US Military issue paracord is specified by MIL-C-5040H in six types: I, IA, II, IIA, III, IV.[2] Types IA and IIA are composed solely of a sheath without a core. Type III, a type commonly found in use, is nominally rated with a minimum breaking strength of 550 pounds, thus the sobriquet "550 cord".
The US military specification for paracord outlines a number of parameters to which the final product must conform. Although it contains specific denier figures for the sheath strands and inner yarns, there are no overall diameter requirements for the cord itself. Below is a table of selected elements from the specification.
| Type | Minimum breaking strength | Minimum elongation | Minimum length per pound | Core yarns | Sheath structure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | 95 lb (43 kg) | 30% | 950 ft (290 m) | 4 to 7 | 32/1 or 16/2 |
| IA | 100 lb (45 kg) | 30% | 1050 ft (320 m) | 16/1 | |
| II | 400 lb (181 kg) | 30% | 265 ft (81 m) | 4 to 7 | 32/1 or 36/1 |
| IIA | 225 lb (102 kg) | 30% | 495 ft (151 m) | 32/1 or 36/1 | |
| III | 550 lb (249 kg) | 30% | 225 ft (69 m) | 7 to 9 | 32/1 or 36/1 |
| IV | 750 lb (340 kg) | 30% | 165 ft (50 m) | 11 | 32/1, 36/1, or 44/1 |
2 comments:
Good post, there is alot of fake paracord out there - or at least paracord that is posing as mil-spec 550 when it is actually civilian grade and much cheaper.
Thanks for writing, I truly liked reading your most recent post.
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