Before reading, I thought they would be looking at something in 6mm like the .243. But, I think the 6.5mm Creedmor would be an excellent choice!
Betcha they’ve got reams of data compiled on .30 cal or .30-06 huh? Imagine that. Dust off those books boys!
Probably a crapton of ammunition still.
I have a solution.
LASERS!
I think the 6.5 Grendel would be a great upgrade. The existing lowers would be usable and the only replacements that would be needed would be the upper(barrel) assembly and magazines. The 6.5 Grendel has an effective range of 800 plus yards.
Army will never do it, it would save too much money.
One of the greatest rifles ever built-
http://www.chuckhawks.com/swedish_mauser.htm
In 1965, I ordered a Swedish Mauser rifle in 6.5 caliber. At the same time I ordered 100 rounds of 6.5 surplus ammo loaded with a 156 grain fmj round nosed bullet.
Those bullets would penetrate a tree which was 5 feet in diameter. Absolutely stunning to me.
I later learned that it was not so much the caliber as the long and heavy for caliber bullets. They were parallel sided all the way to the nose.
A similarly built 220 grain 30-06 would have done the same.
Still the .264 caliber bullet is a nice compromise between power and other factors.
Interesting how the quest for the ideal main battle rifle cartridge has led back to conclusions that were made - more or less - around 1900. Well, why not? Most current service pistols are using the modern-as-tomorrow (if tomorrow is 116 years ago) 9mm Parabellum.
ROUGHLY a .243 with a slightly larger bullet caliber (6.5 vs 6.0mm).
Good choice. Great sectional density and BC making for good range. It will retain power at great range.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6.5mm_Creedmoor
7.92 Mauser. Get the job done right the first time.
7.62 x 51 NATO sounds like a good replacement to me.
Case-telescoped ammunition means no more inexpensive quality brass for reloading.
How many weapons in the current inventory have been used since the beginning of the WOT? Would it be cheaper to refurbish those older M4’s and SAW’s and convert them at the same time, or just build replacements in a 6.5 because the old weapons are too worn out?
Traditional bullet cartridges have a bullet seated roughly halfway inside a brass shell casing, with gunpowder inside the casing. By contrast, the new rifle uses a 6.5-millimeter polymer-cased telescoped bullet. Telescoped rounds feature a bullet completely encased in a polymer shell, like a shotgun, with gunpowder surrounding the bullet in the shell.
Textron claims the new 6.5-millimeter round has 300 percent more energy than the standard U.S. Army bullet, the M855A1.
https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a23094/this-experimental-army-rifle-uses-telescoped-ammunition/
