The fowler was the original do-all firearm in America. While its smoothbore allowed it to use multiple projectiles for small game and birds, it could also fire a single larger projectile for medium-game hunting, self-defense or war. Franklin Armory brings that all-purpose capability to “America’s rifle” with its new multi-projectile Rabbit Rounds.
The patent-pending design of the 5.56 NATO Rabbit Round uses as its projectile four BB-size (0.180-inch diameter) lead shot encased in a spin-stabilized polymer sabot with a copper gas check at its base. Each pellet weighs just under nine grains, and the total projectile weight is 45 grains. With a muzzle velocity of 3,150 fps, Rabbit Rounds are launching their pellets at twice the speed that a 3-inch 12-gauge shell propels the same size shot.
The result is what Franklin Armory calls “more shooting fun with your favorite gun.” Like the fowler, the Rabbit Round allows you to switch between a single projectile to multi-projectiles with the same firearm in the field, based on the game you encounter, just like the 18th-century hunter. No modifications are necessary to the firearm or magazine. According to the company, the spin-stabilized pellets maintain an adequate pattern out past 40 yards.
In the company's testing, the pellets made a 5-inch group at 10 yards, a 10-inch group at 20 yards and a 15-inch group at 40 yards when fired from a 16-inch barrel. In a video that accompanied the new cartridge’s launch, Franklin Armory demonstrated busting moving clay targets with Rabbit Rounds.
Franklin Armory 5.56 NATO Rabbit Rounds retail for $68 for a box of 20 cartridges. The company has stated that it intends to release other popular rifle cartridges in the Rabbit Rounds format in the future. For more information, see Franklin Armory’s website.
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