This is also why Russian 7.62x39 rifles like the AK have 30 rounds instead of the NATO 7.62x51 rifles with 20 rounds- the NATO round decided to trade that additional capacity and lighter weight for having more accurate rounds for longer range. They fill the gap between the more powerful 7.62 NATO rifle and the lighter 5.56 rifles, and rifles in the 6MM range are currently being evaluated for adoption in the US military as 5.56 rifle replacements through the 'US Army’s Next Generation' programs.ħ.62x39 AK calibre is kind of an interesting case, I've always explained to people with this analogy-ħ.62x39 is (from a ballistics standpoint) a flying brick.Īll of it's power is due to it's weight and it sacrifices longer range accuracy and velocity for simply having as much brute force behind it as possible.Ī 7.62x39 round is NOT as powerful as a 7.62x51 NATO or the 7.62x54R rounds, as the smaller size and lack of power behind a x39 round was done in order to fit 30 of them in magazine. These rifles are a much better choice against enemies who are wearing body armour and are usually best within 100-450M.
6.5 Grendel was designed as an intermediate round to provide more stopping power than regular 5.56 NATO but remain lighter than full 7.62 NATO ammunition, and it's popularity as a military round is mixed- it was recently adopted in Europe (Serbia) for use as a designated Marksman round, for example.
It is standard issue for African CSAT and Pacific CSAT forces.Ħ.5 Grendel Caseless rifles are the NATO and CSAT standard rifle calibres, they have heavier ammo and weigh more than a 5.56 rifle, but they are more powerful against body armour and retain more of their stopping power/damage over a longer distance. In real life the rifle is the QBZ-95, which was adopted by the Chinese military. This gives it good accuracy but the power difference is rather insignificant, as most targets that are unarmoured die to 1-2 shots of either 5.56 or 5.8.
The CAR-95 series and IAR's are Chinese assault rifles firing the unique 5.8 round. The variant ingame is the FN F2000 TR, or Triple Rail, model rather than the older versions with in-built optics. It is rather comparable to the TRG rifles, but with more variants, including camo options, available. The Mk20, or FN F2000 in real life, is used by both AAF and FIA soldiers. Mk20 (FN F-2000 TR, used by AAF and FIA soldiers) The TRG series, in compact carbine, standard and grenade launcher variants, is based on the Israeli TAR-21 rifles, and has a rather high rate of fire and short length/weight compared to some of the other 5.56 rifle offerings, making it rather effective in urban or close range combat, much more effective than most of the SMG's at the cost of heavier ammunition and louder firing retort, meaning enemies (including AI) can hear the firing sounds from further away. It is comparable with many of the other 5.56 rifles, being a low recoil, accurate and reasonably powerful rifle, very effective against enemies without body armour, but against armoured enemies more powerful calibres, closer ranges or more precise accuracy, such as groin, face and exposed body parts, need to be hit to put targets down easily. The SPAR-16, coming in compact carbine, 14.5 inch standard carbine/ IAR and grenade launcher variants was added with the Apex expansion, and is based on the 5.56 HK416A5 rifle. If you find yourself fighting lesser-equipped factions such as the FIA or other rebel groups who do not have extensive access to body armor, this is usually a good choice because the ammo is much lighter to carry than 6.5 or 7.62 NATO, so you can have more rounds in your kit, and the weapons have rather low recoil and good control. This means that lighter armour like Tactical Vests are usually fine to shoot through but heavier plate or military standard armour can be trouble to get through.
Generally Assault Rifles (slightly heavier and slightly more accurate/ less bullet velocity) or Carbines (slightly lighter, slightly less accurate/ less bullet velocity) are your general use weapons and are most effective at closer ranges, with within 100-350M or so is considered 'close range' in Arma.ĥ.56 NATO and 5.8 calibre Assault Rifles are lighter and handier compared to the larger 6.5 rifles but the rounds they fire (5.56 NATO Ball) are not very effective against anyone wearing Body Armor greater than about LvL1/ LvL 2.