‘Murdaugh Murders’: Latest Eleventh-Hour Defense Motion Points To Possible Murder Weapon

Will, The “cool kids” just call it an AR now, having long ago dropped the “15” part. The “blackout” was developed to use the same platform with a heavier bullet capable for firing accurately at subsonic velocity to increase the effectiveness of a suppressor. The cartridge itself has the same measurements as a 5.56 except where the neck accepts the bullet. The powder is designed to burn rapidly to allow the bullet to develop max velocity in very short barreled rifles. Hunters like them for wild pigs because a bullet 1/3 of an inch in diameter does a bunch of damage and they are generally hunted at short range. The drawback for the bigger bullet (1/3rd of an inch versus less than 1/4th in a traditional AR) is reduced range due to the heavier/wider bullet trying to plow through the air. A 5.56 flies flat out to 300 yards while a blackout will have already dropped significantly, additionally, the wind has a far greater effect on that big fat bullet. They’re great weapons inside of 200 meters, particularly when used in the SOCOM configuration with ulta short barrel/suppressor. In the civilian version (16 inch barrel) they’re nothing special. In fact, the Army has adopted a new 6.8 mm cartridge and rifle system that will probably make them obsolete for the cool kids.