Joe Doakes, no longer from Como Park, emails:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cReturn of the Rifleman\u201d is the title of a big write-up in the NRA magazine on the subject of the Army’s new rifle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You didn’t know? Neither did I. Turns out the Army has been looking for a new rifle and cartridge since WW II when the M1 with its 30.06 bullets in stripper clips was determined to be too slow and too heavy. \u201cLighter weight\u201d and \u201ccapable of fully automatic fire to saturate close range targets\u201d got us the M16 but now the Army is looking for an upgrade again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
6.8 x 51 mm cartridge at 80,000 psi chamber pressure gave better ballistics than the .223, 308, 30-06 or even the 6.5 Creedmore. Slightly smaller diameter than the 7.62 x 51 NATO round but same length cartridge requires an AR-10 sized platform. Steel jacketed cartridges weigh slightly less than brass and are cheaper to make but cartridge size is the same. No reduction in total size or weight, no gain in rounds carried, so the deciding factor was effective range: 800 yards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I have trouble believing new recruits will be able to hit anything shooting that far. Current Army rifle qualification course shot with an M16 is a series of 40 pop-up targets from 25 to 300 yards. That’s a far cry from the 800 yards the new gun was designed for. Also, the whole point of switching to the 5.56×54 M16 rifle and 9mm pistol ammo was standardization with our NATO allies. Is that out the window now? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
My question: does this signal a change in strategy? What war are they anticipating? Where will combat troops be expecting clear fields of fire half-a-mile long to make use of a new cartridge? Not in Europe, not interchangeable with our allies. Not in the jungle, that\u2019s for close range weapons. Not in the desert, that\u2019s what the Barrett is for. Where does the Army anticipate it will be fighting?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Russia?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
China?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
America? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Makes me think conspiracy theory thoughts about the military industrial complex wanting a change merely so it can sell new hardware and ammo; and the administration wanting to ban sales of AR15 ammunition to civilians to preserve manufacturing capacity for the Army to supply its new guns; and whether the newest woke recruits wearing red high heels and rainbow arm bands will be able to use the new gun\/ammo to full effect. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m a big believer in Chesterton\u2019s Fence. Color me skeptical about this change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Joe Doakes, formerly in Como Park<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Not that I disagree with Joe – it’s hard to be too cynical about any branch of today’s American government – but there are rationales for the caliber change. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This particular Youtube account – by a former admittedly mediocre infantryman, who does some really good open-source intelligence stuff – explains some tactical rationales from a grunt’s-eye view. <\/p>\n\n\n\n