While qualifying a new MP/Sailor at the Kings Bay Naval base shooting range with an M-16 a decade ago, a surprising incident revealed just how far a .223 round can travel. The range was a standard 200-yard setup, complete with steel baffles positioned above every 20 yards or so, and a 35-foot high dirt berm at the end.
It was a quiet day with only myself and the sailor on the range. He was practicing prone fire, safely positioned underneath the baffles. Suddenly, the radio crackled to life with news that a Marine had been struck in the “limited area,” where nuclear weapons were stored, a location roughly a mile away.
The Marine had been standing at his post when a .223 caliber bullet lodged itself in his calf. Fortunately, the slug, mostly undeformed, hadn’t caused significant damage; it had simply embedded itself in his calf muscle.
Initially, disbelief rippled through the ranks. It seemed impossible that a round could have traveled over a mile from the backstop to the site where the Marine was hit.
The round was ballistically matched to the sailor’s rifle at the GBI crime lab, confirming the improbable. The evidence was undeniable.
It also explained the earlier complaints from the Marines about tracer rounds descending into their watch area during nightfire exercises. At the time, those reports had been dismissed.
So, consider this: the .223 bullet traveled downrange 200 yards, horizontally to the ground, passing beneath steel baffles that prevented any vertical trajectory. After clearing the last steel baffle, a mere 30 yards from the high berm, it struck an object. This impact altered its trajectory at an angle steep enough to clear the 35-foot berm and continue its flight for over a mile before striking the Marine.
A diagram depicting a simplified bullet trajectory, highlighting the potential impact of external factors.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of ballistics and the potential distances a .223 caliber bullet can travel under the right, albeit highly unusual, circumstances. Factors like ricochet, angle, and environmental conditions can significantly extend the range beyond what is typically expected.
