What in the wide world of sports is going on here

[Llance]

Versatel .22 High Speed Ammo

Humm Why did the army go to a high speed .22 (.223) and a new rifle when they had the option of an existing rifle, and a more than adequate cartridge. Start with a .30 Carbine, neck it down to .22 caliber thus changing a 1900 fps rifle into a 3100 fps rifle.

Ooh, that's right MR. Johnson wasn't such a popular guy following WW Twice. The new cartridge which would still fit in the .30 carbine rifle and magazines.

Wait, I remember now, we gave away all our carbines to other countries. No need for a new cartridge for a rifle we no longer carried in stock. Will we never learn?

I do believe I'll enjoy shooting my Rugar M77 in .220 Swift once I get it out to a range. Couldn't beat the price $110.00 Plus tax and buyer's fee, for a total of $125.00. I reasoned if the throat was shot out, I could always set the barrel back two threads and rechamber to one of the other .22 cartridges. I was thinking .22-250.

Llance

 

[DWalt]

Humm Why did the army go to a high speed .22 (.223) and a new rifle when they had the option of an existing rifle, and a more than adequate cartridge. Start with a .30 Carbine, neck it down to .22 caliber thus changing a 1900 fps rifle into a 3100 fps rifle.

Ooh, that's right MR. Johnson wasn't such a popular guy following WW Twice. The new cartridge which would still fit in the .30 carbine rifle and magazines.

Wait, I remember now, we gave away all our carbines to other countries. No need for a new cartridge for a rifle we no longer carried in stock. Will we never learn?

I do believe I'll enjoy shooting my Rugar M77 in .220 Swift once I get it out to a range. Couldn't beat the price $110.00 Plus tax and buyer's fee, for a total of $125.00. I reasoned if the throat was shot out, I could always set the barrel back two threads and rechamber to one of the other .22 cartridges. I was thinking .22-250.

Llance

Development of the M16 rifle and its 5.56x45 cartridge were well underway at the same time MMJ had his necked-down .30 Carbine case brainstorm. It never had any chance for military consideration let alone adoption. Further, the ballistics of the MMJ 5.7 cartridge were considerably below that of the 5.56x45 (and the parent .30 Carbine) as it used a lighter bullet driven a significantly lower MV.

 

[venomballistics]

Development of the M16 rifle and its 5.56x45 cartridge were well underway at the same time MMJ had his necked-down .30 Carbine case brainstorm. It never had any chance for military consideration let alone adoption. Further, the ballistics of the MMJ 5.7 cartridge were considerably below that of the 5.56x45 (and the parent .30 Carbine) as it used a lighter bullet driven a significantly lower MV.

I'd bet that the MMJ was loaded to the same range of pressures as the parent 30 cartridge as well.
Such a convention would have simplified refitting M1 carbines.
This likely kneecapped the concept beyond it's academic value.
The reverse has seemingly proven fruitful in the AR 15/ M16 platform as it's already set up for much higher operating pressures.
It has spawned some interesting intermediate cartridge development as folks have exploited the platform

 

[DWalt]

I'd bet that the MMJ was loaded to the same range of pressures as the parent 30 cartridge as well.
Such a convention would have simplified refitting M1 carbines.
This likely kneecapped the concept beyond it's academic value.
The reverse has seemingly proven fruitful in the AR 15/ M16 platform as it's already set up for much higher operating pressures.
It has spawned some interesting intermediate cartridge development as folks have exploited the platform

Indeed the AR will withstand very high peak chamber pressures. I remember reading one Army report that tests have shown it will contain well over 100Kpsi without failure of either the receiver or barrel. I think it was tested to 125Kpsi. I have personally examined two M4s that have experienced action failures, one was catastrophic, the other not so much. But there was no way to determine what the cause was. I have also personally conducted in-bore bullet collision tests under several conditions on the M16 without experiencing action failure. Ditto with the M9 pistol. Barrel bulges, no failures.