Getting the lead out, literally: US Army plans switch to ‘green’ bullets

[flowers]

The U.S. Army is taking the expression “get the lead out” quite literally and switching to lead-free, environmentally-friendly bullets.

The Army’s Picatinny Arsenal is working on a “green” version of the M80A1 7.62 mm bullet, which troops are supposed to start being issued in 2014, according to an Army press release.

The Army has been looking to “green” small caliber ammo for some time now. In 2010, the Army switched to the greener 5.56 mm M855A1 Enhanced Performance Round.
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“The EPR replaces the lead slug with a copper slug,” said Lt. Col. Phil Clark, product manager for small caliber ammunition in the Program Executive Officer Ammunition. “This makes the projectile environmentally-friendly, while still giving soldiers the performance capabilities they need on the battlefield. So far we have eliminated 1,994 metric tons of lead from 5.56 ammunition production.”

“Thirty-two grains of lead are eliminated per M855A1 projectile, and 114.5 grains of lead will be eliminated per M80A1 projectile,” according to the Army.

The Army projects that the use of green 5.56 mm and 7.62 mm ammunition could eliminate the purchase of 3,683 metric tons of lead between 2013 and 2018.

Green bullets, like the M855A1, have been touted for their enhanced performance standards, such as  better hard-target penetration, more consistent performance against soft targets and significantly increased distances of these effects.

Officials also expect a similar “greening” to occur with the 7.62 mm version. However, reports from after the M855A1 ammo came out cast some doubts on green bullet performance.
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Fox News reported that Army officials conceded that the M855A1 “has not been providing the ‘stopping power’ the user would like at engagement ranges less than 150 yards” in a 2005 briefing.

Ballistic experts also noted that the green M855A1 would not be substantially more deadly than its lead predecessor.

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2013/07/24/getting-the-lead-out-literally-u-s-army-plans-switch-to-green-bullets/#ixzz2a5Aiupe2

More garbage from this group of libs.  This will get more killed.   

[Cincinnatus]

“The EPR replaces the lead slug with a copper slug,” said

What am I missing here? Replacing lead, a relatively abundant and inexpensive material, with copper, which was recently referred to as an emerging "precious metal" due to its myriad industrial uses? Every now and then one hears of the latest innovative way in which thieves have engaged in some major copper theft, it is that valuable.

So I'm wondering, will this lead to shortages of ammunition for our troops due to lack of materials or thefts of stock? One thing for sure, they use copper, it will definitely drive up its price to even higher levels than we are seeing already.

[240B]

“The EPR replaces the lead slug with a copper slug,” said

So I'm wondering, will this lead to shortages of ammunition for our troops due to lack of materials or thefts of stock? One thing for sure, they use copper, it will definitely drive up its price to even higher levels than we are seeing already.

Yes, of course it will. That is the whole point.
 
What Obama (his puppeteers) have decided is that it is easier to buy up all the ammunition than it is to confiscate guns.
 
Everything Obama does is all about defunding and demilitarizing America.. I know it sounds odd, but I only have, maybe, 30 more years on Earth, if I stay lucky. Having said that, I am looking forward to John McCain, et al, and Hollywood getting a chance to experience the America they want and are fighting so hard to destroy.
 
Just wait until a professor cannot get a job anywhere teaching anything, no matter what a staunch Communist and crazy wacko Liberal they are, which is where we are going and what they are creating.
 
They built it. They are crapping in and all over their own bed, and too fanatic Liberal stupid to know it.
 
I give America, at most ten more years, maybe. After that, no one will know what this country is anymore. IMO