Ballistics test

[radioman999]

This video gives some interesting comparisons. Some surprising, mostly expected results. The test dummy sure is having a rough day..

[akd]

The M16 and M249 both have 20-inch 5.56mm barrels and fire the same ammunition. From a ballistics standpoint they are identical and their conclusion that they have different capabilities is flawed. What they are actually testing is the ability of a firearm placed in a machine rest to deliver rounds repeatedly to the same (or nearly the same) impact point. If a burst from an M16 doesn't penetrate, but a burst from an M249 does, the weapons system is not what is being compared, but the rather the effect of 3 rounds of 5.56mm versus, say, 6 rounds all delivered robot-like to the same point of impact.

Likewise they compare the M40 and M240, but it is unclear if they are comparing the ammunition (i.e. match sniper ammo and standard ball), or simply a single round of 7.62mm versus the cumulative effect of multiple rounds.

And of course human beings bear little resemblance to foam board.

[radioman999]

m16 and m249 may have similar characteristics in ballistics, but I thought m249 had much longer effective range, which I would think mean more energy, no?

[Field Marshal Blücher]

Don't think the M249 has a much longer effective range than the M16. Than the M4, yes, but not the M16.

[SeanRamey]

well these ballistics are something that the devs need to look into for CM:SF and all upcoming games and mods. I mean in CM:SF .50 cal rounds bounce off of buildings! In the new CM:Normandy, there should definitly be alot of stuff that the basic rifle can penetrate, cause pretty much every thing else on the US side uses 30-06(except for the M1911, Thompson, Greasegun, and M1 carbine, and M2-HB .50 cal)

[Dietrich]

I thought m249 had much longer effective range, which I would think mean more energy, no?

Well if two guns fire the same caliber and type of ammo and have the same barrel length, yet one of said guns has a bipod, I'd say the deciding factor is the bipod. Since a bipod means greater stability, which would translate into greater effective range, since the rounds are on target to a greater extent than from an unsupported gun. On the other hand, the M249's full-auto-only and high-ish ROF might well tend to counteract increased accuracy resultant from the bipod...

in CM:SF .50 cal rounds bounce off of buildings!

How many inches of concrete is a .50-cal ball round reckoned to penetrate? What about stone? (Of course, that depends on what type of stone...)

Wood isn't very plentiful in the desert. Hence the construction of buildings with material that just happens to be sterner stuff than wood.

In the new CM:Normandy, there should definitly be alot of stuff that the basic rifle can penetrate, cause pretty much every thing else on the US side uses 30-06(except for the M1911, Thompson, Greasegun, and M1 carbine, and M2-HB .50 cal)

And the Germans (pretty much all rifles and MGs) use a slightly larger round, 7.92mm.

[radioman999]

What about stone? (Of course, that depends on what type of stone...)

Wood isn't very plentiful in the desert. Hence the construction of buildings with material that just happens to be sterner stuff than wood.

Speaking of different types of buildings, when CM2 starts introducing wooden buildings, espcially for the Normandy, I can just imagine how little cover wooden shacks would have against M2 rounds. This was a bit disappointing how close combat handled damage against buildings.

[costard]

well these ballistics are something that the devs need to look into for CM:SF and all upcoming games and mods. I mean in CM:SF .50 cal rounds bounce off of buildings!

snip

I'm sure this is an exaggeration - I've rubbled buildings with the M2 in CMSF (or at least knocked out walls). Sure, ricochets are modeled...