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After months of rumors, the U.S. Army confirmed its Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW) will adopt the 6.8mm.
The caliber switch from the current 5.56mm applies to the upcoming M4 carbine and M249 Squad Automatic Weapon replacements.
From John Farnam:
From: "John Farnam's Quips mailing list"
Date: October 25, 2018 at 2:45:07 PM CDT
Subject: [Dtiquips] 6.8 SPC
25 Oct 18
“Only put off tasks until tomorrow when you are willing to die today, because you left them undone”
Picasso
The dam finally broke!
The Pentagon has officially announced that US forces, at long last, will be moving away from the 5.56x45 (223).
The new military small-arms cartridge is the 6.8SPC, with ballistics similar to the Soviet 7.62x39
This announcement comes twenty-five years late.
Some say fifty!
Inadequate range and penetration (for military use) has plagued the 5.56x45 from the first day it was issued.
And, a dreary, serial roll-out of dubious “improvements” (“wonder bullets”) all fell short of expectations, one after another!
With the 6.8mm, we’ll have a legitimate 300m rifle, and a 500m LMG, effectively doubling the range we enjoy now.
And the 6.8mm will actually shoot through things!
As noted, the 5.56x45 was a poor candidate from the start, and it lingered far too long.
However, as a patrol rifle cartridge for domestic policing, for domestic personal defense, maybe even for rear-area defense, the 5.56x45 is adequate still represents a good choice for these tasks.
The Pentagon’s belated move is welcome news.
Now, we’ll see if NATO falls in line, or becomes hopelessly Balkanized!
Hmmm,... sounds like good news, finally! I would think, after decades of actual, factual complaints on record, they would have gone even heavier in caliber. But, there is always the COST FACTOR to considered by the pencil pushers.
I have always considered the 223/5,56 as a 22 caliber on steroids. And I load it as such, at just over 4,000FPS and rarely do I shoot past 200 yds, if I expect a decent level of results.
Bottom line, imo, 6.8 falls very close to the .25 caliber / quarter bore performance level,... a really good place in the ballistic world,... as has been proven for many decades in the European hunting community.
samnev wrote: ↑October 27th, 2018, 7:09 am
I'll believe it when I see it.
I agree. There are a lot of congressmen who need to be bribed between now and then. There will be "hearings" until all the congressmen have been assured that the unions/campaign contributors in their districts have gotten a piece of the action.
However, the 6.8 is way beyond M1 Carbine ballistics. Much closer to the .276 Pedersen (7x51), which is what we should have gotten instead of the .308/7.62x51.
When looking at ballistics of the MK262 77 grain loads and the 6.8 loads they could have eliminated the 55 grain bullet and replaced it with the 77SMK bullet and already have solved 90% of their problems. This is some ass clowns in the military that at some point after they retire will have cushy jobs in some company involved in this changeover and get paid a high salary to do nothing.
samnev wrote: ↑October 27th, 2018, 7:09 am
I'll believe it when I see it.
I agree. There are a lot of congressmen who need to be bribed between now and then. There will be "hearings" until all the congressmen have been assured that the unions/campaign contributors in their districts have gotten a piece of the action.
However, the 6.8 is way beyond M1 Carbine ballistics. Much closer to the .276 Pedersen (7x51), which is what we should have gotten instead of the .308/7.62x51.
I think the .243 would have been a even better choice. It was considered with the AR-10 but got shot down. It offered longer range, better knockdown power, less recoil than 308, ability to allow a unit to have 308, 243, and a couple other options in one rifle.
Now with newer offerings the Colt 901 Modular Carbine with the ability to fire 7.62, and 5.56 with a upper, spring, buffer and drop in mag well insert it would open the military up to whatever a particular unit wanted/needed. 5.56, 300blackout, 308, 243, 22-250, 6.8, 6.5 and so on.
338lapua wrote: ↑October 26th, 2018, 9:51 pm
So the russians go to a round more like the M-16 and we move to a round more like the AK-47.
Bigger bullets are better!
We have been chasing 7.62x39 performance from almost the start of 5.56 usage.
Mikhail Kalashnikov wanted to update the x39 round with modern powder and bullets but he was overruled due to the Russian higher ups being sure the Americans must know something their own weapons people couldn't figure out about the 5.56.
"Mikhail Kalashnikov wanted to update the x39 round with modern powder and bullets but he was overruled due to the Russian higher ups being sure the Americans must know something their own weapons people couldn't figure out about the 5.56."
__________________________________________
Yup,... the munition suppliers knew something about the 5.56×45mm NATO, or at least (imo) they had a good guess about it,...
"The percentage is entirely down to what individuals are involved and their marksmanship, as previously stated in the Vietnam war the american troops required roughly 50,000 rounds to kill a single enemy combatant whilst the marine snipers on average used 1.33 rounds per kill."
Everything in a Capitalist based economic system boils down to one thing,... MONEY!
And, in most cases , I wouldn't have it any other way!
Last edited by shooter444 on October 29th, 2018, 6:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
storage_man wrote: ↑October 27th, 2018, 5:29 am
Just think in a couple of years there will be Millions of 5.56 milsurp flooding the market @ $.15 per round.