk about an unstable firing position. Melted barrels would probably be the least of his worries.

[Kyocera]

Well the max effective range of an M16 is roughly half of an M60, yes the .223 round tumbles, but that is not always a good thing at long range very unstable. M16's were never known for their great accuracy esp. at long range (unless they're matched). Their claim to fame is damage done. You can squeeze off a single round with an M60 out to a max effective range of around 1100 meters, a long way for a 7.62 to fly. I have fired all three, soviet AK47's captured in Grenada, M60 i used to be an M60 machine gunner, M16 many thousands of rounds. The AK is a great weapon but totally wild on full auto. The M60 is the best for power, reliability and control, it is possible to fire one handed due to the buffer system.

[JHEM]

it is possible to fire one handed due to the buffer system.

I used to fire it all the time one-handed on the hip and let the 'cruits call out the bursts, e.g. single, threes, sixes, etc.

If you're big enough to handle the weight and the lever arm of the recoil (I am!) the 60 is a very "handy" weapon.

(I split this off to Off Topic.)

James

[JHEM]

Range is the key though.

I'll take my M60 or .50 cal any day for effective killing power.

I'll take my Parkerized and "Matched" M14 with an 8X Leupold!

I know there's newer/better available, but sometimes you just gotta' go with what you know.

James

[Kyocera]

Yes, they always picked the bigger guys to carry the 60 and I got stuck with it, after a couple of years you realize it's an honor. It's no fun to jump with though.

[JHEM]

Oh so *you're* the one that wants to slow down the team by being the slowest member, eh?

I never had any problem making my mileage carrying a 60, 200 rounds in belts AND my .45 and Ka-Bar!

Of course that was a lot of miles ago....

James

[christopher_wolf]

I'll take my Parkerized and "Matched" M14 with an 8X Leupold!

I know there's newer/better available, but sometimes you just gotta' go with what you know.

James

Excellent choice with the matched M14.

If I were in such a situation, I would probably take a PSG1 or G3SG/1; probably the latter to maintain response in all conditions given you can change the trigger pull to be lighter than a PSG1 along with Automatic fire a la the G3.

[JHEM]

It's no fun to jump with though.

By the time I got it strapped up sufficiently where it wouldn't rip anything important off when the chute opened (like an arm or something!) it wasn't exactly a rapid response weapon.

On HALOs it went in the squad bag. I jumped with a CAR-15.

James

[dsigma6]

This is NOT for the faint of heart or any PETA members on the Forum!

You sick $#&!...Though I do find it hilarious!

[JHEM]

Though I do find it hilarious!

And you have the nerve to call ME sick!!!

James