.264 USA Round with Polymer Case

The #1 community for Gun Owners in Indiana

Member Benefits:

  • Fewer Ads!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • Kirk Freeman

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    8   0   0
    Mar 9, 2008
    47,969
    113
    Lafayette, Indiana
    A new image (to me at least) of Big Army's new .264 USA that they have been playing around with for a few years. This is a polymer case from a company in Mississippi.

    POTD: The Polymer Cased .264 USA - The Firearm Blog

    264USA-400x660.jpg
     

    17 squirrel

    Shooter
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    May 15, 2013
    4,427
    63
    10 to 15 years ago a company brought out polymer case in 223 it had less of a brass case that what is pictured above. The rim and base was about 3/8" long It disappeared pretty quick if I remember correctly. In fluted chambers it would blow apart just above the brass base.
    Somewhere in my cache, I have a few boxes.
    It makes me wonder if that's why the brass is longer on this new ammo.
     

    oldpink

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Apr 7, 2009
    6,660
    63
    Farmland
    I predict that this will become as wildly popular as the caseless ammunition invented specifically for the equally popular H&K G11.
     

    Broom_jm

    Master
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Dec 10, 2009
    3,691
    48
    KF,

    How does the cartridge drawing explain why the brass section on this product is longer than what Squirrel reported on the 223 rounds? I'm just speculating here, but my guess is they wanted to use a taller brass base to help ensure pressures were kept safely contained in the chamber.

    In addition to the challenges and costs of manufacturing, I'm trying to grasp the advantage of this round, if any. I don't want to seem like I am wearing a tin-foil hat, but any cartridge design that makes it difficult or impossible to reload is the first step on a slippery slope. Some may argue that this reduces the amount of brass required to make a cartridge, and I'm sure it does to a certain extent, but the walls/shoulder/neck of a case are relatively thin so they don't represent much of the total brass used in a conventional cartridge. Most of the weight is in the head of the case, where it much thicker.

    Is there a "reason" for this type of case design? It kind of reminds me of a high-brass 12-gauge hull, which obviously works very well within a certain pressure range.
     

    17 squirrel

    Shooter
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    May 15, 2013
    4,427
    63
    I would tend to believe it would be a huge cost cutting measure in manufacturing, to draw just a base out of brass is alot simpler than drawing a full case. Also with a less complicated brass drawing, production speed will increase. And the material coats would drop, say maybe 35 to 50% less brass and polymer is cheap in comparison.
    I would think its the future, at least with some cartridge's.

    And as far as not being able to reload it, as of now look around on the ground at the range next time you are there.
    The ground is already covered with empty cases that no one wants to bother Reloading ( steel cases, berdan brass cases and aluminum cases ) or you can't reload them.
     

    avboiler11

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    13   0   0
    Jun 12, 2011
    2,950
    119
    New Albany
    Looks like a 6.5x47 Lapua, with a goofy ancient shoulder angle.

    Also, looks like a PPC-sized case head so the same potential "issues" as a Grendel (though of course a new purpose-built weapon would hopefully be designed to make M4 platform limitations go away).
     
    Top Bottom