Military receives new rifles

[xerts1191]

https://www.twz.com/land/first-u-s-army ... placements

[aroyobob]

Hope it works for them. If it does and the adoption of the new round spreads domestic production of 5.56 for govt consumption will fall which could have downstream impacts on price and availability. Which could go either way - good if the govt stops soaking up all 5.56 production. Bad if manufacturers switch production lines that were making 5.56 for civilian use to the new round.

[jls in az]

If it goes well for them, all the plants currently making 5.56 will be switched over to the new round and Biden, if re-elected, will ban production of 5.56.

[Suck My Glock]

Curahee!!

[action magic]

Waste of money. The 308 is a better and more cost effective choice. Frag Sig and the pork bill that gets them paid. More governmental overspending and shenanigans.
Check out independent testing on steel. 277 Fury aint it.

[kenpoprofessor]

Waste of money. The 308 is a better and more cost effective choice. Frag Sig and the pork bill that gets them paid. More governmental overspending and shenanigans.
Check out independent testing on steel. 277 Fury aint it.

Yea, I watched a few videos, doesn't seem to perform as well as they claim to .308. We'll see though, maybe it's something I'll partake in when the price of ammo comes down to the .308 and I'll assemble another upper with that barrel.

Have a great, gun carryin', Kenpo day

Clyde

[mtptwo]

Aren't only special forces getting the M7?

[action magic]

...However, the deal has an overall ceiling of $4.7 billion; accommodating the procurement of up to 250,000 rifles for the Army and other other U.S. military services, as well as potential foreign military sales customers, according to the Army. ...

Again. Waste of money, we have .308. Tweak existing weapons / systems.

[aroyobob]

I thought one reason for adopting the 5.56 round was because more of the smaller rounds could be carried per person. 6.8x51 doesn't seem significantly smaller than 7.62x51. They talk about a "hybrid metallic casing" that will save weight. Weight is part of it but bulk is the other factor.
It'll also be interesting to see if the new case holds up to real world conditions. Is it thinner and is that a good thing in a FA weapon? Can it take the heat? etc..

[leadman1]

Looks like the base might be steel and the body brass. Doesn't the 277 Sig military version have the same type of case running a very high pressure?
An update on the wildcat 270 Savage?

[Suck My Glock]

[Suck My Glock]

https://www.army.mil/article/282896/arm ... n_facility

Army breaks ground on state-of-the-art 6.8 mm ammunition production facility

INDEPENDENCE, Missouri – The U.S. Army’s Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments and Ammunition, along with the Joint Munitions Command, officially broke ground on a new 6.8 mm ammunition production facility in support of the Next Generation Squad Weapon Program at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant on Wednesday, Feb. 5. The 6.8 mm family of ammunition, set to be produced at the new facility, will play a vital role in advancing the Army’s modernization priorities.
Ammunition production facility architectural rendering

Developed collaboratively by the JPEO A&A, the U.S. Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Armaments Center, and the Army Research Laboratory, the 6.8 mm family of ammunition is specifically engineered to maximize the performance of the XM7 Rifle and the XM250 Automatic Rifle. When fired through these Next Generation Squad Weapons, 6.8 mm rounds deliver increased range, improved accuracy, and enhanced lethality, ensuring Soldiers maintain overmatch on the battlefield.

“It is not lost on me that victory on the battlefield begins in our production facilities,” said Maj. Gen. John T. Reim, Joint Program Executive Officer for Armaments and Ammunition. “Lake City has been central to our nation’s ammunition production since 1941, and this new facility builds on that proud and historic legacy.”

The cutting-edge facility, which will be operated by Olin Winchester, is the culmination of an 18-month design process led by JPEO A&A with support from a diverse team of U.S. government and commercial contractors.

Spanning 450,000 square feet, the facility will feature modern manufacturing systems capable of producing all components of 6.8 mm ammunition. This includes cartridge case and projectile manufacturing, energetic operations for loading and charging ammunition, product packaging, process quality controls, testing laboratories, maintenance operations and administrative areas.

With 90% of the work supported by industries in the Kansas City region and nearly 50 local businesses involved in the construction, the new facility will strengthen the defense industrial base, create well-paying jobs, and will drive economic growth in the local community.

Once operational, the facility will have an annual production capacity of 385 million cases, 490 million projectiles and 385 million load-assemble-pack operations for 6.8 mm ammunition. This enhanced capacity will significantly bolster U.S. munitions production, ensuring the Army maintains its readiness and ability to serve as a credible deterrent to would-be adversaries.

JPEO A&A and the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Command Armaments Center are headquartered at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey. Together, they play a critical role in developing, procuring and fielding cutting-edge armaments and ammunition, ensuring the readiness and modernization of the U.S. Army and its international partners.