US Army Adopting 6.8?

[woodline]

For sure. Based on the cost though…

I’d kind of just like something in 6.8x51 with something approaching those pressures. I do wonder if you could safely handload and reload those two part Sig cases?

Something like a 20” heavy barrel Howa 1500 in 6.8x51 sounds hot. If you could push a 140gr .277 bullet to around 3200fps from a 20” barrel or maybe a 147-154gr at around 3000fps I’d maybe think of that over a 300wsm. Heck, even if that took a 22 or 24” barrel.

Personally I really am excited about this round . . . For a short barrel suppressed hunting rifle (or pistol depending on how braces shake out), or at least a 13.7”-14.5” p/w. Or maybe just do a p/w with a suppressor at 11-12”. Hard to say what reloaders will be getting out of this cartridge/wildcats based on it once they figure out the technology, should be pretty cool.

Still glad I don’t have to lug this crap around. Will be curious to see what the troops who have to actually carry a combat load on a daily basis have to say.

 

[lazarus]

If what I read was true think of the 6.8 x 51 Hybrid round sort of like the construction of the M203 round. Where the steel base sets the initial charge to ignite the powder in the brass part. As to reloading not experienced enough to say but it being a 3 piece case that may cause some issues, the steal base attaches to a lock washer which holds what looks a separate case with the full powder charge,

Only superficially. The M203 is a high low cartridge with two chambers. A high pressure charge in the base sets off the low pressure charge in another chamber further up. That’s on top of a primer. This 6.8x51 is traditionally primed and charged. It’s just that the base where less support exists in any chamber uses steel, so it can be thinner.

 

[lazarus]

They will be using training rounds which will not be to the 80K PSI spec. So accuracy will change a little bit when they get the hard kicking stuff in a dust up.

I think that’s part of the reason they are going with the optic they are. It’s easily adjustable. Accuracy may not change, just POI.

 

[jrumann59]

I think that’s part of the reason they are going with the optic they are. It’s easily adjustable. Accuracy may not change, just POI.

That and the fact the optic is linkable but I guess once it actually makes it to production we will know more. But supposedly a squad would be able to designate targets and everyone with the optic will see it in theirs. Sounds nice but it will be interesting to see how it works in real time and after being thrown around a couple hundred times.

 

[jrumann59]

Only superficially. The M203 is a high low cartridge with two chambers. A high pressure charge in the base sets off the low pressure charge in another chamber further up. That’s on top of a primer. This 6.8x51 is traditionally primed and charged. It’s just that the base where less support exists in any chamber uses steel, so it can be thinner.

Kind of yes but not what the picture shows.

 

[Magnumite]

That washer is like the retainer used on the ends of automotive inner CV tripods and joints. Much more precise. I imagine the push, pull of the firing events in the chamber could cause some reloading durabilty concerns on that area of the cartridge after a number of firings. On the sportsman end of things I see just using the brass case as always with attendent lower peak pressures.

Has there been mention of any powder developments for this round?

 

[jrumann59]

That washer is like the retainer used on the ends of automotive inner CV tripods and joints. Much more precise. I imagine the push, pull of the firing events in the chamber could cause some reloading durabilty concerns on that area of the cartridge after a number of firings. On the sportsman end of things I see just using the brass case as always with attendent lower peak pressures.

Has there been mention of any powder developments for this round?

The lower pressure rounds are all brass at least so far from what I have seen with the early reviews of the rifle by youtubers. I would expect the powder to be of the common variety

 

[Sirex]

I was listening to a podcast someone sent me, and evidently the goal of the new high pressure 6.8 round it body armor penetration. The podcast mentioned both Russia and China are far behind the US in providing personal body protection for soldiers. As seen in Ukraine, Russian soldiers are not well equipped or supported, and Chinese armor is lackluster, as seen by the armor seen on Wish and Amazon, and they speculate because of the large number of troops, China can't supply enough with top rated body armor. The US military is the number one buyer of quality body armor, the American public #2. So, the question was raised, who exactly was the 6.8 round designed for?

 

[jrumann59]

I was listening to a podcast someone sent me, and evidently the goal of the new high pressure 6.8 round it body armor penetration. The podcast mentioned both Russia and China are far behind the US in providing personal body protection for soldiers. As seen in Ukraine, Russian soldiers are not well equipped or supported, and Chinese armor is lackluster, as seen by the armor seen on Wish and Amazon, and they speculate because of the large number of troops, China can't supply enough with top rated body armor. The US military is the number one buyer of quality body armor, the American public #2. So, the question was raised, who exactly was the 6.8 round designed for?

My guess is they are preparing for the worst so they expect the next near peer/Peer conflict they will have upped their armor. The funny thing is that the M4 will be around for the foreseeable future, with frontline units getting the new weapons first and the M4 goes to the "backline" troops.

 

[-Z/28-]

Small update, the new rifle will now be designated the M7. Apparently Colt had already trademarked M5 and is using it for commercial rifles.

New name selected for Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapon

The light machine gun will retain its M250 designation.

www.armytimes.com

 

[jrumann59]

Military gun nomenclature needs a clean up. Wouldn't it technically be the M-19, M4 was derivative of the M-16.

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

I am willing to bet you that the 6.8 round has the ability to punch through Russian body armor well past 600 meters.

 

[TheBert]

I am willing to bet you that the 6.8 round has the ability to punch through Russian body armor well past 600 meters.

Is that the cardboard armor that they are providing their troops in Ukraine?

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

Is that the cardboard armor that they are providing their troops in Ukraine?

Eastern body armor I guess is a moot point nowadays.

 

[TheBert]

Eastern body armor I guess is a moot point nowadays.

What is the load out of ammo for the common infantry "person"?

5.56 is one mag in the weapon and 6 to 8 mags.

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

The basic load for a soldier is still 210 rounds of 5.56 in seven 30 round magazines.

 

[John from MD]

The basic load for a soldier is still 210 rounds of 5.56 in seven 30 round magazines.

But what will it be for 6.8 which will be heavier?

 

[101combatvet]

More wasted tax dollars.


6.8 is better than 5.56 in many ways.

Yup, reinventing the wheel is what the DoD Labs do best.

 

[MattFinals718]

Small update, the new rifle will now be designated the M7. Apparently Colt had already trademarked M5 and is using it for commercial rifles.

New name selected for Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapon

The light machine gun will retain its M250 designation.

www.armytimes.com

The real story here is that the Army's small arms acquisition bureaucrats apparently don't know the product line of one of their major small arms contractors.

Colt also already makes an M7 (it's their flagship AR-10 model). Oops. Guess we'll soon hear that the NGSW is now called the XM8 (oh, wait, never mind, H&K won't like that...)

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

But what will it be for 6.8 which will be heavier?

John
To me it was a pain to haul around 210 rounds, a weapon, gas mask, Load Bearing Equipment and Kevlar as a bare minimum. That plus the BDUs and boots that put me over 70 lbs.
If you would ask me what the basic load for the 6.8 would be I would have to guess 160 rounds if the 6.8 firing platform had 20 round magazines. If there were to be 30 round magazines then the basic load would probably be close to the same at 210 for seven magazines. Three magazines per ammo pouch at two ammo pouches.
If there were two magazines of 30 rounds each per pouch at two pouches that would be 120 plus the 30 rounder in the weapon so that basic load would be 150.

The present soldier basic load of ammunition is.
M4 5.56mm
30 round magazines @ 7 total
2 ammo pouches with 6 magazines @180 + 30 in the weapon = 210.

Soldier basic load for the 6.8mm
XM5 6.8mm
20 round magazines @ 7 total
2 ammo pouches total of 6 magazines+1 in the weapon = 140