[Travis McGee]

The new 62 grain ammo has greater accuracy at long range, and penetrates armor etc better, but it is much less lethal than the old 55 grain ammo.

The new ammo often drills neat "knitting needle" wounds which may be lethal later, but are not manstoppers now.

The old 55 grain stuff was unstable and "tumbled" when strking an enemy, leaving awesome wound channels for much better instant stopping.

[Monty22]

A .223 traveling less than around 3000fps when it hits the target makes a .22 hole. Might as well use a 22LR rifle.

The whole key to the .223 is low grain bullets that hit and cause 'hydrostatic shock' on the human target, which can kill someone even if hit in the arm.

[river rat]

Sorry, can't comment on military ammo - post 7.62..
No personal experience..

However -- there are a whole lot of dead VC and NVA that would be surprised to hear the 5.56 wasn't a lethal round...

I still believe our old 7.62 was FAR more lethal and at FAR longer ranges....

An "America AK47" --- light, short, simple, reliable in 7.62 or something large and lethal would be interesting....

Semper Fi