12-01-2011, 06:19 AM
Tony, I just read the article as well. The Grendel and 6.8 are much closer to 5.56 controllability, but not the same, however, I still think they are suitable assault rifle or carbine cartridges, although I prefer the 5.56 personally. The 7x46 UIC would be a bit too much for space utilization, weight, and recoil for the common assault rifle. It would make a great cartridge in the no man's land, but you simply can't mitigate the requirements for a close-in weapon and an LMG with the same loading. It is an interesting option for replacement of 7.62x51 in LMG's and maybe a DMR, but should not be considered for use in a carbine or standard service rifle.
As far as Mk12's and M14 EBR's being more and more popular, they are becoming less and less popular from what I understand, although MK12's are seeing more service with the USMC. Guys in Sniper duty positions are quite happy with a regular M4 with a drop-in match trigger and Mk.262, preferring that over an 18" SPR, since your job as a rifleman is more common than performing precision marksmanship functions at distance.
Also, from very reliable sources in the UK, I'm told that the 7.62 bolt guns have been binned in favor of the .338 LM AI's, which are mostly used in a static position in the defense, although there have been some rare exceptions with much fanfare. There is no reason to have a manual bolt operated 7.62 weapon, in my opinion, having carried them and suffering under their impracticality. They make great range queens, but have negative net effect in a maneuver war.
We could eliminate some of the logistics and over-diversification issue with a universal LMG, that fills the role of the SAW and the 240 without losing the 240's downrange effectiveness. 6.5mm can do that with the right projectile and loading. A friend of mine is getting 2700fps with 139gr Scenars out of a Cz527 bolt action, so an LMG with no requirement to baby brass could get significant velocity with a load heavier than 120gr easily. 6.5mm bullets will always out-gas 7mm from smaller cartridges. You need significantly more powder to make even a 6.8 VLD match a 6.6 for trajectory, and you still lose the wind deflection contest.
Even if we put a larger, heavier-recoiling rifle or carbine in Joe tentpeg's hands, it will not equal an increased hit probability passed the maximum effective range he can engage targets under stress from a hasty position while under fire. It will guarantee a logistics stress on his load, and less ability to recover shot-to-shot. There's no way around that which is practical.
We have to set some practical expectations that factor the soldier into the dismounted land component system from a holistic perspective, which the weapon is actually not much of a determining factor, in my opinion and experience. An extensive training and maturity curve in the mind and heart of a professional infantryman is what makes a difference in bringing about higher hit probability ballistic solutions with small arms, driven by an intensely focused trigger towards extreme violence to overwhelm an enemy.
It takes a lot of quality training to achieve that, which is almost impossible to achieve with a leadership climate that will never understand that dynamic until they have a demand for it downrange when it's too late.
Once the training solution code is cracked, guys who have stepped past it into a continuous cycle of maintaining proficiency love 5.56, and use it effectively from contact ranges out to 700m, some even making intentional 1st-round head shots as evidenced in one of the videos I linked previously, but the training cycle code has to be cracked first to make effective infantrymen, and practical marksmanship is just one individual skillset that comes together in a series of collective tasks that are necessary to make a unit effective in the dismounted game.
As far as Mk12's and M14 EBR's being more and more popular, they are becoming less and less popular from what I understand, although MK12's are seeing more service with the USMC. Guys in Sniper duty positions are quite happy with a regular M4 with a drop-in match trigger and Mk.262, preferring that over an 18" SPR, since your job as a rifleman is more common than performing precision marksmanship functions at distance.
Also, from very reliable sources in the UK, I'm told that the 7.62 bolt guns have been binned in favor of the .338 LM AI's, which are mostly used in a static position in the defense, although there have been some rare exceptions with much fanfare. There is no reason to have a manual bolt operated 7.62 weapon, in my opinion, having carried them and suffering under their impracticality. They make great range queens, but have negative net effect in a maneuver war.
We could eliminate some of the logistics and over-diversification issue with a universal LMG, that fills the role of the SAW and the 240 without losing the 240's downrange effectiveness. 6.5mm can do that with the right projectile and loading. A friend of mine is getting 2700fps with 139gr Scenars out of a Cz527 bolt action, so an LMG with no requirement to baby brass could get significant velocity with a load heavier than 120gr easily. 6.5mm bullets will always out-gas 7mm from smaller cartridges. You need significantly more powder to make even a 6.8 VLD match a 6.6 for trajectory, and you still lose the wind deflection contest.
Even if we put a larger, heavier-recoiling rifle or carbine in Joe tentpeg's hands, it will not equal an increased hit probability passed the maximum effective range he can engage targets under stress from a hasty position while under fire. It will guarantee a logistics stress on his load, and less ability to recover shot-to-shot. There's no way around that which is practical.
We have to set some practical expectations that factor the soldier into the dismounted land component system from a holistic perspective, which the weapon is actually not much of a determining factor, in my opinion and experience. An extensive training and maturity curve in the mind and heart of a professional infantryman is what makes a difference in bringing about higher hit probability ballistic solutions with small arms, driven by an intensely focused trigger towards extreme violence to overwhelm an enemy.
It takes a lot of quality training to achieve that, which is almost impossible to achieve with a leadership climate that will never understand that dynamic until they have a demand for it downrange when it's too late.
Once the training solution code is cracked, guys who have stepped past it into a continuous cycle of maintaining proficiency love 5.56, and use it effectively from contact ranges out to 700m, some even making intentional 1st-round head shots as evidenced in one of the videos I linked previously, but the training cycle code has to be cracked first to make effective infantrymen, and practical marksmanship is just one individual skillset that comes together in a series of collective tasks that are necessary to make a unit effective in the dismounted game.