[Gorbag]

As was stated in an earlier post, shot placement with the 5.56 is essential. IMO, the round's lethality problems can all be traced to the "green tip" projectiles (the M855). The projectile itself is intended to punch holes in body armor at a distance, and this just leads to "ice picking" on those unfortunate enough to be hit (basically just poking little holes through). I saw Somalis get up and run away after taking a pretty sizable burst from a SAW, and others drop with one or two rounds that hit center of mass and popped a critical organ or blood vessel. The capabilities of the cartridge have been enhanced somewhat with the new Mk262 projectiles, but cost is keeping that stuff from general issue.

The cartridge at its basic form is plenty lethal. It's just not geared towards one-shot-stops of human sized organisms. But, truth be told, I and others I knew never just put a single round into a target. Not emptying magazines in one gloriously satisfying burst of sheer, barrel melting mayhem, but two or three (or four or five, depending on how amped up we were) quick shots on semi. I think the cartridge is hamstrung by the projectile design, and the whole Hague Convention limitations that force the FMJ to be used. I think the engineers could maybe focus on re-designing a better projectile, borrowing from the data available from the hunting community (as they test their stuff on live targets every year), while still adhering to the Hague Conventions. Or just ditch the Hague Conventions, as how is it more humane to get shot by a non-expanding projectile rather than blown up by an IED?