06-10-2012, 02:55 AM
Question
How much of a difference in practical performance do you think there would be at inside 2,000 yards between
this system and an Old School Vickers with .303 MkVIIIZ or a French Hotchkiss with 8mm Lebel Balle N 232 grain MG ammo?
Both of these systems were habitually used for indirect fire out to 4,000 yards during WWI.
During the siege on Fort Vaux French MG crews cut down German reinforcements at 2-3,000 yards
No doubt the .338 cartridge will offer a huge step up. However to be fair the M240 is handicapped by a
rather mundane rifle load, M80 ball. Think how much performance could be improved by switching to
a 200 grain FMJ with a BC in the .530 range. Basically what the US Army did after WWI with the switch
from 150 grain M1906 ball to 173 grain M1 ball. The 173 grain M1 ball load was developed specifically to
address the poor reach of the M1906 150 grain .30-'06 load compared to the French 8mm Lebel Balle D
load US troops were initially issued for MG use. The Balle D load had over 1,000 yards of greater reach
when fired from MGs......
thoughts?
How much of a difference in practical performance do you think there would be at inside 2,000 yards between
this system and an Old School Vickers with .303 MkVIIIZ or a French Hotchkiss with 8mm Lebel Balle N 232 grain MG ammo?
Both of these systems were habitually used for indirect fire out to 4,000 yards during WWI.
During the siege on Fort Vaux French MG crews cut down German reinforcements at 2-3,000 yards
No doubt the .338 cartridge will offer a huge step up. However to be fair the M240 is handicapped by a
rather mundane rifle load, M80 ball. Think how much performance could be improved by switching to
a 200 grain FMJ with a BC in the .530 range. Basically what the US Army did after WWI with the switch
from 150 grain M1906 ball to 173 grain M1 ball. The 173 grain M1 ball load was developed specifically to
address the poor reach of the M1906 150 grain .30-'06 load compared to the French 8mm Lebel Balle D
load US troops were initially issued for MG use. The Balle D load had over 1,000 yards of greater reach
when fired from MGs......
thoughts?