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New 5.56 "Brown" Tip ammo

3K views 15 replies 7 participants last post by  Yale 
#1 ·
Thought this was pretty interesting. About time they started doing something to correct a long time problem with the ammo firing out of the M4's.

5.56 Optimized/Brown-Tip Ammo: Enhanced Terminal Ballistics for SpecOps SBRs
Posted on Thursday, May 15 @ 05:20:38 PDT by davidc

Ammunition By David Crane
defrev at gmail.com

May 14, 2008

Modified on 5/15/08 -- Some information has been redacted/removed from this article by the author/editor (David Crane) for OPSEC.

A number of months ago, DefenseReview was informed by one of our contacts in the U.S. military Special Operations (SpecOps) community that our Special Operations Forces (SOF) assaulters/operators now have a new, specialized 5.56x45mm NATO (5.56mm NATO)/.223 Rem. round at their disposal that's been unofficially referred to as the "5.56 Optimized" (pronounced "Five Five Six Optimized") and/or "Brown Tip", because the round has, appropriately, a brown tip.

The "optimized" nomenclature apparently refers to the fact that the round is optimized for subcarbines/SBRs (Short Barreled Rifles) and carbines from 10.5-14.5 inches, in order to provide optimum terminal ballistics out of the shortened weapon platform. We don't know the maximum effective combat distance for the round out of a 10.3"-10.5" barrel, but we're guessing approx. 300-350 yards (unconfirmed/unverified). At present, we believe that the specific weapons for which the round was optimized are the...


10.5" HK416 gas-piston/op-rod-driven SBR and 14.5" SOPMOD Colt M4A1 Carbine, although the the 10.3" Mk18 CQBR (Close Quarters Battle Receiver) direct-gas-impingement-driven SBR may also have used as a testbed/platform-focus for the new round (but we don't know, at this point). We'll try to get confirmation/verification on this. Right now, it's just rumor.

Defense Review does not have all the facts about this ammo, yet, but we've been informed by one of our sources that the new round (the bullet, itself), rumored to be manufactured by [Redacted], is made of [Redacted] ([Redacted], all the way through) and weighs 70 grains, as opposed to the 62-grain M855 ball round. It's possible that the 5.56 Optimized/Brown-Tip bullet is a militarized offshoot of, and therefore benefits from, [Redacted] bullet a.k.a. [Redacted] bullet technology. However, we're not yet sure whether the 5.56 Optimized round is round nose a.k.a. solid point, open-tip, or hollow point. The limited information we have at present would lead us to believe that it's a solid-tip round, but we're not sure yet.
 
#2 ·
Hmm... It's interesting that so much is redacted concerning the manufacturer's identity. I'm betting it's Black Hills, though. Black Hills makes the 77gr bullets cooked up especially for the SDMR's, but the Army wouldn't release them to the troops for a while. I think they were HP's, and that'd be a no-no. The Geneva convention limits us to FMJ's only.
 
#4 · (Edited)
I was looking at keltec PLR-16 and it seemed like a nice cheap platform to make and SBR on .
I think they only cost 450$ +200$tax stamp+cost of making folding stock.

Seems like you would get the best of many worlds. Cheap , AR like but still PISTON DRIVEN, folding (unlike AR's), compact, powerful (unlike pistol SMG).

Anyone?
http://glocktalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=815530
 
#6 ·
Gimmeabeer said:
A folding stock shouldn't make it an SBR, should it? It'd be hard to imagine it being under 26.5" overall even with the stock folded.

EDIT: Wait, don't you already have a thread about an SU16 somewhere? Those rifles are pieces of shit.
What is shitty about them ? I have heard some various reports online, mostly good. Stock looks too flimsy to me though.
And the point of this project is short/foldable. I just hate paying the government taxes for any reason . BS.
yes the PLR-16 would easily be under 26" when folded ! (9.25" barrel)
the su16 is 16" barrel.
 
#7 · (Edited)
There have been some complaints about barrel obstructions being hard to diagnose, being that it's hard to see into the chamber as easily as with an AR or an AK (without disassembly), and the cotter pin used (that should be a serious red flag) to hold the stock in the extended position isn't an easily available size, possibly complicating field repairs. Just get a remanned bushmaster from cmmg for under $600 if you're worried about cheap. It'll be more accurate, and assuming you clean it, the direct impingement will hurt it a lot less than you think. If it really bothers you, save up and buy a gas piston upper from Bushmaster or Lauer Custom Weaponry. Sorry for the hi-jack, Jose.

EDIT: It amazes me that you're willing to pay more for the SBR transfer stamp and gun altogether than you would for a higher quality gun by itself. If you need a shorter barrel, buy a pistol. I'm going to work, peace out, kids! Jose, I guess I owe you another drink.
 
#9 ·
evil jose said:
Actually futant hijacked my thread. WTF?!
In all seriousness , what are we supposed to talk about? it's all 'top secret' I guess.
Probably blended metal technology , supposedly the next big 'bullet thing'.
:shrug:
 
#10 ·
futant said:
In all seriousness , what are we supposed to talk about? it's all 'top secret' I guess.
Probably blended metal technology , supposedly the next big 'bullet thing'.
:shrug:
Why not post it back in your SU-16 thread? This is a completely different topic discussing the inadequacies of military ammo out of short barrel M4's and what they are doing to correct it.
 
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