[Sporter90]

The new 6.8x51mm round can push a 135gr bullet at 3,000 fps out of a 16-inch barrel, and with a 80,000 psi chamber pressure. A 300 Win Mag round can do better with lower chamber pressure (about 62,000 psi), but is too much bigger.

If defeating body armor is the major reason of the new round, is the current 7.62x51mm round worth of improvement?

The M240 machine guns will be re-barreled for the new round.

 

[Spartan301]

So...... NATO is going to do the same?

 

[frick]

I predict a giant fail for the entire program.

Basically, they are going back to the 50s in terms of the round, high pressure is going to beat the hell out of the weapons, imagine the control issues with the rifles on full auto, if that's even an option.

We know how FA worked on the M14.

Remember this is an experiment for the elite Army fighters, not a changeover to the entire military.

 

[tahoe]

Did not Britian put forth a 6.8 round in the 50’s for their bull pup?

 

[snipernuts]

the 6.8x51 will be the replacement round Army wide for the M855A1 (M4A3 and the M429 Series) and the M80A1 (Conversion kit for M240 series)

 

[Sporter90]

The only thing new about this round is the very high chamber pressure.

 

[Sporter90]

So...... NATO is going to do the same?

I don't know. But, the conventional wisdom says "yes".

The USMC just bought many M27 rifles a few years ago. What are they going to do with them?

 

[Skoda]

I don't know. But, the conventional wisdom says "yes".

The USMC just bought many M27 rifles a few years ago. What are they going to do with them?

Why CMP sales of course!!!!

 

[Sporter90]

That's the rifle to shoot it with.

I'm sure an AR-10 version will soon be available.

 

[K Thorne]

Seems like a expensive experiment.

Such a high pressure round and short barrel will make maintaining it and feeding it with new expensive ammo to be also a logistical nightmare.

 

[pennypal]

80000 psi!!!. That's higher than my 12 guage reloads!.

 

[Sporter90]

The high pressure is its selling point. It's one of the first, if not the first.

 

[AR475891]

Considering the state of the gear I've seen of Russian combat troops in Ukraine, I'd say this concern over armored enemy troops is completely overblown. I would put down money saying the Chinese military is in similar shape since they don't even issue optics to their regular troops. If both of them don't have armor, no one else we fight would either.

 

[caerlonie]

So...... NATO is going to do the same?

Hard to see other Western nations going down this road...so many of them have just adopted new model rifles in 5.56 and for budget reasons alone they will likely stick with that for some time to come.

 

[frick]

the 6.8x51 will be the replacement round Army wide for the M855A1 (M4A3 and the M429 Series) and the M80A1 (Conversion kit for M240 series)

I read it was going to be used in a limited basis, with a full changeover coming in a matter of years if not longer.

 

[Sporter90]

Considering the state of the gear I've seen of Russian combat troops in Ukraine, I'd say this concern over armored enemy troops is completely overblown. I would put down money saying the Chinese military is in similar shape since they don't even issue optics to their regular troops. If both of them don't have armor, no one else we fight would either.

Your picture is far from complete. The "near peer adversary" aka China will be something that the U.S. has never seen. It's the WW2 Soviet Union, the Imperial Japan, and the Nazi Germany all in one.

 

[AR475891]

Your picture is far from complete. The "near peer adversary" aka China will be something that the U.S. has never seen. It's the WW2 Soviet Union, the Imperial Japan, and the Nazi Germany all in one.

Everybody said the same thing about the Russians but it really just looks like they have good PR. If you watch any Chinese military footage, you don't really seem them in plate carriers, have optics on their rifles, or even have night vision attachment points on their helmets. I'm not saying its impossible, but it's very unlikely they are true "near peer" status on a solider to soldier basis. Don't get me wrong, I definitely recognize that quantity has a quality all its own and they have a large population to bulk up quickly but I would not put their individual troops on a pedestal.

 

[snipernuts]

from the tests we've seen so far, it is impressive, very flat shooting round. when they first started doing the pre evals, some were "almost" caseless rounds, but, had a hard time with the belt feds

 

[Tempest2]

Why do they think they can get away with 80,000 PSI in a military environment? It there some new synthetic miracle steel or something?

 

[snipernuts]

that part i don't know, i'm on the other side of the fence