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GURPS does and doesn't account for the difference from the old 1:12 rifling for M193 and the later 1:7 rifling for NATO ammo.
There's clear hints in some of the stats that 1:9 rifling is treated the same as 1:7.
I've made stats for every gun I've ever owned and I got to wondering if the fine distinctions mattered much.
At least in game terms.
The shortest barrel here is 11.5" long with 1:9 rifling.
4d+1 pi to 600/2,700. That gives 5-25 raw (avg. 15) damage. 600 yards is more than enough for social occasions.
In 14.5" we have both 1:9 and 1:7.
4d+2 pi to 750/2,900. That gives 6-26 raw (avg. 16) damage.
16" is in 1:9 and 1:7.
4d+2 pi to 750/2,700. Same damage as 14.5" but with a bit more range.
20" in 1:12 is different than 1:7 or 1:9.
5d pi to 500/3,200. That gives 5-30 raw (avg. 17.5) damage.
Tighter twists yield...
5d pi to 800/3,500. Same damage, a bit more range.
For a long time I depended on a Mini-14 with 1:10 rifling from an 18.1" barrel.
5d-1 pi to 480/3,000. That gives 4-29 raw (avg. 16.5) damage.
The long lusted for Galil ARM had an 18.1" barrel and 1:12 twist. Comes out to the same as the Ruger.
We're not talking about a huge difference in damage. We're not even seeing a big change in the Bulk stat. -4 for the SBR's and -5 for the longer guns.
The term nugatory comes to mind and grabbing the lightest of the guns seems the best choice, should I find I've been dropped into a GURPS world.
That'd be Brenda at 8 lb. with the optic if I want to use the heavier rounds that I've accumulated for just such an occasion.
The M16 and M16A1 clones are lighter, but I've come to appreciate the faster acquisition times from even a 1x optic.
EDIT TO ADD: The 20" barrel with 1:7 twist's stats, I think, are assuming you're using proper NATO ammo which is longer and heavier than "normal" 55 gr ammo; so if you really get into the weeds of statting things out, you might consider using the M16A1's stats when firing M193 from an M16A2.
Or not... You could also take the position that the longer ranges reflect the greater stabilization and would apply regardless of bullet weight.
I typically read your blog daily, but don't often comment. That is not to say that I am not interested in what you post, just that I usually don't feel the need to gush like a school kid over your logic. It seems enough to just read your posts and agree.
ReplyDeleteHowever this time I felt compelled to write. You see, I don't own any 5.56 or .223 rifles or pistols. I never have, as I live in an urban area and have other guns that I feel serve me well. But in reading your statistics I had to let you know that far from esoteric, I found them highly interesting and informative.
Perhaps I am just the gun nut type who enjoys learning about new things, especially things that one doesn't often see anyone else interested in. Like I said, I don't own an AR 15 or it's variants. But I have fired them, along with the AK 47, that one of my sons owned. I enjoyed both platforms, and while the AR 15 is clearly a better rifle in terms of accuracy and modularity, I have to give the AK 47 the edge in my favorite gun.
While that might seem to be a sort of weird conclusion, or perhaps one that an uninformed person would make, the simple fact is that I just felt the AK was more comfortable for me to shoot. At a range of around 50 yards the accuracy of both of them was similar enough that I have to conclude it a draw. And as I mentioned, the modularity of the AR 15 is so much greater that if I felt the need to purchase one, the AR would win simply due to that factor. As a "battle rifle" the AR 15 is far superior at longer ranges. The ability to convert it to a different caliber, say the 300 Blackout or a similar caliber that allows the firing of a heavier round for purposes like White Tail deer here in Michigan, or even Black Bear in our northern areas would allow a single weapon to serve multi purposes. That in no way discounts the ability of the 5.56 or .223 bullet to be effective on many critters such as wild boar, coyotes, or even the two legged types, if ever needed.
Your statistics give me knowledge of the ballistics of this platform, and I always love knowledge. Like the old saying goes, forewarned if forearmed. So if ever I feel the need to buy an AR 15, I go into that transaction with just a bit more information when choosing the correct weapon for myself. And as an aside, given that I likely would not fire the gun thousands of rounds, I probably would go with one of the low cost, but decent value rifles sold by PSA or such. I am no military soldier, but would only feel the need to go with a different rifles to protect my family in the event of a breakdown of society. I keep my finger on the pulse of things and would be aware of happenings in time to be able to pick up a "battle rifle" long before it might ever be needed. I understand that practice is of utmost importance when doing such a thing, and so I would also pick up a thousand or two of rounds. Even perhaps a second upper receiver complete with BCG, in a heavier caliber for hunting critters, as a hedge against having to bug out and head for parts unknown.
I have taken up way too much of your time for just wanting to tell you that your content is indeed read and important. So I conclude with a great big thank you. Keep up the good work.