From:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6.8_mm_Remington_SPCThe 6.8mm SPC cartridge was designed to address the deficiencies of the terminal performance of the 5.56x45mm cartridge currently in service with the U.S. Armed Forces.[5] The cartridge was the result of the Enhanced Rifle Cartridge program. Participating in the program were U.S. Special Operations soldiers, as well as armorers and other technicians from the United States Army Marksmanship Unit.[6] The development of this cartridge is remarkable in that it was designed by actual shooters in the armed forces, instead of by industry professionals. The goal was to create a cartridge that would bridge the gap between 5.56mm and 7.62x51mm, something that would perform similarly to the Soviet bloc 7.62x39mm AK-47 cartridge.
Wiki or not, "uncited" or not, to me, that sort of says it all.
There's nothing wrong with the .223 cartridge (derived from the triple-deuce .222
varmint cartridge.) It's great on prairie dogs out to maybe 300 yards with good wind-doping and range estimation and a 12X scope. (I've hit 'em at 400 yards, but I had to take spotting shots to do it and I didn't enjoy it.)
But I must re-emphasize that with all the "improvements" that became necessary, and all the debate about it even 50-60 years later, and all the
other systems that had to be created to overcome its deficiencies,
it is self-evident, plain, and obvious, that it is not suitable as a military cartridge --rifling twists, canneluring, thickening the brass, boosting bullet weights and pressures, and brass-hat hype notwithstanding.Re Lennyjoe's question:
(Ibid, date unknown) So far there is no confirmed adoption of the caliber by the U.S. military.
While there are many rumors of evaluations of the cartridge by several major Federal and local law enforcement agencies, it has not been confirmed to be in service with any official agency yet.
In 2010 the Jordanian state-owned arms manufacturer KADDB announced that they would be producing 6.8mm rifles and carbines for the Jordanian Army. [10]
Yeah, re-tooling costs, yeah, "stock-on-hand" problems, yeah, supply issues. But maybe the AR platform just plain sucks.
Ya think?
Me go now.
Terry, 230RN