"the 5.56 is not a preferred bullet to shoot someone with"- Chris Kyle SEAL Sniper

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - "the 5.56 is not a preferred bullet to shoot someone with"- Chris Kyle SEAL Sniper (Page 1 of 3)

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:18:32 AM EDT

So I kind of understand it may not be prefferred, but from the accounts I read about here & history of the round in combat tells me it works just fine.

Just thought it was interesting. This came from his article in SOF mag 4/2012, if anyone interested.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:19:19 AM EDT

[#1]

IBTSS

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:20:00 AM EDT

[#2]

Don't have the article. What is his preferred round?

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:20:37 AM EDT

[#3]

Everything is a compromise. It may not be the preferred bullet for terminal performance, but it's vastly preferred by those who have to carry large quantities of it.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:21:15 AM EDT

[#4]

In his book he described using a variety of weapons for his sniping duties but favored the .300 WinMag.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:21:28 AM EDT

[#5]

He was a sniper and I think that makes a difference.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:22:16 AM EDT

[#6]

There are a bunch of people without a pulse these days due to that round.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:22:36 AM EDT

[#7]

.700 T-Rex.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:22:56 AM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
He was a sniper and I think that makes a difference.

yep, if you are shooting someone at 800+ yards 556 is definitely not the best round for the job.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:23:07 AM EDT

[#9]

.30 cal rifles and .45 pistols

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:23:16 AM EDT

[#10]

I wouldn't want it for sniping either, isn't the .50 the preferred sniper round?

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:23:58 AM EDT

[#11]

A sniper has a single target, and time to choose it. A combat infantryman has to lump lots of ammo to a possible ambush. Apples and oranges.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:25:46 AM EDT

[#12]

It's funny how when you start shoot at people they tend to hide behind things.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:25:46 AM EDT

[#13]

The preferred round against bad guys would be a 12 gauge slug travelling at 3200 ft/sec from a platform capable of sub MOA accuracy out to 2000 yards.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:25:52 AM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:

I wouldn't want it for sniping either, isn't the .50 the preferred sniper round?

http://goo.gl/H9XbG

All depends who you talk to. I can think of a few other rounds I would rather use. Like the .338 or the .416

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:26:18 AM EDT

[#15]

How many thousand BGs do you think that guy bagged?
I'd trust his judgment.

They were dropping like flies! Great read if you haven't caught his book.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:26:35 AM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
I wouldn't want it for sniping either, isn't the .50 the preferred sniper round?

http://goo.gl/H9XbG

He never fired the CheyTac.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:27:20 AM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
A sniper has a single target, and time to choose it. A combat infantryman has to lump lots of ammo to a possible ambush. Apples and oranges.

Agreed. Thread title and all that. I must have missed the part of it not being the preferred round for a sniper.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:29:20 AM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
The preferred round against bad guys would be a 12 gauge slug travelling at 3200 ft/sec from a platform capable of sub MOA accuracy out to 2000 yards.

Now that would be awesome.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:30:20 AM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
Don't have the article. What is his preferred round?

The preferred round and weapon is as follows:
Round .50 BFG
Capacity 30 rounds
Weight under 8 pounds
Recoil similar to .22
Length under 20 inches
Able to hit targets from 0-1000 meters.

But because of the laws of physics this weapon cannot exist, there for we should have congress repeal them.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:30:26 AM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
The preferred round against bad guys would be a 12 gauge slug travelling at 3200 ft/sec from a platform capable of sub MOA accuracy out to 2000 yards.

20mm Vulcan?

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:30:53 AM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:

Quoted:
The preferred round against bad guys would be a 12 gauge slug travelling at 3200 ft/sec from a platform capable of sub MOA accuracy out to 2000 yards.

Now that would be awesome.

It would be like getting hit by a 747.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:31:21 AM EDT

[#22]

ok........stand over there and let me shoot you with one......

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:31:32 AM EDT

[#23]

That settles it, he is a Seal, and that's close enough to Seal team 6. Word is golden tactical gospel.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:31:34 AM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:

Quoted:
The preferred round against bad guys would be a 12 gauge slug travelling at 3200 ft/sec from a platform capable of sub MOA accuracy out to 2000 yards.

20mm Vulcan?

I will be in my bunk.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:32:20 AM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
He was a sniper and I think that makes a difference.

Partly. If I had to fight with it, I'd rather have a 7.62. If I had to carrry it I'd rather have a 5.56.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:33:56 AM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:

Quoted:
The preferred round against bad guys would be a 12 gauge slug travelling at 3200 ft/sec from a platform capable of sub MOA accuracy out to 2000 yards.

Now that would be awesome.

They do. Well, almost that is.

It's called the 50 BMG.

Of course you have to lug 40lbs of rifle and 20lbs of ammo.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:35:22 AM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:

Quoted:
He was a sniper and I think that makes a difference.

Partly. If I had to fight with it, I'd rather have a 7.62. If I had to carrry it I'd rather have a 5.56.

From a fortified postion 7.62.

On foot for days then 5.56.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:36:13 AM EDT

[#28]

I'd say he's more than earned his right to that opinion.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:36:26 AM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:

Quoted:
The preferred round against bad guys would be a 12 gauge slug travelling at 3200 ft/sec from a platform capable of sub MOA accuracy out to 2000 yards.

Now that would be awesome.

They do. Well, almost that is.

It's called the 50 BMG.

Of course you have to lug 40lbs of rifle and 20lbs of ammo.

I guess a 50cal round is pretty much a fucking slug!!!! 700 plus grains?

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:39:45 AM EDT

[#30]

155mm

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:39:47 AM EDT

[#31]

I wouldn't want to take sniper shots with a 5.56.

I wouldn't want to use a sniper rifle for patrol work.

Just different missions driving the different weapons selection.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:41:34 AM EDT

[#32]

All hail the SEAL...

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:41:58 AM EDT

[#33]

Quoted:
A sniper has a single target, and time to choose it. A combat infantryman has to lump lots of ammo to a possible ambush. Apples and oranges.

It depends on how you're being employed at the time.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:42:51 AM EDT

[#34]

He just prefers the 9mm.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:43:19 AM EDT

[#35]

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:43:56 AM EDT

[#36]

Quoted:

It's funny how when you start shoot at people they tend to hide behind things.

"Oh...they're only using 5.56...come on boys! Let's go get 'em!"

Yeah...I never cared what was coming at me...just that something was coming at me and I didn't want it in me or through me.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:46:19 AM EDT

[#37]

Quoted:

Quoted:

A sniper has a single target, and time to choose it. A combat infantryman has to lump lots of ammo to a possible ambush. Apples and oranges.

It depends on how you're being employed at the time.

Oh, it's you, in this thread.

I get to use this again?

.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:47:48 AM EDT

[#38]

If I was a sniper I wouldn't want 5.56 either, it's a great round but not for 600+ yards.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:48:44 AM EDT

[#39]

AGNTSA

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:49:43 AM EDT

[#40]

Quoted:

Quoted:

It's funny how when you start shoot at people they tend to hide behind things.

"Oh...they're only using 5.56...come on boys! Let's go get 'em!"

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:51:37 AM EDT

[#41]

Quoted:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Army-fgm148.jpg/300px-Army-fgm148.jpg

Price per bullet is pretty high, but it's been done before.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:52:29 AM EDT

[#42]

carried 7.62 in a 240 platform for days...AND and m16 at times. which do you think had more rounds through it

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:53:26 AM EDT

[#43]

Quoted:
Everything is a compromise. It may not be the preferred bullet for terminal performance, but it's vastly preferred by those who have to carry large quantities of it.

Yup. My preferred bullet to kill a man is a 155mm HE

But I damn sure wouldn't want to carry it around on patrol. 5.56 kills well enough and is easy to carry.

Different tools for different jobs; you don't use a hammer to unscrew an oil drain plug.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:55:56 AM EDT

[#44]

If fairness, he had some choices available to him that just aren't feasible for the infantryman.

Posted: 3/15/2012 6:59:23 AM EDT

[#45]

Everything is a compromise

Posted: 3/15/2012 7:01:31 AM EDT

[#46]

One time I was sitting at a meal with an active duty sniper and he told a story of a conversation he had with a visiting senior officer. The conversation went like this:

Officer: "Could you guarantee a kill at 2,000 yards?"
Sniper: "Yes."
Officer: "You sure?"
Sniper: "Yes"
Officer: "What weapon would you use to do it?"
Sniper: "A radio."

Posted: 3/15/2012 7:02:56 AM EDT

[#47]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I wouldn't want it for sniping either, isn't the .50 the preferred sniper round?

http://goo.gl/H9XbG

All depends who you talk to. I can think of a few other rounds I would rather use. Like the .338 or the .416

He didn't like the .50. He said putting a round through the engine dosen't stop a vehicle right away. You must kill the driver & a .338 or .300 win mag is better at that.

Posted: 3/15/2012 7:03:35 AM EDT

[#48]

ammo is mission tailored.

You wouldn't use .50 BMG for a CQB weapon (OK, this is ARFCOM, someone would)

You wouldn't use .25ACP as a sniper round....

The best round is the one you need to complete your mission.

For me, I want short range, 100m or so, and can pack a punch out of a short barrel. So I chose 7.62x39...

I know it's not a sniper rifle, but it will work well in both CQB (because of the weapon it's fired from) and most combat ranges inside 200m...

Posted: 3/15/2012 7:03:39 AM EDT

[#49]

Quoted:
How many thousand BGs do you think that guy bagged?
I'd trust his judgment.

They were dropping like flies! Great read if you haven't caught his book.

I read his book and he didn't ever claim to kill thousands.

Posted: 3/15/2012 7:03:44 AM EDT

[#50]

this isn't new. In Vietnam soldiers hated the 5.56 because it was so light and fast the vegetation ruined the flight paths and was less than ideal and a "wounding weapon". The M14 shot though the vegetation the limb, the bad guy, and the guy behind him.

more recently the reports of the knock down power being terrible added to the fact that many of the enemies are hopped up on drugs. This was one of the main reasons Ronnie Barrett said the 6.8 M468 was devised. Up close CQC sure it gets the job done. So does .300 and a .45.

It might be fast and accurate, its still a .22 though. I think our rifles should be 6.8 or .300. Long range .308 and .338.....of course the .50

There are also arguments that the 5.45 is superior round to the 5.56 as well, I have not studied up on this but it seems it does what the .223 is praised for so much (carrying and capacity) much better + 45rnd mags, and I have read the bullets are superior because of the construction and how they work when they make contact.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - "the 5.56 is not a preferred bullet to shoot someone with"- Chris Kyle SEAL Sniper (Page 1 of 3)

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