New Army Rifles Rolling Out

[Expat]

Army to field new rifle, machine gun and optic in 2024

Soldiers with the 101st Airborne Division will be the first to field the new weapons and optics.

www.armytimes.com

The Army’s newest rifle and automatic rifle are already in the hands of soldiersfor testing and will officially field to its first unit in 2024.

The service delivered the Next Generation Squad Weapon rifle and automatic rifle, known as the XM7 and XM250, respectively, along with its advanced optic, the XM157 fire control, to a platoon in the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky in late September.

 

[Vimace]

There goes my tax money

 

[edporch]

I'm interested in the details of what that 6.8mm round is?

 

[Squid556]

I'm interested in the details of what that 6.8mm round is?

Basically its similar case size of 7.62 NATO. But in a higher pressure case giving essentially .270 Winchester performance out of the XM7s 13 inch barrel.

Imho, its cool but all I see is heavier rifles, heavier ammo and less time in the fight. Hopefully the fancy optics will make up for the reduced ammo

The machine gun however I think will benefit more and I'm kinda excited for that cartridge and firearm combination much more than the rifle.

For what its worth, this is the civilian equivalent that Sig has released commercially. I'm not certain all the differences but I think this is similar to the whole .308 win / 7.62 NATO relationship.

ELITE BONDED POLYMER TIPPED 277 SIG FURY HYBRID

Elite Bonded Polymer Tipped Ammunition

www.sigsauer.com

 

[DadSmith]

Basically its similar case size of 7.62 NATO. But in a higher pressure case giving essentially .270 Winchester performance out of the XM7s 13 inch barrel.

Imho, its cool but all I see is heavier rifles, heavier ammo and less time in the fight. Hopefully the fancy optics will make up for the reduced ammo

The machine gun however I think will benefit more and I'm kinda excited for that cartridge and firearm combination much more than the rifle.

For what its worth, this is the civilian equivalent that Sig has released commercially. I'm not certain all the differences but I think this is similar to the whole .308 win / 7.62 NATO relationship.

ELITE BONDED POLYMER TIPPED 277 SIG FURY HYBRID

Elite Bonded Polymer Tipped Ammunition

www.sigsauer.com

I still think they could have loaded 308 Winchester pressure in their 7.62x51mm and used that Sierra 155gr Palma Match King bullet to achieve what they were looking for without wasting all that money on this new design. Just my two cents worth.

2700fps with a 16" barrel 51gr CFE223.
You can still push it a little higher, and still be under maximum pressure.

How does this new round compare to this load?

 

[Squid556]

I still think they could have loaded 308 Winchester pressure in their 7.62x51mm and used that Sierra 155gr Palma Match King bullet to achieve what they were looking for without wasting all that money on this new design. Just my two cents worth.

2700fps with a 16" barrel 51gr CFE223.
You can still push it a little higher, and still be under maximum pressure.

How does this new round compare to this load?

I want to give you a standing ovation for that DS. I thought for a while, why not just make a faster, higher BC 7.62 NATO? I really don't think the new 6.8 will be any better at penetrating armor than what we have out there now. From my understanding of things it will behave similar to most FMJ medium bore rifle rounds, so not really anything new or all that impressive.

I think the biggest thing 6.8 will do compared to small caliber high velocity cartridges is penetrate barriers better.

Maybe .... Increased lethality between 3-600 meters. Still just poking holes unless they develop a way to get FMJ to tumble really well.

Compared to that load you stated, it should be a little flatter shooting and should buck the wind a little better. But similar performance. Again the high pressure case basically lets you get rifle length performance in a carbine length barrel.

 

[Mij]

I still think they could have loaded 308 Winchester pressure in their 7.62x51mm and used that Sierra 155gr Palma Match King bullet to achieve what they were looking for without wasting all that money on this new design. Just my two cents worth.

2700fps with a 16" barrel 51gr CFE223.
You can still push it a little higher, and still be under maximum pressure.

How does this new round compare to this load?

Personally, I don’t think they are looking at ballistics as much as they are future manufacturing applications. But that’s just me.

 

[patience0830]

Army procurement and developement run by idiots with none of their own money at risk and the "unlimited" government checkbook. Hoping "surplus" .308 and .223 comes available.

 

[Tactically Fat]

Instead of putting up the $ and the time to train .mil folks how to shoot more gooder, they went and developed a "new" cartridge and firearms system to shortcut getting .mil folks how to shoot more gooder.

 

[tomcat13]

Why do we Need New weapons?
If Clueless Joe & his Pupeteers have their way, we won't have a Military.
Guess we'll send the New Weapons to the Ukraine.

 

[bobzilla]

Why do we Need New weapons?
If Clueless Joe & his Pupeteers have their way, we won't have a Military.
Guess we'll send the New Weapons to the Ukraine.

its for the feebs, the afters and the irs.

 

[BE Mike]

Army procurement and developement run by idiots with none of their own money at risk and the "unlimited" government checkbook. Hoping "surplus" .308 and .223 comes available.

I doubt that there will be any surplus ammo unless wars involving our "friends" cease. Our troops have been asking for a cartridge that will better penetrate windshields and such to deal with suicide car bombs at checkpoints among other things. The .223 has been long recommended as a good home defense round because of its ability to not over-penetrate.

 

[Cavman]

Yep.. and most units will still get bare ammo to qualify and zero with. Plus the cost to redo ranges and qualification scenarios is gonna be astronomical

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Do not understand the cartridge or the new M-14, er, XM-7.

Holland's 6.8SPC maybe with URGI upper would cover what they want without 15 lb. boat anchor.

The 6.8 in the LMG and the 338 MMG will be outstanding. Oh, mommy.

 

[Creedmoor]

Yep.. and most units will still get bare ammo to qualify and zero with. Plus the cost to redo ranges and qualification scenarios is gonna be astronomical

What would have to be redone with qualing and the ranges?
I'm asking with I don't know of any changes in the ranges with the last few service rifle changovers.
I just don't recall having berms being moved.

 

[printcraft]

Where can I buy one of these weapons of war since all assault rifles are the same thing?

 

[Expat]

I know there were a lot of complaints in Afghanistan about our guys having a shorter range of fire than them with their rifles.

 

[Creedmoor]

Where can I buy one of these weapons of war since all assault rifles are the same thing?

What are your ASVAB's?

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Where can I buy one of these weapons of war since all assault rifles are the same thing?

High Volume SIG Dealer. Will be Title I and in .308. One was being passed around the guntoobers last year.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

What are your ASVAB's?

Off the charts, now . . . let's not discuss run times, especially now.