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| ==Wounding effects== | | ==Wounding effects== |
− | [[File:AK-74 5.45x39mm wound ballistics.gif|thumb|300px|AK-74 5.45×39mm wound ballistics]]
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| Early ballistics tests done demonstrated a pronounced tumbling effect with high speed cameras.<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3912/is_200112/ai_n9010648/pg_3 Terminal ballistics of the Russian AK 74 assault rifle: Two wounded patients and experimental findings]</ref> Some Western authorities believed this bullet was designed to tumble in flesh to increase wounding potential. | | Early ballistics tests done demonstrated a pronounced tumbling effect with high speed cameras.<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3912/is_200112/ai_n9010648/pg_3 Terminal ballistics of the Russian AK 74 assault rifle: Two wounded patients and experimental findings]</ref> Some Western authorities believed this bullet was designed to tumble in flesh to increase wounding potential. |
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− | At the time, it was believed that [[yaw]]ing and [[cavitation]] of projectiles was primarily responsible for tissue damage. Non-Soviet alarmists feared that this new cartridge had achieved wounding parity with the [[5.56x45mm NATO]] round. To dispute this, [[Martin Fackler]] conducted a study using live pigs and [[ballistic gelatin]] demonstrating that the 5.45 mm round does not reliably fragment or cause unusual amounts of tissue disruption. <ref>[http://www.btammolabs.com/fackler/ak74_wounding_potential.pdf Wounding Potential of the AK-74 Assault Rifle]</ref> Most organs and tissue were too flexible to be severely damaged by the temporary cavity effect caused by yaw and cavitation of a projectile. With the 5.45 mm bullet, tumbling produced a temporary cavity twice, at depths of 100 and 400 mm. This is comparable to modern 7.62x39mm ammunition and to (non-fragmenting) 5.56 mm ammunition. The average width of a human trunk is 400 mm. | + | At the time, it was believed that yawing and cavitation of projectiles was primarily responsible for tissue damage. Non-Soviet alarmists feared that this new cartridge had achieved wounding parity with the [[5.56x45mm NATO]] round. To dispute this, [[Martin Fackler|Fackler]] conducted a study using live pigs and [[ballistic gelatin]] demonstrating that the 5.45 mm round does not reliably fragment or cause unusual amounts of tissue disruption. <ref>[http://www.btammolabs.com/fackler/ak74_wounding_potential.pdf Wounding Potential of the AK-74 Assault Rifle]</ref> Most organs and tissue were too flexible to be severely damaged by the temporary cavity effect caused by yaw and cavitation of a projectile. With the 5.45 mm bullet, tumbling produced a temporary cavity twice, at depths of 100 and 400 mm. This is comparable to modern 7.62x39mm ammunition and to (non-fragmenting) 5.56 mm ammunition. The average width of a human trunk is 400 mm. |
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− | Military 5.45×39mm rounds offer better penetration over (fragmenting) military 5.56×45mm NATO rounds.<ref name="frfrogspad.com">http://www.frfrogspad.com/terminal2.htm | Military rifle bullet wound patterns comparison charts – by Martin L. Fackler.</ref><ref name="Russian AK-74 Assault Rifle 1984">http://ammo.ar15.com/project/Fackler_Articles/ak74_wounding_potential.pdf Wounding Potential of the Russian AK-74 Assault Rifle. Martin L. Fackler MD. John S. Surinchak MA. John A. Malinowski BS. & Robert E. Bowin. The Journal of Trauma 1984. The Williams & Wilkins Co. Vol. 24, No. 3</ref> However, unlike its 5.56mm counterpart, the 5.45mm round “does not deform or fragment when striking soft tissues.”<ref name="frfrogspad.com"/><ref name="Russian AK-74 Assault Rifle 1984"/> Nevertheless, during the Soviet Afghan war the Mujahedeen called the 5.45×39mm round the "Poison Bullet" due to the severe wounds it was reputed to produce to extremities and the resulting need to amputate.<ref>The Gun Digest Book of the AK & SKS: A Complete Guide to Guns, Gear and Ammunition. By Patrick Sweeney. Gun Digest Books, 2009. page 104-105</ref><ref>Gun Digest Book of The Tactical Rifle: A User's Guide. By Patrick Sweeney. Krause Publications, 2011. page 151</ref><ref>http://www.atncorp.com/night-vision-reviews/SPEC-WEAPONS-09-PS23-CGT.pdf Tandal AK-74S 5.45mm Bringing the AK into the 21st century with modular capability! By Charlie Cutshaw Photos by Doug Richardson. SPECIAL WEAPONS 2009. page 32-37</ref>
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| ==Anti-armor effect== | | ==Anti-armor effect== |