U.S. Army looking for a new rifle...

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102. The military vs civilian aspects

For military battlefield scenarios the correct functioning of infantry small arms are both safety and mission critical. These "power" differentiation would principally speak to the range at which the terminal ballistics of the round remain effective. In civilian applications higher powered rounds and rifles would be required mostly for hunting and target uses but not for self-defense. (Most civilians who would have credible need for counter-sniper tactics and capabilities probably have Secret Service protection or a private PSD.)

The range of the effective stopping power is what qualifies *power*. Effective stopping power is a combination of accuracy and terminal ballistics. Long range, accurate and effective terminal ballistics would qualify a round/rifle combination as "high powered".

Rounds such as the 5.56 NATO and .223 are not long range therefore cannot be accurately termed "high powered".
In the right hands a "high powered" rifle can neutralize an sniper who can inflict substantial casualties on a friendly force.



Speaking qualitatively on gun violence and crime I will say that there have incidents where people are shot and killed using .22 cal pistols. "Killing power" is not what is denoted by the term "high power" by those conversant in long range ballistics.

As an infantryman, I'm sure would know that the mass of bullet, the quantity of powder in the round and the length of the barrel from which it is fired would all be components determining the energy of the round/rifle combination.