7.62x51 Duplex

[RonJ]

Can anyone tell me about this round? Was it developed for the M14 or M60? Was it ever used in combat and was it effective? Just a curiosity thing! Thanks!

 

[Trooperdan]

It was developed for the M-14, green tip if I recall correctly. The rear bullet has the base cut at a slight angle, intentionally to make it diverge from the path of the front bullet. Both should impact within 12 " at 200 yards? Each bullet weighted about 85 grains. It saw limited combat use. I know of a sniper team in VN that had the spotter armed with a M-14 with mags of duplex and the shooter had a M-21 sniper rifle.

 

[Cyrano]

If my rapidly facing memory banks are correct, it was actually intended for machinegun use, with the guns mounted on helicopters. The two bullets had a shotgun effect, which increased the hit probability.

 

[RonJ]

Hmmmmm! Could it be that it was used in both platforms?
Thanks for your replies, I was beginning to think there would be no opinions.

 

[Trooperdan]

Ron, I also think the original idea was for MG use and some sniper teams liked the "break contact" possibilities of double the firepower.

 

[Jokar]

Kind of new here, however needed to add a post to this question since the M14 A1 E2 was my favorite weapon in Nam and I would get my hands on as many of the duplex (piggy back rounds as I could). Identified with a green tip.
The rounds I received was in boxes of 20 rounds. Never saw them for a machine gun belt, but maybe door gunners got them.
Most of the normal NATO rounds came in 5 round stripper clips.
I normally carried about 12 20 round magazines and another 2 bandoleers of 5 round stripper clips. Think that gave me another 120 rounds.
A couple of the mags would be Match bullets.
Believe the Marines carried the M14s more than we did (Army), however my CO hated the M16. We carried two
M14 A1 E2s per platoon (only two rifle squads) and one M14 with a scope, a 12 gauge pump and two Elephant guns, and of course 2 M60s.
Great weapon, with I had one now.