GAHUNTER60
Senior Member
The military has announced that they will soon deep six the 5.56 caliber M4 and the 5.56 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW), and replace them with new, unspecified weapons firing a 6.8mm round. The reason for the change is said to be better body armor being used by our enemies, and the increase in engagements outside the effective range of the .22-caliber bullets in current small arms. (My son was a Platoon Leader in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan, and said they were ambushed on virtually every patrol by insurgents 600-1,000 meters out! At such ranges, only his 7.62mm weapons were effective at suppressing enemy fire. Fortunately, he had several soldiers armed with scoped M-14s, who succeeded in taking out Taliban fighters at these extreme distances.)
The thing is, the new round is said to NOT be the 6.8 SPC, developed for the military some years ago. Instead, it is said to be a completely new round with an effective range exceeding 1,000 meters, and capable of defeating enemy body armor. A loaded round is 10 percent lighter than a 7.62x51 (.308) round. No one is saying what weight projectile this new round fires, but it must be relatively heavy to accomplish the stated goals.
Likewise, the weapons being tested to fire this new round are being kept under wraps.
I can't wait to find out the skinny on this new super round. I'm anxious to find out if it lives up to the hype. If it does, it will only take about ten seconds after its revelation to be chambered in a sporting rifle!
The thing is, the new round is said to NOT be the 6.8 SPC, developed for the military some years ago. Instead, it is said to be a completely new round with an effective range exceeding 1,000 meters, and capable of defeating enemy body armor. A loaded round is 10 percent lighter than a 7.62x51 (.308) round. No one is saying what weight projectile this new round fires, but it must be relatively heavy to accomplish the stated goals.
Likewise, the weapons being tested to fire this new round are being kept under wraps.
I can't wait to find out the skinny on this new super round. I'm anxious to find out if it lives up to the hype. If it does, it will only take about ten seconds after its revelation to be chambered in a sporting rifle!