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| --Tech & Moderator Notes | |
| Translations and Weapons Technical Terms | |
| 2010-10-25 | |
by Chris Covert
Those caps, as the Mexican term translates, include ammunition for the AR-15 and AK-47 assault rifle,which are the two most common rifles used in the Mexican Drug War. Also found were 5.7mm spent cartridges, which Mexican press routinely call "cop killer" munitions. With the August 9th robbery of a Chihuahua state police armory of 40 German made G-36 5.56mm assault rifles plus ammunition, a change in terms are probably in order, especially as they apply to the Mexican state of Chihuahua. A similar change is probably in order for shootings committed with weapons using 5.7mm cartridges as well. As I understand it 5.7mm is used in the P-90 submachine gun by Mexican Special Forces and by Mexican Naval Special forces as well as is use with the Policia Federal, as is the 5.7mm FN pistol,the same weapon used by Major Hassan in Fort Hood terrorist attack a few months ago. In cases which 9mm spent shells are found I try to as much as the facts permit me to refer to them as 9mm weapons unless the Mexican press writes the weapon used was a pistol, which it will in those cases where witnesses will talk to the press. 9x19mm ammunition is used by a wide array of pistols and in some submachine guns found in Mexican drug crimes, and because of that 9mm weapons means they found a 9x19mm spent cartridge casing at the scene and that is all. The 7.62x39mm, as far as I know is a cartridge used only by the AK-47 assault rifle and its variants, so anytime those are found I will continue to refer to those as AK-47 assault rifles being used in a crime. With the .223 caliber, it becomes murky. I never read about 5.56mm cartridges instead of .223, and that matters, because putting 5.56mm rounds through a .223 barrel is not advisable. Almost every crime scene in which a .223 caliber shell is found is referred to as an AR-15 assault rifle, which is a reasonable assumption. The robbery of the G-35 5.56mm rifles changes things somewhat. One of the rifles were found last week in an abduction case by Mexican Federal agents, and I suspect more will be found before too long, as they are sold to Mexican criminals. So as much as I can I will refer to those weapons as 5.56mm assault rifles instead of AR-15, since I can find no instances of a pistol using that class of rounds. One last item: grenades. I have found two classes of grenades used in Mexican Drug crimes, the hand grenade and the 40mm grenade. Those are bright lines to be sure, but the means of delivery is not. Under the barrel launchers for the 40mm grenades (M203) for the 5.56mm assault rifles are not very common in Mexico, and I suspect the ones Mexican criminals get are either pilfered from Mexican Army armories or they are imported/stolen from other places. The old venerable M-79 grenade launcher is still is use in police forces worldwide, uncluding Latin American police agencies, as is the HK69 unde the barrel and independent system. I have read reports in which 40mm grenades were fired from launchers, but without any specifics as to the type of launcher. It could be from any one of those systems. | |
| Posted by:badanov |
| #8 The following website has a very good explanation of the differences : http://www.303british.com/id36.html. |
| Posted by: Shieldwolf 2010-10-25 21:42 |
| #7 7.62x51mm AKA 7.62 NATO is NOT the same as .308 Winchester. The .308 has a much higher permissible chamber pressure than the 7.62 NATO and is in fact dangerous to shoot in a 7.62 NATO rifle. However, 7.62 NATO can safely be shot from a .308 rifle. |
| Posted by: Shieldwolf 2010-10-25 20:43 |
| #6 Is this the same with the NATO 7.62 and the .308 Win rounds? I've always been told they are interchangeable. |
| Posted by: Alan Cramer 2010-10-25 19:09 |
| #5 Actually Hellfish, IIRC, the 5.56 NATO cartridge and the .223 Winc are identical in outward shape. You are correct in that the 5.56 has a higher powder charge making them dangerous in barrels rated for .223 only. 9 out of 10 times they work correctly but you may get disastrous result if you have a critical mis-fire or even a FTE. I defer to more experienced Rantburgers however. |
| Posted by: Warthog 2010-10-25 15:57 |
| #4 The 5.56 is a more powerful round and there is a slight shape difference that requires a specifically chambered 5.56 barrel to shoot 5.56. You can shoot .223 in a 5.56 chamber but generally should not shoot 5.56 in a .223 chamber. |
| Posted by: Hellfish 2010-10-25 12:20 |
| #3 Ruger's Mini 30 shoots 7.62x39 |
| Posted by: Alistaire Hupish7825 2010-10-25 11:32 |
| #2 I never read about 5.56mm cartridges instead of .223, and that matters, because putting 5.56mm rounds through a .223 barrel is not advisable. I always thought 5.56mm and .223 were synonyms. Any comments? Al |
| Posted by: Frozen Al 2010-10-25 11:24 |
| #1 Badanov, the Kel-Tec PLR-16 pistol fires the 5.56 mm round. JFIP. |
| Posted by: AlmostAnonymous5839 2010-10-25 06:45 |