but 5.56NATO can be used to devastating effect if paired in groups of 8-10 in an open area
It's much less powerful and has much less penetrating power than 7,62x51. It matters greatly in a difficult terrain where trees, stones and other obstacles are abundant.
plus you can fit way more of them and fire more rounds per second than 7.62NATO
one accurate shot is better than ten inaccurate ones. When it comes to suppresion, full caliber beats intermediate as well; intermediate makes you keep your head down, full caliber removes your head. Also a submachine gun is much easier to handle in tight quarter than a M4-sized carbine, and at the usual ranges of engagement in CQB the greater stopping power of 5.56 doesn't matter much in comparison to 9x19.
I'd like to while you bring up valid points, it's not accurate to suggest that South Africa is going to be bushland, since it's mostly desert. On that note, that's where my initial point was, 5.56 as a rifleman's use in the open areas and urban areas and 7.62Soviet to be used in the bushin a fire fight, it's much easier to pin down enemies if you have a caliber that is lightweight and will allow an insurgent to carry more of that type of ammunition. With a DM, of course 7.62NATO would be an absolute necessity
The problem we must contend with is the availability of ammunition and the type. It's likely that there are AK47's and caches of soviet ammo buried throughout Africa including South Africa, but it's been forgotten about. 5.56 is also going to be more plentiful than either 7.62 Soviet OR NATO because of it's use in the SANDF and SAPS. My point being that each cartridge will be useful in some respect, but in different areas. It's best to take these things into consideration when planning any operation whether it's to initiate or repulse an attack.
On that note, it's unlikely we're going to see submachine guns, although the portuguese paras used them in their fireteams during their colonial wars
[–] 19317163? ago
Dumb. Soft points will fuck someone's shit up, immensely more devastating than even a good bonded core JHP 9mm