Personal Weapons -- the Choices are Many.
Armada International › Vol. 25 Nbr. 1, February 2001
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Personal Weapons -- the Choices are Many.
Before entering into detail regarding the rifles and carbines utilised by special forces, it would be as well to highlight a topic usually overlooked, namely the ammunition calibres involved. This provides another example of special forces being ahead of the game for many of them are now wondering if they have selected the correct rifle calibre, well before the more conservative and conventional armed forces are encountering the same doubts.
On logistic grounds it makes sense for special forces to utilise the same weapon calibres as other field formations. Supply is made that much easier and, once in the field, local stocks can be raided to top up ammunition levels. These days most armed forces rely on one of two possible calibres for the bulk of their infantry weapon holdings, namely 5.56 mm within Nato and Western-orientated nations or 5.45 mm for those supplied by the old Eastern Bloc. The rounds involved are powerful and more than adequate for the majority of combat ranges likely to be encountered. Both are utilised by many special forces although suitability doubts are becoming increasingly prevalent. Rifles and Carbines There are many reasons why 5.56 and 5.45 mm are under examination. One argument is that they lack power at the longer combat ranges, the counter being that they were never intended to be anything other than limited range, intermediate power rounds. A more important comment is that the small bullets tend to lack power and are too easily deflected by standing vegetation or high winds. There are other technical considerations but the fact remains that many experienced soldiers look back wistfully to the times when heavier bullets were the standard issue. They remember the lethal qualities of the larger, full power 7.62 x 51 mm Nato ball or the all-round performance of the Eastern Bloc 7.62 x 39 mm Model 1943 round fired from the ubiquitous AK-47 and AKM Kalashnikov assault rifle series. Both the latter rounds are still in widespread service. Many armed forces still retain one or the other as they have never adopted the smaller calibre alternatives. There are indications that some special forces are contemplating a move back to t...See the full content of this document
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