MIL-C-5040H Type III

Sorry for the thread resurrection, but I just had to say, THANK YOU ArJunaBug for the great description and pictures of the differences between real mil-spec paracord and the commercial types. I've been learning a lot of knots lately and I'm about to pull the trigger on a 1000 foot spool and was greatly confused until I found this thread.
 
That was a great write up arjunabug. But I just want to say that the stuff we get issued here in the army all has one unique colored braids inside.
 
Thank you ArJunaBug!

This whole 550 paracord thing is terribly confusing to most people, myself included at times. Your pictures and posts will be very helpful to a large number of people who will never post in this thread even though they are following it.
 
Had to say THANK YOU myself to ArJunaBug. I have tried to unravel the issue of Military vs Commercial paracord and I could find nothing on the internet until finding this post.
 
Thank you,ArJunaBug, for your time and efforts! I've had many discussions over the years on this very subject and am very happy to see it explained so well!!
 
Damn just found some type 4 with 11 strands! Thanks 4 all the pictures and info, it good to know what's what and why finally.
 
Perfectly, at last it became clear how to distinguish a paracord. Very much I want to buy the present military paracord, but in Russia it is impossible. It here simply isn't present.
 
I've always got mine in the 100 ft. hanks from the local Army surplus store. It says it's 7 strand core made in the USA, the name of the company is Atwood Rope Mfg. I wonder why it would state on the package "Not Life Line" - more than likely for the attorneys. {?}
 
If you don't mind having the "knockoff" paracord, Rothco (the brand sold on Campingsurvival.com) is fantastic. Relatively cheap and it definitely lives up to the name 550 Cord. I've used about 2500 feet of it, with zero complaints. It might not have the 700 pound strength of Mil-C spec stuff, but it's still plenty strong.
 
In recent months, I've been able to acquire rolls of both PIA-C-5040E Type II and MIL-C-5040H Type II (both 4 strand, w/3 yarns per strand) and PIA-C-5040E Type IV and MIL-C-5040H Type IV (both 11 strand w/3 yarns per strand). In each case I've received signed and dated Certifications from the manufactuer with the month/year of manufacture (e.g. 2-2012 or 5-2012) along with certified Chain of Custody reports. (In these cases I was the second possessor of these rolls, the manufactuer being the first and only other.)

The Type II is rated at 400 pounds, but is much smaller and lighter than Type III (yet is almost as strong). In my view, the Type II could be better suited and more practical in some cases, such as being ideal for small survival kits.

The Type IV is rated at 750 pounds, and as with the Type II, one of the strands is the color that was assigned to the manufactuer by the DoD.

During my search for recently manufacutured verifide MIL-C-5040H, I found out from the manufacturers that the MIL-C-5040H Dept. of Defense specifications are in part being phased out in favor of PIA-C-5040 specs. I think the most current of the PIA specs are now up to PIA-C-5040E. I was told by the owner of one paracord manufactuer that the only difference between MIL-C-5040H and PIA-C-5040E is that the PIA-C-5040E is tested for pH (acidity). Acidity has to do with the deteriation/life of the cord.

In any case, I found an article that indicates that PIA-C-5040E Type III para-cord is now being specified for use in Military C-9 Parachutes (in liew of MIL-C-5040H Type III). http://www.parachuteshop.com/C-9_surplus_parachute.htm

There is no life limit on these parachutes; presumably that's why the paracord in these are tested for pH under the PIA standards. This article further indicates that PIA-C-5040E Type III was used in the parachutes for the "ACES II ejection seats in F-15, F-16" and "pretty much all current U.S. jet fighters and personal parachutes in cargo airplanes like the C-130."

Even though the PIA-C-5040E Type IV is rated at 750 pounds, it actually breaks at 1,000 pounds. I think of it as being an order of magnature stonger than any Type III cord.

If considering the acquisition of MIL-C-5040H cord, my suggestion is to not limit your search to Type III (500), but also consider Type II (400) or Type IV (750). Also keep in mind that PIA-C-5040 is in most all respects the same as MIL-C-5040, except that PIA-C-5040's ratings include standards relative to longevity/storage - and for this reason PIA-C-5040 has an advantage over MIL-C-5040.
 
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thanks deadwood, i find this last post as useful and informative as the review done by arjunabug earlier in this thread.... i wish that the vendors [at least the ones with most integrity and most used by those looking for the genuine stuff] would stop confusing the issue with regards to what is the real deal military issue paracord and what's "mil-spec", commercial, etc... one simply can't go by the various deceptive ways they ALL describe what they carry [even when some carry different types and claim that one's the 'real deal' and their other items are almost as good and mil-spec..because most likely their claimed 'real deal' still ain't] but the lure of a quick buck and the opportunistic chance to exploit the growing trend of 'prep/shtf/survival' movement [or whatever ya wanna call it], trumps the integrity and when one reads just about any of these ubiquitous, popular vendors' claims, one feels that finally here's an honest, true description of what one's getting for the money but.... it never actually is... i wasn't aware of the differently colored single strand denoting a genuine mil issue... and the newly specced paracord that deadwood mentioned is also news to me.... this is very useful stuff to know, thanks...
 
MrPocketsOfSteel, as for why paracord is listed as not a lifeline, it has nothing really to do with lawyers, it's actually a pretty good reason. Most theater riggers will tell you that all equipment to be hung overhead should have at least a 5:1 safety ratio. so that means if you hang 1Lb, your rope needs to have 5lb of tensile strength(after knots, and all that).
For most climbers, and folks who work at heights for a living, we want our life lines to be at least 10:1 or better. That must also take into account load. so your 1Lb roadie, needs a 10lb rope, plus knots, so that means we need to start with a 20lb rope, and then allow for potential falls, and bounce, so to be safe, we'll double that again. (and maybe again after that)

To use 550 cord as a lifeline with knots, you would need to weigh 25lbs if you were only going to have a static load. ( 550 has really good shock qualities, but everything has limits)

Can you body-rap with 550, well, it's been done, and the guy who did it lived to tell me, and he said it was the best solution in a very poor situation, he would have picked any other option if he had it.
But since it has a "550 lb breaking strength" it is worth them mentioning it as most people don't deal with rope dynamics on a daily basis. Its also why climbing rope has a Kn(force) rating and not a Kg(mass) rating.

Just goes to show, sometimes its the smart folks who ruin the fun, not the lawyers!
 
Grease said:
If you don't mind having the "knockoff" paracord, Rothco (the brand sold on Campingsurvival.com) is fantastic. Relatively cheap and it definitely lives up to the name 550 Cord. I've used about 2500 feet of it, with zero complaints. It might not have the 700 pound strength of Mil-C spec stuff, but it's still plenty strong.
Click to expand...

Campingsurvival.com sells 1000 foot spools of Gladding Paracord. In my comparison back on page one, all three spools are manufactured by Gladding. The two on the ends are From Campingsurvival.com and the one in the middle is the true MIL-C-5040H type III 550 cord I got from BestGlide.com. It seems they do not have the 1000 foot spools listed on their site right now. You have to call them if you want more than 100 feet.

The Campingsurvival.com Gladding cord is very good commercial 550 cord, but is noticeably thinner and limper than Gladdings MIL-C-5040H type III cord. You will not find the real mil-spec 550 cord for under $100 per 1000 foot spool.

The Rothco brand is relative crap.
 
Some of the companies like Supply Captain no longer sell genuine Mil-Spec Type III cord. They sell Commercial Paracord, but as far as I can tell, no Mil-Spec. Two companies I found that do sell genuine Mil-Spec are Survival-Pax Co. and Adventure Survival Equipment (aka Best Glide). I did a little research on some sellers of Paracord and posted my results here:

http://knotsandknotting.blogspot.com/

Is My Paracord Mil-Spec?

Sources of Paracord and How Much It Costs.

There is a lot of disinformation and smoke and mirrors by some of the sellers that profess to sell Mil-Spec cord. Most U.S. made Commercial Paracord is made by manufacturers that make the real deal for the military. But their civilian version would not meet the stringent testing criteria of true Mil-Spec. And I highly doubt that they treat it with Teflon as required by the DOD.

There is also a good article on what Mil-Spec Type III is.
 
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