The M4/M16/SAW/5.56mm are being replaced?

[jyl]

https://asc.army.mil/web/portfolio-item/fws-cs-2/

Somehow I totally missed what should be the biggest news in firearms - excuse me, firespoons - this year or decade.

Are the venerable M16 platform and its 5.56mm round finally going to start that long ride off into the sunset? Is the US military going to adopt a non-metallic case?

What do we think about the various candidates and their cartridges?

(I'm kind of surprised to not see a Fabrique National contender in there.)

[Bill Douglas]

The The 6.8mm SPC will have the knock down power that the 5.56 never had. I think it's a good thing. Yeah, I agree, could do with some Fabrique National quality in the offering.

[Arizona_928]

That new m855a1 tears the living crap out of the feed ramp on the barrel.

I think this is a big fund maker for military industrial complex.

[Jeff Higgins]

I don't think there has ever been a period during my lifetime that some sort of program(s) similar to these were not being conducted. It very much seems to be an ongoing state of affairs.

I first saw caseless ammunition demonstrated probably 40 years ago. I'm not sure it will ever come to fruition. The stuff is just too fragile in too many different ways, from the obvious handling issues to weather and temperature related issues. The brass (or steel) case is just some remarkably robust architecture, able to withstand the kind of abuse to which ammunition is subject on the battlefield. Caseless ammo just cannot match it.

[craigster59]

When I was leaving the Army, they really wanted me to stay and sent me with the Queso Grande's out to see new tech being introduced in ground weaponry.

I was a 12B (Combat Engineer) and mines and explosives were big in my MOS. The stuff i saw was amazing, it's like an electronics convention and the Gov't chooses who's gonna be the lucky winner.

The one that blew me away (no pun intended) the most was an anti-personel mine that looked like an "Everlasting Gobstopper" from "Willy Wonka".

You pulled the pin and tossed it and it would land and shoot out mini weights attached to fishing line. Minimal pull on one of the lines would initiate detonation and a puff of red smoke came out.

Land mines are no bueno.

[Arizona_928]

Originally Posted by craigster59

When I was leaving the Army, they really wanted me to stay and sent me with the Queso Grande's out to see new tech being introduced in ground weaponry.

I was a 12B (Combat Engineer) and mines and explosives were big in my MOS. The stuff i saw was amazing, it's like an electronics convention and the Gov't chooses who's gonna be the lucky winner.

The one that blew me away (no pun intended) the most was an anti-personel mine that looked like an "Everlasting Gobstopper" from "Willy Wonka".

You pulled the pin and tossed it and it would land and shoot out mini weights attached to fishing line. Minimal pull on one of the lines would initiate detonation and a puff of red smoke came out.

Land mines are no bueno.

Gov had been surplusing out scrapers that were meant as antimine out in Yermo. Looks like a normal big tractor scraper/blade but with a little more features..... Big $$$$$$$ being thrown around.

[jyl]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

I don't think there has ever been a period during my lifetime that some sort of program(s) similar to these were not being conducted. It very much seems to be an ongoing state of affairs.

I first saw caseless ammunition demonstrated probably 40 years ago. I'm not sure it will ever come to fruition. The stuff is just too fragile in too many different ways, from the obvious handling issues to weather and temperature related issues. The brass (or steel) case is just some remarkably robust architecture, able to withstand the kind of abuse to which ammunition is subject on the battlefield. Caseless ammo just cannot match it.

The case also helps cool the gun, by taking heat with it, right?

I can’t exactly say why, but none of the rifles being tested look good to me.