[tortoise]

2. The .223 is not a high-powered round, fired from anything.
3. What type of bullets? Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) is military type. By law. Goes right through, wounding.
4. Fragment rounds indicate hollow points, or better (Glaser, Magsafe). But if they were pre-fragged, doubtfull recovery.

You are essentially wrong on all accounts. .223 FMJ fragments explosively at relatively short ranges (<150 yards). This is a very different kind of fragmentation than Glasers or similar, and vastly more lethal because the fragments move at high velocity perpendicular to the axis of rotation rather than along a parallel trajectory like a Glaser or fragmented pistol bullets. Apples and oranges.

If you've ever seen a .223 FMJ wound, you'd know what I mean. It leaves a pretty good sized cavity in a person that looks like a little bird-shot grenade went off inside the body. The tissue is perforated with bits of gravel in all directions, not just in the wound channel. Its a much nastier wound than what you typically get from a 7.62x39 or even most .308s.

[null and void]

TMI

[cpdiii]

You are correct Tortoise. In addition since the slug is high velocity, you will get a temporary cavity in the flesh as the slug passed through the target. This cavity (lasts only fractions of a second) is a result of the shock wave traveling through the flesh. This shock wave will rupture blood vessels that are not in the path of the slug.

I do beg to differ on the 308. A 308 (7.62-51) loaded with either a hollow point or soft nosed expanding slug is more potent and a longer range caliber. However, either caliber in the hands of a good shooter with a good weapon is deadly and accurate up to 300 yards. In the hands of a sniper, with a good weapon and good optics 500 yard shots (with the 308) would have a very high success percentaage.