>>512828847
Origin & intent — The 5.56×45 mm NATO (and its U.S. cousin, the .223 Remington) was developed in the late 1950s–early 1960s for the M16 rifle program. The U.S. Army wanted a light, controllable cartridge that a soldier could carry in large quantities, with good hit probability in fully automatic fire, and still be lethal at typical combat ranges (~300 m).
Why smaller than 7.62 NATO — Lighter ammo means more rounds carried, and a lighter rifle means better handling. The 5.56 mm was fast enough to cause significant tissue damage through yaw and fragmentation when it hit at high velocity, especially inside 200 m.
The “designed to wound” myth — This idea likely comes from two misunderstandings:
1. Geneva Conventions/Hague Declaration — People sometimes confuse the ban on expanding bullets with a “rule” to wound, not kill. There is no such rule. Militaries aim for effectiveness, and a wounded soldier can burden the enemy logistically, but that was never the design goal of the round.
2. Smaller caliber perception — Compared to the 7.62 NATO, the 5.56 looks “less deadly,” so some assumed the choice was political or humanitarian. In reality, the cartridge was lethal enough for military purposes but offered less recoil and more ammo per soldier.
If anything, early field reports from Vietnam showed that the original M193 5.56 round caused more catastrophic wounds than expected due to fragmentation — prompting some criticism that it was too destructive, not that it was meant to be gentle.
8/12/2025, 2:49:06 AM
No.512822108
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