[Lion Den Dan]

The 5.56 with a 52 to 55 gr. bullet in a 1:12 twist barrel is a good man stopper and accurate to minute of man or even minute of head at 300 meters. Too many ignoramuses played with the rifle and cartridge and now the projectile is too stable.

I won't argue that the M16 series needs its detail cleaning to work but it will work well when maintained. For those who are determined to have a new weapon, the FN will not make them happy but it is likely the most user friendly, fuss free rifle in the world next to the AK/SKS type weapons. The FN, as a cost measure, is produced in a 5.56 version as well as 7.62. The 7.62 can be re-chambered to a lot of other calibers very easily. For the 6.8mm fans, there is the 7mm Mauser that has been kicking about for a number of years. If you want holes in things, the 7mm will make them more readily than the fatter 7.62 designs. If we stopped with the effort to make the M16 series rifle an 800 meter weapon and stopped expecting great things when the barrel is chopped to 16 inches folks would not be having the current problems. If you want short with a thump, there is always the M3 sub machine gun.

[mmercier]

>> the projectile is too stable.

I had a friend (Nam 69 70 vet) that told me the early rounds "tumbled" and were twice as effective as all the new stuff. Is this what you are referring to..?