Optimized Caliber

[stanc]

Jordanian Secret Service has purchased 6.8 SPC PDW's from LWRC, and there is a totally different lower/upper receiver set on that PDW.

To infer that the 6.8 is gaining widespread military adoption because of the Beduin King's body guard service in Jordan is a bit of a stretch.

There is zero reason to deviate from 5.56 in a carbine for military use. The biggest demand is in quality range time, which is not currently supported by most of the military. Adoption of a new caliber for carbines would only exacerbate the current situation.

I don't see 6.8 being adopted by any organization in the DOD. Even SOCOM, I'm sure, would stick with 5.56, if only for logistical reasons.

If any entity is actually planning to adopt 6.8, as the LWRC guys have intimated, I'd bet it's the Coast Guard. The USCG previously demonstrated independence in such matters by adopting .40 S&W for their standard pistol caliber. They may well be planning to do so again for their rifle cartridge.

Back to the new MultiRole LMG concept. It has been mentioned in this thread that a 130gr Solid has already been made, namely the Barnes 130gr. They have also come out with a Barnes 127gr LRX long-range hunting bullet. There are no practical limitations on a "green" projectile of already-in-use bullet lengths that are viable in the Grendel.

Forgive me, but I remain skeptical. The 130gr TSX is 100% copper, while "green" military ball projectiles with steel/copper or steel/steel cores would be significantly lighter. The same is true of conventional steel-core w/lead sheath construction, as shown by the Swedish AP bullet, which weighs a tad more than 110gr.

If you want me to buy into the idea of 130-140gr "green" or steel core, military ball, you'll have to provide much better evidence.

There is also a new member here chambering a 1919A4 Browning in Grendel, and is using disintegrating links made of nylon:

http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthrea...#post27594

Yeah, that looks interesting.

I was thinking you could take existing M27 links and run them through an expander mandrel after heating them, so they open up to the Grendel case body for a prototype LMG.

So try it and let us know if it works.

I can't wait to see the actual constant recoil principle LMG spitting 130-140gr Grendel loads out next to a 7.62 GPMG, and beating it for wind deflection and penetration. This is a vision I've had for years.

I'd like to see it, too.