If you pick up a rifle for the first time, it might be not easy, especially when loaded. A loaded rifle could weigh twice as much as its original weight. Well, it is one of the reasons why military men spend years in training.
From the pickup to the load out to firing, each of these processes requires a bit of skill and depends on the rifle’s weight. If you can not handle the rifle’s weight, you might find it challenging to make it to the next process. For this reason, the weight of guns and ammunition is a well-discussed topic in the military.
There are different ammunition today, which are classified based on their specifications. Among these specifications is the land diameter of the ammo, which is the primary determinant of its weight. Later in this article, I will show you some of these specifications and how they are derived.
How much do 100 rounds of 5.56 weigh? The weight of ammunition is derived in pounds, with lbs as its unit. 100 rounds of 5.56 ammo will weigh as much as 2.69 pounds (lbs). Many people think this is heavy for a rifle, but is it really heavy? We’ll find out here.
Handling a rifle is not a day’s job, and as I mentioned earlier, you have to be very skilled and familiar with the weight of a rifle to use it properly. If a rifle becomes too heavy, the gun might kick back too hard, causing a problem with accuracy.
You might wonder how come to the name “5.56” was given to this kind of ammo. Well, if you are conversant with arms and ammunition, there is a chance you fully understand the reason behind its codename. However, I will fully describe it in this article if you are unaware.
Just like there are different kinds of guns, there are also several kinds of ammunition. Ammo can also be used with many of these guns. To identify ammo, there is usually a codename given to it. However, there are still some advanced specifications after the codename.
First is the parent case. The parent case is the covering of a bullet and encloses the bullet. For a 5.56 ammo, its parent case is “.223 Remington”, sometimes known as M193. Most times, ammo is addressed using its parent case, especially by men in the military.
However, the parent case of a bullet is only its general name. There are also several categories of ammo, depending on their diameters; this is known as the specifications of the cartridge family. Some of these specifications include the following;
Bullet diameter
Land diameter
Neck diameter
Shoulder diameter
Base diameter
Rim diameter
Rim thickness
Case length
Overall length
Case capacity
The specifications above are used to describe ammo and its cartridge family. The name “5.56 ammo” is a measure of its land diameter. Hence, the land diameter is the most important factor when calculating the weight of ammo.
The M193 ammo with a land diameter of 5.56 is generally known as the 5.56 ammo. Once you know the land diameter of ammo, the weight becomes much easier to evaluate. Now that you know how it is derived, let’s see how heavy a 5.56 ammo can weigh.
How heavy is a 5.56 ammo?
The 5.56 ammo is one of the favorite ammo choices of many military institutions. It was first used in the Vietnam War as a replacement for the heavy 7.62 ammo used by the M14. It was so heavy that the gun kicked back so hard, and there was lesser shooting accuracy.
The 5.56 ammo, sometimes called five-five-six, came as a replacement since it had a lighter weight and better shooting accuracy compared to the 7.62 ammo that was used previously. Using the 5.56 ammo can be compared to carrying a lightweight iron rod.
Although weight is required in pulling the trigger, it becomes a problem when it is too much to handle. The 5.56 ammo performed so well during the Vietnam War and is now the favorite of many. However, asides from the kickbacks overweight ammo causes, there are other effects; let’s find out.
How does the weight of ammo affect a gun?
I have clearly stated one of the significant ways ammo that weighs too much can affect a gun; kickbacks. As I mentioned earlier, kickbacks are necessary when it comes to arms. The handler must know how to use these kickbacks to their advantage.
However, when these kickbacks are too strong, you might lose focus even after setting the target, usually caused by ammo that weighs too much. In such cases, lighter ammo, such as the five-five-six ammo, is used.
Another way the weight of ammo affects a gun is the speed and velocity of the bullet. It is a general rule that heavier objects will find it harder to move than lighter ones. Well, this principle also applies to bullets in ammo.
Compared to the 7.62 ammo, the bullets in the 5.56 ammo will find it much easier to move in space; hence they have more incredible speed and velocity. However, the energy of both ammo can be similar since they do not have the same mass.
How much do 100 rounds of 5.56 weigh in kg?
The basic unit for measuring the weight of ammo per round is pounds. We have found that 100 rounds of 5.56 ammo will weigh about 2.69 pounds. We can also find out how much this figure will be in kilograms.
If 2.21 pounds equals 1 kg
Then, 2.69 pounds will be equivalent to 1.2 kg.
Hence 100 rounds of 5.56 ammo which weighs 2.69 lbs, will also weigh 1.2 kg.
Wrapping Up
The weight of ammo alone is not enough to affect the rate at which a gun works. Therefore, you should also find out the weight of a gun since you already know how much the 5.56 ammo weighs. Once you know both weights, it will be easier to see if they are compatible.
