Comments on: U.S. Army Places Huge Order for New M855A1 Ammo

By: Dean

Dean — Tue, 02 Jul 2013 04:13:19 +0000

It’s called Hydrostatic Shock fellas, bullet traveling at x-speed = death.

By: Dean

Dean — Tue, 02 Jul 2013 04:11:13 +0000

Head shots.Really, I wouldn’t want to be be shot by a pellet gun. 62 gr.hits and bragging??? Why did the Bad Guys, “hadji” fall when I pulled the trigger? Sounds like bad marksmanship, or pray and spray on our part.

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:07:31 +0000

Agree 100% but I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for it to be replaced in general service by a more effective caliber.

The US, like all other militaries who bought into 5.56 mm ammunition, has a huge inventory of weapons and massive production facilities tied-up in 5.56 mm ammunition. It would be a very brave leader who, in the current economic climate, would step up and champion the idea of making obsolete this huge investment. Just look at US history, when in the 1930s Gen Douglas MacArthur (for exactly the same reasons) directed that the new M1 rifle would be in .30-06 of which there were huge stocks, and not the calibre originally envisioned for it.

By: Kenny474

Kenny474 — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 18:49:02 +0000

While this may be an improvement over the older M855 ammo, I don’t see it as solving the whole issue with the 5.56 round. I have several friends in different branches of the military that have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, and they all say the same thing, the 5.56 just doesn’t have the power to stop insurgents, especially those drugged up on suicide missions. I have also been told stories of “bad guys” who show off all the 5.56 hits they have survived, like they are bragging or something, as it seems to be a new fad to brag about taking more bullets than the others have. We need a superior round that they don’t just walk away after being hit with. We need to go to a 6mm, 6.5mm or 7.62mm round that has more stopping ability. Many of those deployed are aware of this, why are we not doing more about it?

One friend showed me a picture of his squad, and the designated marksmen were holding M1A’s from Springfield Armory, as apparently their squad was able to purchase several for the DM’s so they had weapons better suited to long range shots than the 5.56.

I just don’t understand why we are not giving our soldiers more capable weapons. It’s not like they don’t exist, because they do. AR-10’s, M1A’s, and even AR-15’s chambered for larger rounds such as .308, 6.5 Grendel, .30AR, 6.8SPC and others are readily available. Even the 6mm-.223 would be better than the 5.56 out to 300yds, and will still use the same mags as well.

Our soldiers need more than a new load, they need a new round. We need to give it to them so they can be more effective.