New Cartridge Developments and Implications for Dismounted Infantry Soldiers

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...after seven years it's become very clear that nobody else is willing and able to do informal testing. It looks like I'm going to have to come out of retirement and do it myself...

Ya know, I was very seriously planning to do that. It always bothered me that I was unable to include some terminal effects and other testing in my 2005 and 2009 Special Weapons articles comparing 6.5 Grendel and 6.8 SPC for military use.

As a result, for the last week or so I've been looking into buying an M4-type carbine, along with 6.5 and 6.8 uppers, with the intention of doing such tests. I got a bit of a reality check when I saw the (estimated) price tag.

Carbine ---- $1000
6.5 upper --- $800
6.8 upper --- $800
ACOG (2) -- $2500
Perma-Gel -- $700

And as if that wasn't bad enough, I don't even like AR-15s! Owned two of them; sold 'em both. So, why the heck am I considering buying another one (plus two uppers!)? :confused:

My two all-time favorite long guns were my M1 carbine and my M1A rifle w/E2 stock.

Maybe one of those is what I should be looking at buying.