Rifle charges challenged

Press, 13 May 1989, Page 5

Rifle charges challenged

By

DAVE WILSON

The Ministry of Defence has challenged an Australian report, suggesting the Army’s new Steyr rifles could be ineffective and illegal.

A Defence spokesman said reported criticisms by an Australian National Party backbencher, Mr Clarrie Millar, referred to the rifle’s ammunition rather than the weapon. Major Peter Fry, the director of Defence public relations, said criticisms of the Steyr’s ammunition related to a type of bullet being phased out in favour of a new, more powerful round.

The Australian and New Zealand armies are replacing their old 7.62 mm calibre rifles with the Austrian-designed Steyrs, which are being made under licence in Australia. New Zealand is buying 5000 of the rifles, which are used already by the Burnham-based Ready Reaction Force. In Canberra Mr Millar claimed the Steyrs, which fire a 5.56 mm round,

were rejected by Britain’s Gurkha units because the rifle lacked “hitting power” and that its bullet was ineffective and could be stopped by a lightweight bullet-proof vest. Mr Millar also claimed the Steyr’s bullet “tumbled” as it sped toward its target, hitting with a tearing action. He suggested this could make the weapon illegal under the Geneva Convention.

“What he is talking about is not ballistically possible. However any small arms bullet, beyond its firing range or near the end of its trajectory, is likely to tumble. “When fired from the Steyr the new round being adopted does not tumble en route to its target.” Major Fry said Mr Millar’s criticisms about the effectiveness of the ammunition related to the old 5.56 mm round devel-

oped at the time of the Vietnam War. “While this round is still in use in most armies, including New Zealand’s, it is being phased out of service and replaced with the new SSIO9 5.56 mm round in all N.A.T.O. armies and the Australian and New Zealand armies.”

The new SSIO9 bullet was being adopted as the standard N.A.T.O. round and had greater hitting power than the 7.62 mm round it was replacing. Major Fry also challenged suggestions the Gurkhas had rejected the Steyr from their inventory.

“Each N.A.T.O. country has its own arms industry and there’s a general attitude of not wanting someone else’s rifle. Instead, they standardised the calibre of ammunition,” he said.