SMG effective range questions

[Evil Monkey]

At what range (meters or yards) does your typical full size SMG's ammo, 9mm, 45, 40, etc., no longer penetrate the human body?

Also, what kind of MOA can be expected from them at "effective range" often stated by some gun sites for 100-200 meters/yards?

 

[ACP230]

I have no idea about the penetration question.

I have seen three subguns tested off the bench. Two were .45s, one a closed bolt design, and one was an open bolt 9mm. Groups at 25 yards were three to four inches. Multiply by four and you get 9-12 inch groups at 100 yards. I'd add a few inches to take care of the Murphy factor.

 

[Outlaws]

I can shoot my .45 Ruger P90 handgun out to 300 yards standing up with a 2 hand grip and hit a 5' or 6' gong 1 or 2 times a magazine once I get the proper holdover down.

I would bet I could do better than that with the sights on most SMGs.

As for penetration....I don't wanna be the one out there finding that out.

 

[grimjaw]

When you say "full size" I assume you don't mean something like an SBR Uzi, but I guess it wouldn't matter too much. Ballistics from any of the SBR SMGs is not going to be much better than they would out of a pistol. Recoil is less than you'd get out of a rifle, but if you do a full spray it's still going to make MOA be more like H(our)OA. In semi-auto mode I imagine some of the SMGs can be fairly accurate at 100 yards, but give me a rifle at anything beyond 50 yards.

jm

 

[AK103K]

My MP5(with a Beeman SS-3 on a claw mount) will consistently shoot 4-6" groups at 100 yards using Federal 115 grain 9BP's. At 15 yards it shoots ragged little holes on semi, and ragged little groups of holes on full.

Ammo does make a big difference in accuracy. I've had the best luck with Federal, and the worst with the old "China Sports" Norinco stuff. The Norico is fine for blasting, but would only do about 12-15" at 100 yards.

Using iron sights, and depending on the gun, I would think 100 yards is reaching the maximum realistic range, especially with an open bolt gun. I think 200 yards would be pushing it. Your going to get the best longer range accuracy from the closed bolt guns. I tend to agree with the 50 yards and under estimate for pistol caliber guns.

Full auto fire is a close range thing, if you want to be effective. 25 yards is about it, and 15 and under is better. Even with full auto only open bolt guns, its pretty easy to squeeze off single shots on demand once your familiar with the gun, and accuracy can be quite good. If you want to take a deliberate, longer range shot, you dont have to shoot in bursts, although it is difficult to do with the higher rate fire guns like the MAC's.