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What is the Effective Range of 5.56mm ammo?

Talyn

Talyn

SAINT
Founding Member
This post is intended to complement the "Barrel Length Variations in the .223 remington" post. Thereby, a reduction in performance, based on a reduced barrel length, would result in a subsequent reduction in effective range.

The effective range of 5.56 ammo largely depends on the weapon system with which you use it. The same cartridge has a different effective range depending on the choice of gun.

Based on your area/location, terrain, and vegetative cover this can be an important factor.

What is the effective range of 5.56 ammo?

556-bullet-ammo-magazine.jpg
 
Talyn said:
This post is intended to complement the "Barrel Length Variations in the .223 remington" post. Thereby, a reduction in performance, based on a reduced barrel length, would result in a subsequent reduction in effective range.

The effective range of 5.56 ammo largely depends on the weapon system with which you use it. The same cartridge has a different effective range depending on the choice of gun.

Based on your area/location, terrain, and vegetative cover this can be an important factor.

What is the effective range of 5.56 ammo?

556-bullet-ammo-magazine.jpg
Click to expand...
Interesting: "If you need bullets for hunting, you should consider those with the FJM (full metal jacket), which do not expand when they come into contact with soft tissue."


"However, where a shooter only wants to hit a paper target, the effective range of 5.56 may be over 1,000 yards. To attain that range, you need good ammo and near-perfect conditions." And superior optics I might add.
 
C. Sumpin said:
"However, where a shooter only wants to hit a paper target, the effective range of 5.56 may be over 1,000 yards. To attain that range, you need good ammo and near-perfect conditions." And superior optics I might add.
Click to expand...
In one type of Service Rifle competition it was required to shoot out to 1,000 yds with open sites, which I've done may times, under less-than perfect conditions. Until recently, the use of open sites was required but CMP changed the regs acouple years ago allowing optics but only with a max 4-power magnification.

Regarding the FMJ hunting comment I don;t understand where the author is coming from there.
 
That's what surprised me also, FMJ for game.
But I can say that I have shot a large buck at
about 40 yards with a .30 cal. with FMJ and
he dropped where he was standing.............
 
Speer always provides interesting numbers on every cartridge listed in their manuals (I think every). It will list grain, velocity and angle with a maximum distance at which the bullet would travel. Crazy numbers at which makes me wonder where they have tried this and who located the impact?
 
C. Sumpin said:
Interesting: "If you need bullets for hunting, you should consider those with the FJM (full metal jacket), which do not expand when they come into contact with soft tissue."


"However, where a shooter only wants to hit a paper target, the effective range of 5.56 may be over 1,000 yards. To attain that range, you need good ammo and near-perfect conditions." And superior optics I might add.
Click to expand...
If a 300bo can do it why not a 556!
 
Hurryin' Hoosier said:
As I recall, Uncle Sugar told us that the maximum range of the M16, with ball ammunition, was something like 3,900 yards. The maximum effective range, though, was only 600 yards. (Either way, I'd rather have had my old M14!)
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Yes with M-16's I was taught 500 meters effective range, but that would be rare. With shorter barrel M-4's I don't know. Typical combat ranges are likely to be much closer. I hunt hogs with 5.56 but rarely is range over 100 yds. I would not use it on deer.
 
Decent article, but I agree with everyone who was puzzled by the hunting advice. I do not engage in any traditional hunting with .223/5.56. I will use .223/5.56 to clear hogs, beavers, and coyotes from the family land, but I don't consider it to be "hunting".
 
wmg1299 said:
Decent article, but I agree with everyone who was puzzled by the hunting advice. I do not engage in any traditional hunting with .223/5.56. I will use .223/5.56 to clear hogs, beavers, and coyotes from the family land, but I don't consider it to be "hunting".
Click to expand...
Just call it "plinking"!
 
C. Sumpin said:
"I'd give it 400 yards on humans. It is still just a high velocity .22."

See ur point......but it's a 5.56. Not .223. And not .22 mag.
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It's not a .22-250 either.
Light bullets get blown off target by the wind more than heavier bullets. They carry much less energy down range as we all know. The army adopted the 5.56 for its effectiveness out to a couple hundred yards, light weight, low recoil and lower cost than the .308. Not its long range capabilities. Modern troops pack about 90 pounds of gear. A lighter rifle and ammo make a lot of sense.
Just sayin.
 
wmg1299 said:
Decent article, but I agree with everyone who was puzzled by the hunting advice. I do not engage in any traditional hunting with .223/5.56. I will use .223/5.56 to clear hogs, beavers, and coyotes from the family land, but I don't consider it to be "hunting".
Click to expand...
I took more than a few groundhogs with a bolt action .223. I'd say it's a good cartridge for anything up to a coyote.
At reasonable ranges for humane kills.
 
"The army adopted the 5.56 for its effectiveness out to a couple hundred yards"

Perhaps, but its best attributes in the Nam and during its development was the ease of handling (one hand operation), shorter barrel for maneuverability, high capacity and rapid rate of fire and often enough, within fifty yards.
Long range and or hunting considerations would come later. As usually is the case, it's matching the tool to the particular task/mission.
 
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