Army Interim Combat Service Rifle RFP releases.

[RetroRevolver77]

Is this about range or reliability?

[sinlessorrow]

Is this about range or reliability?

Reliability to defeat armor at ranges 5.56 cannot.

M995s max distance to defeat armor is around 45M I believe

[opngrnd]

If my recent experience is any indicator, it's not lack of funds that keeps people from getting out to shoot. It's a lack of time due to other stupid priorities.

My experiences mirror Brigand's. As I have said before, I cannot for the life of me understand why people whose lives may very well depend on their proficiency in the use of assigned equipment would not spend personal funds, if needed, to increase their proficiency. Or at least volunteer to go to the schools their organizations will pay for it to make them more proficient.
It's just like PT. If you don't like to exercise, "good for you", but you being in shape may make all the difference to a buddy one day. Unfortunately, even with the desire to improve troops, etc often don't get the chance because of other aforementioned responsibilities. Things seem to be getting better in this regard and I'm hoping that General Mattis will do a good job scrubbing the list of things that troops are required to spend their time on.

[RetroRevolver77]

Reliability to defeat armor at ranges 5.56 cannot.

M995s max distance to defeat armor is around 45M I believe

I am betting this is about going to a modern piston.

7n6

[BoringGuy45]

Why isn't something along the lines of the 6.5 Grendel getting a look? I know it's not the wonder round that some of its cheerleaders claim it is. But it would be a step up from the 5.56mm in terms of lethality and, with the right bullets, its effectiveness against armor and intermediate barriers would be improved. The recoil increase would be negligible. Plus, the high BC would increase the effective range greatly. The biggest arguments against the 6.5 and the 6.8 were that the military has such a huge supply of 5.56, and we would need new barrels, bolts, and magazines. But if we're going to throw these logistics out the window in favor of looking for a more lethal round and a (supposedly) more reliable rifle, why not look for a better intermediate round? Why are they turning back to the 1950s for the answer to today's problems?

[C-grunt]

I worked with a guy who was a beta tester of the 6.8 and he didn't believe it to be better than 5.56. Good hits were good hits. Bad hits were bad hits. Just like 5.56.

Plus with new rounds like M855A1 the 5.56 isn't lacking lethality or barrier penetration.

Every platoon has at least 2 M240 machineguns. Many probably have more. Our guys are not being "outranged" by PKM and RPD machineguns. They are being attacked at long range, many times out of line of sight.

[ABNAK]

I worked with a guy who was a beta tester of the 6.8 and he didn't believe it to be better than 5.56. Good hits were good hits. Bad hits were bad hits. Just like 5.56.

Plus with new rounds like M855A1 the 5.56 isn't lacking lethality or barrier penetration.

Every platoon has at least 2 M240 machineguns. Many probably have more. Our guys are not being "outranged" by PKM and RPD machineguns. They are being attacked at long range, many times out of line of sight.

If they are being attacked out of line-of-sight then they are being hit with indirect, which of course the best counter for is your own indirect. I'll guess a large enough patrol has at least one 60mm mortar with them for this purpose (?).

[Averageman]

If they are being attacked out of line-of-sight then they are being hit with indirect, which of course the best counter for is your own indirect. I'll guess a large enough patrol has at least one 60mm mortar with them for this purpose (?).

I'm pretty sure he isn't talking about mortars or any other form of artillery.
It's a way to fire a machine gun, most likely from an ambush it requires the gun to be staked in, in both elevation and azimuth and causes the beaten zone to fall on a predetermined position.
Think of it this way, continuing to add more elevation at some point has the barrel pointed past the maximum range, at that point, continuing to add elevation walks the projectiles back toward your position, it will however allow you to fire over an object or terrain feature to your direct front.
A spotter and even a semi experienced machine gun crew can make this happen with the correct firing data for the position and communications to adjust that fire.

[Moose-Knuckle]

Reliability to defeat armor at ranges 5.56 cannot.

M995s max distance to defeat armor is around 45M I believe

With every passing day I feel better and better about pulling the trigger on a 7.62 AR last year.

The "zombies" of the near future will be donning PCs.

[ABNAK]

I'm pretty sure he isn't talking about mortars or any other form of artillery.
It's a way to fire a machine gun, most likely from an ambush it requires the gun to be staked in, in both elevation and azimuth and causes the beaten zone to fall on a predetermined position.
Think of it this way, continuing to add more elevation at some point has the barrel pointed past the maximum range, at that point, continuing to add elevation walks the projectiles back toward your position, it will however allow you to fire over an object or terrain feature to your direct front.
A spotter and even a semi experienced machine gun crew can make this happen with the correct firing data for the position and communications to adjust that fire.

I didn't think about defilade fire from a machine gun, so yeah I guess it could be that. Wonder if the Muj get that detailed with a Dishka or PKM though (spotters and all).