The Firearm thread: Engineering artistry of wood, polymer and steel.

[Stealhead]

Originally Posted by Red October1984

I've heard over and over that they use Hollow Points and smaller calibers so they don't have to worry about shooting through bodies in a hostage situation or in a densely populated area.

What makes you think that 5.56mm will not penetrate?Trust me it can big time at close range.JHPs have a reduced ability to penetrate body armor therefore from a military standpoint they are not popular.Even an FMJ 5.56mm against good body armor once it penetrates that it is slowed to around .22longrifle ballistics.

When even much slower velocity JHP pistol rounds are very capable of full penetration common sense will tell you that a higher weight and velocity round most certainly will penetrate.

Look at the Bin Laden raid some non combatants still got hit by rounds and that was the one of the most elite units in the US military.

I dont really care that much about what LE does to be honest their job is supposed to be to protect and serve not to be a combat force.99% of SWAT actions are warrant raids anyway and you kind find hundreds of cases where they shot innocent people.Here in Florida a SWAT sniper got a perfect head shot with a .308 only thing was it was one of the hostages whose head he split apart and it was not a miss he thought the woman was a legit target.No offense to the good cops out there I know it a a lousy job at times and such and there are plenty of cops giving everyone a bad name.

So here is another real favorite of mine the M1917 Enfield certainly one of the best looking rifles ever made it also happens to one of the most accurate.I have never owned one personally but my father has one and I have fired his many times maybe he let me have it some day.His is the US Army model in .30-06 there was also a version for the British Army in .303 and also some .276 caliber.


I have read a few places that the M1917 and the Brit version where not ideal for trench combat because they became very unbalanced with a bayonet attached.But man they really are good shooters if you have it on a good rest but that might not be so good when a German is about to whack you in your tea drinking face with a razor sharp shovel.