"Bullets used by British soldiers 'too small to defeat Taliban'"

[Jaws]

New article posted on www.telegraph.co.uk. British troops not exactly happy with the 5.56mm.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/news...t-Taliban.html

A survey of more than 50 servicemen who have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan concluded that the 5.56mm calibre rounds used by British soldiers 'tailed off' after 300 metres yet half of all Helmand firefights are fought between 300 and 900 metres.
It came as the wife of a British soldier who died in hospital weeks after being injured in a blast in Afghanistan paid tribute to her "best friend and wonderful husband".
The study, co-written by Nicholas Drummond, a strategy consultant and ex-Welsh Guards officer, described British soldiers' rifles as "not much more useful than a peashooter".
Taliban marksmen use powerful 7.62mm ammo for their AK47 machine guns, according to a report of the study in The Sun.
Mr Drummond told the newspaper that a British soldier couldn't attack the Taliban "with any certainty that if he hits the enemy he will kill or incapacitate him. The study claims the ammunition is easily stopped by car doors. It added that Javelin anti-tank missiles, costing £100,000 each, are often fired at lone gunmen. Only one in four British, US and German troops has been issued with guns using 7.62mm ammunition.
The report calls for guns that take larger ammunition to replace all standard-issue SA80 rifles, which many believe were exposed as inadequate in Iraq in 2003.
The Ministry of Defence told the newspaper the 5.56mm calibre rounds used by United States and other Nato allies are "proven to be both accurate and powerful."

[geminidglocker]

This is a duplicate thread, it was just discussed four days ago.

[Jaws]

This is a duplicate thread, it was just discussed four days ago.

Where?
I didn't see it. Not Here.

[DocGKR]

Here are links to the articles:

http://www.quarry.nildram.co.uk/btb.pdf

http://www.quarry.nildram.co.uk/btbjdw.pdf

-----------------

LF thread with one of the authors: http://lightfighter.net/eve/forums/a...61/m/182100274

[Jaws]

Thank you Sir for the links to the article. Very good and honest info coming from the British.
I didn't know they don't use fragmenting bullets. Is not much left from the 5.56 capabilities without fragmenting bullets.
NATO swallowed the 5.56 pill in the name of cartridge commonality with the US and they still use different bullets.

Now would be an excellent time to get something different. More powerful.
Many NATO countries, including US, are looking to replace their main rifles. Also some of the newer members from eastern Europe would have a good opportunity to switch straight from the soviet block ammo to a new, better cartridge. Many newer carbines and rifles that could be adopted are built with more calibers in mind and could be easily converted to whatever cartridge is selected.

[MarkG]

Anyone who questions the lethality of the 5.56mm is just out of touch with reality. The answer is not a more powerful cartridge as suggested. An X.XXmm cartridge isn't any more effective when you miss the target. Do you think the projectile "whiff" is going to knock them down if you miss?

The Brit's problem is with their SA80 which is just a huge piece of shit. The rifle can't handle M855/SS109 cartridges so they have to use under powered ammunition so their bullpup rifle doesn't fall apart in combat.

The M4/M16 family of rifles with M855/SS109 is a killing machine. I love how the article implys that Taliban with a ragged AK-47 is a greater threat on the battlefield just because they use the more powerful 7.62 cartridge. Just hit the target and your problems are solved.