In a military situation I can see that.
However the average civilian isn't in a military situation & so can't count on all the tactical, logistic & other support.
Its of topic to me as we're discussing the caliber & its performance, so the support behind it isn't really addressing the issue.
The question was the adequacy (or not) of the 5.56mm round, not tactical deployment of other assets.
Lets address this point by point.
1, Tactical support, if your pistol is "good enough" for self defense then by extension so is 5.56x45 for "tactical" civilian use.
2, Logistical support, 5.56x45 is cheaper to buy AND cheaper to handload than 7.62x51. When it is on your own dime and your own time, you are logistically better shooting 5.56x45 in any situation except big game hunting. If you are supporting yourself you can still carry more 5.56x45 in a smaller, lighter package than you can a 7.62x51 option.
3, other support, right now the cost of a quality 5.56x45 platform is much cheaper than the equivalent 7.62x51 platform in semi-automatic form because lots of people are buying AR-15s and not so many AR-10s (although the 10s are growing in popularity). The parts to repair your AR-15 are plentiful and available from multiple vendors with many different options.
4, The caliber and its performance is fine for self defense, varminting, and hunting deer or hogs with appropriate bullets from an appropriate twist barrel where legal to do so.
5, if we are addressing the "adequacy" but divorcing the conversation away from the situations where "adequacy" is defined, it seems like you want to have it both ways, either you want to bring up Iraq and Afghanistan until people with experience there tell you how things were, or you don't want to bring up Iraq and Afghanistan because it doesn't support your argument. The 5.56x45 isn't an elk cartridge, but neither is the 30-30 when it gets down to it and I don't think a 30-06 or the 30-06 Short (aka the 308 Win) is necessary for personal defense for any civilian situation you come across not involving a bad Hollywood script....
6, we get it that you aren't a fan of the 5.56x45 round. However that doesn't change the fact that the 5.56x45 solution is working here and now in a lighter, handier platform than anything we have in 7.62x51. There are still some situations where 7.62x51 IS a better option, such as living in bear country, big game hunting, or Palma competition. If those situations don't apply to you, then maybe 5.56x45 isn't so bad after all.
Jimro
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