i dont like media
This is not about media. This is about a real issue. I put half a mag of 5.56 into a PAVN sapper in RVN and he still ran another 20 paces toward us.
Look at the 6.5 Grendel.
I scanned most of the replies-lots of good, so-so and some outright errant points.
556 vs 762 is a no win situation.
Both have very valuable qualities, both have significant drawbacks.
As my tagline indicates, there are no free lunches. Rapid, accurate fire is an ideal that is affected by both caliber (recoil) and caliber (weight).
Going to a larger cailber in a light weight platform results in less controllablity, therefore less accurate fire placed on the threat; light weight, small caliber tools limit penetration, range.
Granted, I use an NM M1 Garand in HP competition and can score in the high 90% range in rapid fire stages (sitting at 200 yds, prone at 300 and run right up there with the AR15s that are very common. However, 10 rounds at a time is nothing compared to what we do in combat. Plus, no one is launching back on the HP range (well, usually ;) ).
The M16/M4 is a compromise of most desireable qualities.
The fire team/squad of taday needs a varitey of firepower we give them -the M4/16A2/3 for firepower and shock effect, the SAW (556 also) for close support/moving automatic fire, the M240B for overwatch (762) and the SWS in either 762 (M24) or in 50 cal (M107) plus explosive projectiles (M4 ATW) and the M203 40mm attached to M4s or M16s.
This basic compliment , supplemented with 12 gauge M590 shotguns, Mk 17 AGLs, M2 50 cal HMGs etc, provide a flexible assortment of tools needed to get the job done, whether at range (past 500m) or up close-0-200m) and intermediate 200-500m).
Those who know, trust each of these type of systems for their specific purpose. a 762 is not ideal for everything, nor is the 556.
Example-a 556 (16 or greater barrel length) with 55 grn FMJ/varmint bullets is very very effective in your home-bullets at velocities over 2400 fs come apart in interior walls, do not over penetrate and do terrific in stopping perps quickly-think of it as the 357 mag of the short rifle category.
The 762 is great for perimeter defense of your home-if you live in a rural area, 150/168 grn HPBT work wonders on rogue varmints-dogs, or 2 legged, they act very similar to FMJ bullets, and are very efficient in accuracy.
I would select the folowing:
personal last ditch-40 cal or 45 ACP hangun.
intermdiate range-AR 15 with 16-18 inch barrel and 55 grn FMJ/varmint bullets are max velocity.
long range- Bolt or semi-auto scoped rifle in 762, 30/06 or simliar for the long range aspects.
Remember, no free lunches. We do not haul freight with Yugos, although it could be done, nor do we commute to work in a peterbuilt with reefer atached.....
God Bless
Molon Labe.
The way you solve this problem is you use
I
C
B
Ms
No one ever complains about the stopping power of a 10 megaton warhead.