Our Next Battle Rifle “Improvement” Should Be a New Cartridge

By Ammoland

Opinion

Ft Collins, CO –-(

The Marines, weary of waiting for someone at the Pentagon to actually make a decision, have unilaterally gone over to a gas-piston version of the M4, made by H&K (HK 416). They call it the M27. It’s a sound system, no doubt, but significantly heavier [and 3xpensive at a reported $3000 ea] than the M4 it is replacing.

The rest of our military is still sitting on a fence.

For all the raging debate, it is my opinion that the rifle itself is not our main problem. The Stoner System, while far from perfect, is just fine!

The problem is the rifle caliber with which we have been stuck since Vietnam!

The 5.56×45 cartridge (“militarized” version of the 223 Rem) lacks adequate range and penetration for military applications. This range/penetration problem is not soluble within that caliber, and never will be!

For domestic law enforcement and personal defense, the 5.56×45 is acceptable.

But, in a battle rifle, the 5.56 comes up short. I’ve lived through a least half-dozen attempts to “improve” the cartridge, and provide it with …Read the Rest

Source:: AmmoLand