Under a Gibbous Moon

The British SA80

In a recent Telegraph article, a survey of “more than 50 servicemen” concluded that the 5.56 NATO (5.56 x 45 mm) “tailed off” after 300 meters, this being a problem as half of all Helmand firefights occur at 300 to 900 meters.

The U.S. M16A2

I cannot speak for the British SA80, but for the U.S. M16A2, the maximum effective range is 800 meters. Now maximum range is the farthest distance you can expect to hit someone and actually do some damage. I would also like to point out that 800 meters is about one half mile. At about 300 meters (about .2 mile) a man sized target is approximately the same size as your front sight post.

I will not disagree with the conclusions of the this study in so much as it just shows that the weapon is being deployed improperly. It is being used at distances that it was not designed to be effective at. It’s kinda like buying a pinto and claiming that it doesn’t go fast.

The 7.62 NATO vs. The 5.56 NATO note the size difference

The article calls for a unilateral switch to the 7.62 NATO (7.62 x 51 mm). This would certainly extend the “reach” of the ammunition, but at a significant increase in weight. The author of the article claims that we are outclassed by the Taliban’s use of the AK series which fires a 7.62 caliber bullet, this is correct, but it is 7.62 x 39 mm. The Soviet M43 was based on the German 7.62 Kurz round (Kurz meaing short). The M43 is lighter than the 7.62 NATO and is much less powerful (2,059 ft. lbs vs. 2,472 ft. lbs). This weight

The M43 vs the 5.56 NATO notice its overall size compapred to the 5.56 NATO

disparity is why the military is looking into a more intermediate round such as the 6.8 SPC (6.8 x 43 mm).

Two last points:

It added that Javelin anti-tank missiles, costing £100,000 each, are often fired at lone gunmen.

Once again, I cannot speak for the U.K. but considering the costs that go into your soldiers £100,000 (approximately $164,000) is a bargain if it saves one soldiers life. Even if you discount training costs (which varies from MOS to MOS but can run $50,000+), SGLI pays out $400,000. The there are the medical bills for the wounded. Even a bean counter who wants to put a price on a soldier’s life would see that he is saving money by firing that missle.

Only one in four British, US and German troops has been issued with guns using 7.62mm ammunition.

Once again, 7.62 NATO vs. M43. Being a much heavier round it serves a different purpose, mostly M21 for designated marksmen and the M240 series is a light machine gun and due to its weight (27.6 lbs unloaded) is either mounted or used with it’s integrated tripod.

The 5.56 NATO does have its problems but much of the reporting for this article and the recommendations therein were written by someone who doesn’t understand the problem.

Hat Tip: The Firearm Blog

This comes courtesy of The Smoking Gun.

A science teacher, Robert Rosseau, at the Christian Academy of San Antonio formed a “secret society” with himself as the “Director”. How to get in? Why you had to have sex with him. Rosseau used bible verses upon impressionable young girls to convince him that this was ok. He was also apparently charismatic enough to get his to recruit for him.

The subtext of this case is what is interesting. What happens when you try to combine science and religion? You get people molesting little girls.

If this wasn’t a weird coincidence, this might make Arnold Schwarzenegger the most awesome governor ever. Apparently upset with the California State Assembly lack of action upon the Governor’s priorities, he vetoed a bill he felt was frivolous. In the veto, if you take the first letter of every line, it spells “Fuck You”.

A coded message?