Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: the gillman@blacklagoon.com
Pretty much there are two basic types of 223 projectiles: Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) & Soft Point (SP) There are many variations of the SP from exposed lead tips to ballistic tips which are plastic tipped down to Hollow Points (HP) which have only a hollow core for about 1/8th inch.

The objective of the SP is to transfere as much energy of the projectile to the target to cause as much tissue damage as possible. This effect is sometimes called the hydra-shock effect.

For when soft points and hollow points expand, the damage is from the shock of suddenly opening a fluid space which can be a ripping effect. Other damage can be from secondary projectiles from the original that fly off as the bullet expands violently until energy is lost and all motion ceases.

There isn't any "buzz saw" effect as seen on TV. Most 223 rifles will have a twist rate of 12:1 up to 14:1. These numbers mean that the projectile will rotate once every 12 and 14 inches of forward motion respectively. No matter the velocity, the twist rate remains the same. If you have a target mass of eight inches thick and the projectile passes through, then it did not have a full rotation upon passing through. If the projectile did not pass through, it still did not have a full ratation since all energy stopped once the forward motion stopped.

When one uses a FMJ, much less energy is passed to the target due to its inability to transfere energy to the target. FMJ's can be known for the tumbling effect, but usually when the projectile has to travel a great distance and the bullet weight and length is too great for the twist rate. The tumbling happens before target impact and "key holes" the target. Accuracy for a tumbling projectile is crap.

1,156 posted on 10/07/2002 9:47:13 AM PDT by Deguello
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 964 | View Replies ]


To: Deguello
***There isn't any "buzz saw" effect as seen on TV. Most 223 rifles will have a twist rate of 12:1 up to 14:1. ***

I don't think they have produced any .223 rifles with that loose of a twist in the past ten years. Most range in the 1 in 8 to 1 in 10, some are as tight as 1 in 7. The military found that the rounds destabilized too quickly in colder weather and accuracy went down the hopper. They tightend up the twist and other rifle makers followed suit.

Even FMJ military ammo breaks up and causes pretty good wound damage out to 200 yards providing the barrel was long enough to have decent velocity.
1,198 posted on 10/07/2002 9:59:35 AM PDT by dasher
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1156 | View Replies ]

To: Deguello
Accuracy for a tumbling projectile is crap.

Not if it only tumbles/yaws on impact, or more properly on penetration, of the target. Which is exactly what FMJ .223/5.56x45 (and "Russian" 7.62x39 and 5.45X39) do.

1,961 posted on 10/07/2002 7:12:32 PM PDT by El Gato
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1156 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson