Max. Effective Range of the 5.56 NATO

[R.W.Dale]

You guys do understand that a bullet compresses water inside a container enough to cause it to burst through velocity alone even without bullet expansion

 

[Maverick223]

So please tell me how the owner of a 1-12 is "screwed" out of killing a yote 300yds+ away. You gonna tell me there's not enough energy with the load a 1-12 will shoot to kill Will-E Coyote

Please reference where I said that you couldn't kill a yote with any twist...any projectile. I just said that it wouldn't have a favorable BC. Also the OP refers to paper punching at distance...for which it is best to have a good BC.

I found out in the 60's that FMJ 30-06 was a sure way to hit coyotes and watch them get back up and run off in the brush to die somewhere else where you couldn't find them.

That is interesting...though most match is HP, I doubt it would fare much better...the A-Max being the one possible exception

 

[PandaBearBG]

I'm gonna agree with MarineOne, with standard NATO M855 (62gr), 20" barrel and a 1-7 twist (standard M16 A2) you can hit a man size target 500 with some practice, and a truck sized target at 800. As for match ammo I have no clue. I guess you could say this is the base/standard to judge 5.56 from considering it's many years as the primary eater of 5.56 rounds, there is a whole slew of data/ballistics based on this rifle/round. However because of the variants (M4, bull barrels, different twist rates, match ammo, carbine lengths, new manufacturers) well variation from the standard trajectory will vary. For a scope I'd say a 4x or 10x is all you really need if you do alot of 3-gun/standing, kneeling, running course. Although if you are going to do mainly bench or prone a larger heavier higher magnification would be fine too. I guess it depends on you.

 

[otrman]

You guys do understand that a bullet compresses water inside a container enough to cause it to burst through velocity alone even without bullet expansion

Yes I agree 100% at closer ranges but I've shot 75 and 77 gr. HP at same 750 yards and all it does is put a small hole in the front and split the back open from top to bottom. I have personally seen the expansion characteristics of both Hornady A-Max and V-Max bullets and would have to say the difference in visual impact is due the the expansion of those bullets. The only evidence I have to back this is the visual difference in the damage done to the bottles.