User blog comment:USMC Lance/Whats the better rifle: M16 or AK47?/@comment-4200629-20111018210127/@comment-1866089-20111020162743

despite the 7.62x39mm cartridges larger dimensions and higher theoretical kinetic energy, it is known for often doing surprisingly little damage to a human target, the round often will over penetrate and "pencil" straight through a person, though this capability also makes it a very good light armor penetrator, the 5.56x45mm NATO round by contrast is known for tumbling when it hits flesh and causing major damage disproportionate to it's size.