Army to Test New 'Green' Bullets

[K-McD]

ABERDEEN, Md. – The most familiar item in the Army’s arsenal is getting an upgrade.

The M855 bullet was designed in the 70s – and has been in use since then, despite some complaints from soldiers that it’s often less than effective .The new M855A1, which the Army will be demonstrating Wednesday at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, is deadlier, faster, and may soon replace its older cousin.

The new ammunition is notable for being “green” for one thing; it’s lead-free, meaning the new ammo is environmentally friendly, the Army said. The military began providing the lead-free round last June to U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan.

Link

So, the left is still using the military as their laboratory for agendas. The Green Bullet. Sounds like a comic book superhero. And as always, it’s another stupid idea that comes from our tax paid government.

 

[purplesunshine]

Link

So, the left is still using the military as their laboratory for agendas. The Green Bullet. Sounds like a comic book superhero. And as always, it’s another stupid idea that comes from our tax paid government.

As someone who grew up near a military base and saw “three eyed fish” and “birds with tails” becuase of the chemicals in firing ranges (heavy metals that made their way into water) and small weapon testing I say good for them.

 

[Rich_Olszewski]

So, the left is still using the military as their laboratory for agendas.

Greener and deadlier and faster. What’s not to love about that ammunition?

The Green Bullet. Sounds like a comic book superhero. And as always, it’s another stupid idea that comes from our tax paid government.

It’s been in use for nearly a year. Doesn’t seem to be a stupid idea. As for what it’s called - who cares?

 

[Monte_RCMS]

The green bullets will only wound. Not kill.

[Not sure if that’s really such a hot idea.]

Maybe the green bullets will report your DNA to a central committee, which will then credit your bank account with $50,000 and send you a plane ticket so you can be humanely removed from the battlefield and taken to the vacation location of your choice. Becomes a win-win situation. YOU are out of the battle, but without being killed or injured.

 

[Rich_Olszewski]

The green bullets will only wound. Not kill.

They do call it deadlier. Besides, a bullet in the head or in the heart tends to kill rather than wound. Frankly, I don’t see how a faster bullet will be less deadly than a slower one.

If they want to wound, they ought to use rubber bullets. Not sure if that’s really such a hot idea either.

 

[Monte_RCMS]

They do call it deadlier. Besides, a bullet in the head or in the heart tends to kill rather than wound. Frankly, I don’t see how a faster bullet will be less deadly than a slower one.

If they want to wound, they ought to use rubber bullets. Not sure if that’s really such a hot idea either.

Didn’t the Army Springfield Arsenal change the AR-15 when the Army bought it to use as the M-16? They changed the twist in the rifling … so it would spin faster and not tumble … so it would create a “thru&thru” effect, instead of creating a “tumbling injury” when it hit the target person.

They also changed the powder so there was a different residue in the works, so it jammed more easily.

I guess that is humane: a rifle that jams so the enemy can’t get hurt.

And a plastic stock that will shatter when the shooter tries to club the enemy with his jammed rifle.

 

[Rich_Olszewski]

Didn’t the Army Springfield Arsenal change the AR-15 when the Army bought it to use as the M-16? They changed the twist in the rifling … so it would spin faster and not tumble … so it would create a “thru&thru” effect, instead of creating a “tumbling injury” when it hit the target person.

They also changed the powder so there was a different residue in the works, so it jammed more easily.

I guess that is humane: a rifle that jams so the enemy can’t get hurt.

And a plastic stock that will shatter when the shooter tries to club the enemy with his jammed rifle.

I have no idea. You’ll have to research it. If the gun jams, that would hardly be the Army’s intention.

 

[JHow]

Didn’t the Army Springfield Arsenal change the AR-15 when the Army bought it to use as the M-16? They changed the twist in the rifling … so it would spin faster and not tumble … so it would create a “thru&thru” effect, instead of creating a “tumbling injury” when it hit the target person.

They also changed the powder so there was a different residue in the works, so it jammed more easily.

I guess that is humane: a rifle that jams so the enemy can’t get hurt.

And a plastic stock that will shatter when the shooter tries to club the enemy with his jammed rifle.

IIRC, there was also an issue with chrome-lined bore (not done) that contributed to jamming on the orginal M16, but this was fixed in the Vietnam era.

As a system, though M16/M16A1/M16A2/M4-whatever they are up to now, has been in use for a long time and does its job.

As to the green bullet, all the physics still apply, mass, velocity, ballistic coefficient, etc. Don’t see why it wouldn’t / couldn’t be made to work.

 

[vz71]

Good to know that when our armed forces are on the firing line facing the enemy they will be armed with science projects.

I believe our soldiers would feel more confident knowing the bullet coming out of their weapon has been proven effective.

 

[Rich_Olszewski]

Good to know that when our armed forces are on the firing line facing the enemy they will be armed with science projects.

I believe our soldiers would feel more confident knowing the bullet coming out of their weapon has been proven effective.

Yes, it is good. As the round has been in service in action in Afghanistan since last June, I’m sure that the “science project” has been proven effective.

BTW, all Research & Development is a “science project.” All our assault rifles, and sidearms, and artillery have come about by someone’s “science project,” whether in the private sector or the military sector.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The article doesn’t say what the slugs are made of. Looks like they have brass or copper jackets, so I guess that’s no different. But the core?

Just making a scientific guess, I’m thinking the core is made out of year-old Easter peeps, dyed to make them look like lead. Old peeps are pretty hard. Of course, they could be made out of 30-minute-old McDonald’s hamburger buns. They get hard in a hurry; far less than the year the peeps would take.

 

[oldcelt]

I live in an area that is famous for powdered metal. Some local firms have developed a slug that contains no lead, but has proven to be very accurate and deadly. As stated before, I believe the jacketing is similar to a standard lead round.

John