Early AR-15's in Vietnam

[jsbhike]

Based on shooting a deer carcass with 55gr ball, the torso exit wound would probably be somewhere around nickel/quarter diameter and I doubt twist rate makes much of a difference.

MD AR15 site used to have a list of "hits" mentioned in the Blackhawk Down book and there were several 7.62 (among others) where the person kept on chugging along and I have to assume that not every claimed hit actually connected with anything either.

[Firefly]

I dunno about ball but I seen man and beast alike shot with some cocky 5.56 and some of it was kinda gross.

Plus everybody has a fish story. I'm sure AT THE TIME it looked like Charlie's head got taken clean off because adrenalin, tunnel vision, etc

[AKDoug]

There isn't much in the N. American animal kingdom that equates to a human better than a 200lb black bear. I've smoked three with 5.56, one with 855 and two with 62 grn TSX handloads. There was no damage even remotely close to what is described in the OP. Yes, the bears died a quick death, but they weren't missing any big chunks and their insides weren't vaporized. The 855 one was an emergency head shot, the two TSX kills were DRT with heart shots.

[SteyrAUG]

So just like the Russians, the US had a propaganda machine.

There is reliable data of performance, and there is everything else.

[Caduceus]

That myth was busted in the 80's. As stated in the literature, 55gr M193 was tested in everything from 1/14 to 1/7 twist and it didnt make any difference. M193 wounding mechanism is velocity dependent, not twist dependent.

You dont need to read the literature, just use logic. Think about it, bullet technology has advanced so far to the point where we have bullets that fragment FAR more violently than M193 ever did or we can make bullets that expand to 2x their diameter in less than 1in of tissue yet we still dont see the wounds they are describing.

I agree, we don't see exploding heads or chests, but I wonder (like an earlier post said) how much is hyperbole.

I've seen plenty of gunshots. Most are pretty anticlimatic. Some are ground hamburger, but IME that's been shotguns. I can see how someone can exaggerate, especially if more than one round hit in close proximity (those first AR's were often on automatic, right?)

[mack7.62]

M193 can be pretty devastating within 100 meters which is what is being described, also early M16's were 1/14 twist, only after cold weather testing did it change to 1/12 and there was controversy that the faster twist made it less lethal. Another thing to consider is that the average VC was what 85-90 lbs so yeah a M193 going over 3000 fps barely stable out of a 1/14 twist barrel hitting a 90 lb person is going to do some damage.