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Army's M4 and SAW Replacements in 6.8mm

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  • SAWMAN

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    Never thought that I would see this.
    IMO the soldier with a M4 or a SAW does not need a high B.C. bullet. Seems that a .277" bullet in the high 200's would do. Even in the modern warfare scenarios the soldier should not be shooting 600yds+ across the battlefield.
    For a 6.8 to have any kind of speed the bullets need to be <120grs or so. The Hornady 120gr SST boasts a B.C. of .400. My question would be . . . at 270Win vels or at 6.8SPC vels.
    The bullet that the military picks as their primary will be interesting. Then they will have to come up with a Tracer,AP,API,APT,etc,etc.
    I'm guessing that the FMJ bullet will be about 110grs. It will have a cannelure and be designed similar to the M193. I suspect that it could be even non-boattail. Wondering also if it will be void of lead.
    As a shooter of the 6.8SPC for quite some time now,I am also wondering if the military chamber will be 6.8SPC or 6.8SPCII. Also what twist rate will they choose. Guessing 1:11. --- SAWMAN :)
     
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    FrommerStop

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    Military rifles get shot a lot. Just how hard is the 6.8 spc on bolts. AR-15s chambered out for the 7.62x39 had a reputation for broken bolt lugs. I have read that the bolts are now tougher, but I have no idea as to what the cycle life is like in the 6.8 spc bolts.
    I did see that article. One of my brothers sent it to me.
     

    War-Buff

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    It'll definitely be interesting to see what they come up with.
     

    FrankT

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    Military rifles get shot a lot. Just how hard is the 6.8 spc on bolts. AR-15s chambered out for the 7.62x39 had a reputation for broken bolt lugs. I have read that the bolts are now tougher, but I have no idea as to what the cycle life is like in the 6.8 spc bolts.
    I did see that article. One of my brothers sent it to me.

    There are advanced bolts now. In a carbine gas they are hard in the middie and rifle easy peasy. This has been a 15 year process, we knew it was coming and are ready. There are already 6.8's being used in some special units and foreign services. Happy days for sure are ahead for the 6.8 fans!
     

    Fear21

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    Happy days for sure are ahead for the 6.8 fans!

    I hope so. It's an interesting cartridge - been considering building a pistol and possibly SBRing a 6.8. I'm really skeptical about the whole thing though. The Army likes to spend millions on R&D for new weapons and then add an extra doodad on the M4 and call it good.
     

    SAWMAN

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    After talking to a couple friends this morning,now wondering if the chambering will even be 6.8SPC or 6.8SPCII. Could be a new case all together. If so,then I would wonder how they picked the .277" caliber.
    Just to be clear . . . the U.S. military is not now using,or has never used,either 6.8. No unit,specialized or not. --- SAWMAN
     

    FrommerStop

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    There are advanced bolts now. In a carbine gas they are hard in the middie and rifle easy peasy. This has been a 15 year process, we knew it was coming and are ready. There are already 6.8's being used in some special units and foreign services. Happy days for sure are ahead for the 6.8 fans!
    But still does anyone know the predicted cycle life with saami spec loads of the bolt. Like 5,000, 10,000, or 50,000 rounds. I believe there is a predicted life for the 5.56 bolt, but I do not know what it is.

    I have gone 6.5 grendel mainly because of decent wolf practice ammo. I plan to get a spare bolt for it also.
     

    FrankT

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    What the Saudies are using is the 85gr gold dot/fusion rd, lots of excellent ammo from 75 gr to 130and 2 platforms to choose from. The LWRC using Pmags or the AR15 style using metal mags. SBR and subs are already developed. They could take existing rifle and change barrels, mags and bolts to be good to go.
     

    SAWMAN

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    This is my 10" pistol with a 6.8SPC chamber and 1:10 twist.
    Handles great,shoots great. Great as a thermal gun. --- SAWMAN
     

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    TK5o

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    Does the 6.8 in pistol form have the same or worse blast and concussion as 5.56 in pistol form. I had a 5.56 with 7.5” barrel. While easy to handle the blast was almost obnoxious
     

    SAWMAN

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    Go with a 10" bbl at the shortest.
    Which muzzle device you choose is of major importance with the shorter bbl'ed guns. Either no brake at all or a linear brake with no holes to the sides was my choice.
    Pictured above is a KAW Valley linear brake. I painted it with white streaks so that i could positively determine where the end of my bbl was during times of total darkness. --- SAWMAN
     

    Little Jack

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    Bill,

    Per soldiersystems.net, they're looking at 6.8mm but NOT the spc offerings.
     

    SAWMAN

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    Nate, 10-4 sir.
    Was thinking today . . . there could possibly be a problem with them using the letters and/or phrase "SPC" or "SPCII". For the military to jump directly on the back of an existing chambering would kinda be kinda strange.
    For the military to dive headlong into a COMPLETELY new and different chambering,especially in a different caliber,seems to me would take an extremely long time. The "process" would be quite involved. It would have to be "blessed" by quite a few people and many different levels.
    Hopefully . . . before they dive headlong into the process,the military will take a serious look at a the somewhat heavier projectiles for the 5.56X45 (75-77gr) and a couple different weight projectiles for the 7.62X51 . . . possibly lighter in weight (130-140gr). This,keeping in mind their existing bbl twist standards.
    This process should be interesting to watch. However I would be really surprised if anything comes of it in at least 5 years . . . if at all. --- SAWMAN
     

    Ross7

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    Meanwhile the Army is apparently also exploring other options...

    The specifications are incredible, four 6 mm barrels cut side by side within one steel block. New ammunition blocks fired by electromagnetic actuators that could theoretically give the weapon a firing rate of 250 rounds per second.

    The Army is studying Grier’s gun and has ordered a military-grade prototype.

    Army might have found its new rifle in Colorado Springs garage
     

    FrommerStop

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    Meanwhile the Army is apparently also exploring other options...



    Army might have found its new rifle in Colorado Springs garage
    I saw that discussed elsewhere. A gun with four barrels fused together with incomplete chambers. The feeding device contains blocks with four partial chambers that each hold a shell and placed in the gun from a magazine like feeding device from the side.
    Try firing any major caliber at '250 rounds per second' in a shoulder firearm. I say BS.
     

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