Marines Award $10 Million Contract for Polymer-Cased .50 Cal Rounds

By Chris Eger

A U.S. Marine with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, mans an M2 .50 caliber heavy machinegun at an undisclosed location in Syria, October. 16, 2019. (Photo: Sgt. Branden J. Bourque/USMC)
A Mississippi munitions company got a $10 million nod last week from the Marines to supply an array of updated .50 caliber ammunition.
MAC LLC of Bay St. Louis was awarded a $9,998,493 contract last Friday for up to 2.4 million rounds of MK323 Mod polymer cased .50 caliber linked cartridges, and .50 caliber armor-piercing/incendiary polymer cased linked cartridges, announced the Department of Defense. Established in 2007, MAC has been developing lightweight ammo, ranging from 5.56mm to .50 caliber, for the military ever since.
MAC Ammo’s .50-caliber polymer cased rounds weigh in as much as 30 percent less than brass-cased equivalents (Photo: Hancock County, Mississippi)
Their .50-caliber round uses an advanced polymer caselet over a metal cap to reduce ammo weight by as much as 30 percent and provide cooler chamber temperatures, ejecting cool-to-the-touch cases. In real terms, this allows 499 rounds of polymer-cased MAC A-50 to weigh the same amount– 100-pounds– as 401 rounds of M33 ball. According to the company, no modifications are necessary for weapons or procedures. when using their polymer-cased cartridges.

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Source: Guns.com