[pdoktar]

I don´t think 50cal is twice as effective as 30cal. One round doesn´t kill two or three marines (eventhough it might penetrate them all thus killing or injuring them), because the volume of fire and basic lethality or casuality (can you say that?), is the same. However 50cals using duplex bullets may tip the balance somewhat in fire volume, ricochets etc. 50cal penetration of hard objects should give it slightly higher HE kill than 30cal firing at the same rate of fire. But one bullet takes out one man, regardless of the weight of the bullet, especially in this case.

50cal hit is surely more lethal and offer more "stopping-power" but the 30cal should just also so the needed disabling when hit.