"Maximum effective range" really depends on what you're trying to do with the rifle. In the context of what the FS2000 was designed to do, it means the maximum range that a soldier could engage and convince a human target to change their objectionable behavior. Note that the description does NOT mean KILL a human with one shot. The energy left in the bullet is not the only factor. Quite often, the optics or the ability to see the target and place rounds accurately are a limiting factor. In the case of the FS2000, running the same ammo with a comparable barrel length, it would be the same for any other 5.56 rifle in military use, currently about 500-600 meters.
With a magnified optic and good quality ammo, hitting man-sized silhouettes past 600 yards is quite do-able. I've seen a couple of guys go to 800 yards with heavy-for-caliber (77 grain) bullets on a still (no wind) day, albeit with the scope dialed to the max to compensate for drop. And I will have to admit that if I was hit with a 77 grain projectile traveling at a measly 300-400 FPS, I think I might suddenly remember that I need to pick up a card for our 20th wedding anniversary that's coming up in 2021.
For hunting, that changes the equation a whole lot. The goal in hunting is to humanely kill the animal as quickly as possible without having to track it too far. Another part of the equation is how much, if any, meat and/or pelt damage you're willing to tolerate. It would be somewhat dependent on the size and construction of the animal that you anticipate, and the angle or type of the shot (head/neck, side through the lungs, quartering, frontal). Once you get those hammered down, you pick the type of bullet that has the desired terminal performance characteristics for the job (deep penetrating solids on one end of the spectrum vs rapid and explosive fragmentation on the other end, and lots of points in between). The maximum effective range will be where the bullet has the minimum velocity to have the desired terminal performance. For 5.56/.223 against deer/hogs, I don' think I would take a shot past 200 yards.
Probably sounds clear as mud. I hope this helps.
With a magnified optic and good quality ammo, hitting man-sized silhouettes past 600 yards is quite do-able. I've seen a couple of guys go to 800 yards with heavy-for-caliber (77 grain) bullets on a still (no wind) day, albeit with the scope dialed to the max to compensate for drop. And I will have to admit that if I was hit with a 77 grain projectile traveling at a measly 300-400 FPS, I think I might suddenly remember that I need to pick up a card for our 20th wedding anniversary that's coming up in 2021.
For hunting, that changes the equation a whole lot. The goal in hunting is to humanely kill the animal as quickly as possible without having to track it too far. Another part of the equation is how much, if any, meat and/or pelt damage you're willing to tolerate. It would be somewhat dependent on the size and construction of the animal that you anticipate, and the angle or type of the shot (head/neck, side through the lungs, quartering, frontal). Once you get those hammered down, you pick the type of bullet that has the desired terminal performance characteristics for the job (deep penetrating solids on one end of the spectrum vs rapid and explosive fragmentation on the other end, and lots of points in between). The maximum effective range will be where the bullet has the minimum velocity to have the desired terminal performance. For 5.56/.223 against deer/hogs, I don' think I would take a shot past 200 yards.
Probably sounds clear as mud. I hope this helps.
