10-24-2013, 01:36 AM
Trooper Wrote:However the snipers are no longer using 7.62x51 but rather moving to heavier cartridges. Thus it makes sense that the GP MG would use the sniper round. Plus a heavier, more powerful round on the GP MG would cut down the need for the .50 cal (M2).
That was the thinking behind the GD-OTS LWMMG (lightweight medium machine gun) in .338 Norma Magnum calibre, which was announced last year. It weighs pretty much the same as the M240, although the ammo is of course heavier. The cartridge is slightly different from the .338 Lapua Magnum sniper round - it is designed to fit in the same gun action s but the case is shorter to allow more room for a longer, heavier bullet.
The .300 Win Mag MK248 Mod 1 used by the US Army is a very high-pressure specialist sniper round which could well give an MG a short barrel life.