US Army switches cartridges to 6.8mm

[MillCreek]

https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a23654011/army-68-calliber-bullet-replace-556/

So is this going to be the 6.8 Creedmore?

[BobR]

The picture they are using is the 6.8 Remington SPC.

Isn't the Grendle and the Creedmore both a 6.5mm?

I wonder what they made, the 6.8 SPC has been looked at by the Army for quite a while now.

bob

[cordex]

First off, my understanding is that this is yet another test program, not a final selection.  They've done a bunch of these without making any transition.

Secondly, we don't yet know what the final cartridge will look like as the army is only specifying the bullet but each team is expected to either select or come up with their own cartridge.

Finally:

Okay guys, I'm going to let you in on an inside scoop I have.  The Army is guaranteed to be adopting the 6.8 SPC wholesale.

Source: I bought a 6.5 Grendel a few years ago.

[AJ Dual]

No, this will be some kind of hybrid plastic/metal case, possibly case-telescoping like from the LSAT project.

And yes, just another "official" test to decide if they'll test some more, and then have a meeting to determine if they will have a not-final selection determination  for M4 carbine replacement trials.

[Perd Hapley]

They should get a Glock.

[K Frame]

My guess?

Military is going to be using the 5.56 until at least 2050.

[Perd Hapley]

My guess?

Military is going to be using the 5.56 until at least 2050.

Around the time Ruth Bader Ginsberg dies in office, and Hillary Clinton ramps up for the 2052 election season.

[AJ Dual]

My guess?

Military is going to be using the 5.56 until at least 2050.

Yes. It'll be an endurance race with the B52...

[Phantom Warrior]

Yeah, the Army has talked about replacing 5.56 with something in 6.8mm since before I joined the Army.  I'll believe it when I see it.

[MechAg94]

I got the impression they were experimenting with 6.8 SPC or other 6.8 cartridge to replace the 30 cal squad machine guns.  

Nevermind, I guess it is a rifle and squad automatic both.

According to the Prototype Opportunity Notice posted online, the Army wants the new weapons to fire in semi-automatic and fully automatic modes and share the same ammunition magazine. They must include a flash hider for minimizing muzzle blast at night time, a removable sound suppressor, and a carry sling. The weapons must be resistant to rust, scratches, chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons, electromagnetic pulse, and cyber attacks (something for the contractors to keep in mind if the weapon is electrically controlled), and must come in some shade of Coyote, a shade of brown popular with the U.S. military. They must function in “all environments and weather conditions” and come equipped with a so-called “Picatinny rail” for mounting of optics, aiming lasers, and other weapon enhancements.

[dogmush]

I got the impression they were experimenting with 6.8 SPC or other 6.8 cartridge to replace the 30 cal squad machine guns.  

Nevermind, I guess it is a rifle and squad automatic both.

The 6.8 is (theoretically) going to replace the M4 family (5.56) and the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (also 5.56).  The M240B is the infantry 7.62 belt-fed.  It's not (to my knowledge) being replaced, although I couldn't tell you current infantry doctrine on it's use, or how many a Platoon gets.  I know on the less pointy end of the spear I haven't seen an unmounted 240 in 15 years or so.  We'll stick them on anything we can weld a pintle to, but no one wants to carry them.  Those things are heavy.

[Perd Hapley]

Those things are heavy.

True. Beautiful bits of machining that I enjoyed shooting, but heavy.

[Scout26]

I still say we should use the MG42...