6,8 mm cartridge: what is behind the numbers?
So, in the previous article we went (maybe not in such detail) on rifles, which are completely "tomorrow". Which should change the modern caliber 5,56 mm (and, possibly, 7,62 mm) to 6,8 mm.
To replace M4 in the US Army: not HK416! 23 October 2019 21 943 71.
Now it’s the turn of the cartridges. After all, such a simple thing as a cartridge is a serious component in any army in the world. And it’s not as simple now as it seems.
We start with the table that was already placed in the above material.
Here, it is perfectly painted over the years when, what ammunition will be given time and (most probably the most important) money. It’s probably worth introducing the participants to make it clearer.
Combat Projectile - combat ammunition.
Reduced Range Ammunition (RRA) - Training Ammunition.
Combat Tracer - combat tracer.
RRA Tracer - training tracer. Training, if we understood correctly, with a reduced powder charge, since the literal translation of RRA is a reduced-range ammunition.
CCMCK - training kit for training in conditions close to real.
This ammunition will become the object of close attention, because it causes us simply a mountain of questions. And we will certainly return to it. In the meantime, here is a video that explains the mechanics of SSMSK, it is clear from it why we are so excited.
Well, now let's go on the ammunition.
The fact that the guys at Devcom are not stupid is beyond doubt. The development plan for an innovative US Army soldier rearmament program is well written and takes into account all aspects of preparation and use.
The order for new ammunition was completed by all companies participating in the competition. Now we will try to understand in more detail what the best gunsmiths of the world came up with.
Conventionally, all presented cartridges can be divided into two main categories - hybrid and telescopic.
Hybrid Ammunition:
Its distinctive feature is a two-component sleeve, which consists of a metal capsule, a bottom and a polymer body of the sleeve.
It is difficult to say which concrete polymer is used in the manufacture, naturally, all this is kept in the strictest confidence by the manufacturers. But if you delve into the relevant literature, you can draw some conclusions.
To plastics with a high melting point include fluoroplastics and polyamides, as well as heat-resistant plastic Niplon. For example, the melting point of the fluoroplastic is 327 ° C (for fluoroplast-4 and 4Д). Polyamides (caprolon, caprolite) have a softening temperature of 190-200 ° C, and the melting point of such a plastic is 215-220 ° C. Glass and carbon fiber Niplon has a melting point above 300 ° C.
Of the entire variety of polymers, plastics based on silicone resins are suitable for operation at high temperatures. The maximum operating temperature of such plastic can reach 700 ° C, which, in principle, is quite suitable.
Again, in addition to temperature conditions, it is also necessary to combat the expansion of powder gases, which, in addition to heat resistance, also adds strength problems. For some reason, no one wants to see the swollen sleeve in the bore after shooting.
However, we can say with confidence that this is not cheap, not cheap at all. Of course, in the pursuit of weight loss, the price issue fades somewhat, but with the same success it is possible to fold sleeves from evergreen pieces of paper with the presidents.
Telescopic cartridge:
That's true, reminiscent of "innovative" ammunition. In the last article, we showed his work.
Of course, a lot of questions are left by the concept of how such weapons. Although, if you look at it from the other side, you get only one moving part that does not bear axial load. Looks pretty reliable. Yes, and the recoil seems ridiculous, because now you do not hit half a kilogram of iron in the shoulder when fired.
The system is interesting precisely because it combines the German development of a cartridgeless cartridge, where the bullet is embedded in the powder charge. There was such a development on the prototype rifle of the future G11.
In the new cartridge, the primary propellant charge “sends out” the bullet, while the secondary one accelerates it. Well, there was a time when we joked about “pocket artillery” ... Apparently, this time has come.
Please note that the sizes of the 7,62 and 6,5 sleeves (subsequently changed to 6,8) are identical.
This suggests that the NATO-loved element of modularity has not disappeared, and now, after simply replacing the barrel with the required caliber, you can get a more powerful rifle or even a “Marxmen”.
And for a machine gun, this is generally a regular procedure.
A telescopic cartridge looks more preferable for use, as more innovative and with fairly balanced performance.
Now about what entails a change not only in ammunition, but also in caliber.
Re-equipment is an expensive business, new weapons, new ammunition. A wider and longer cartridge needs a magazine, a longer and wider one. And with the change in the size of the store, we begin to think about the size of pouches. If you even figure it out “by eye,” it becomes clear that the standard cartridge pouch for the 5,56 x 30 store, which allowed it to be used for two stores, will now deal with only one 6,8 * 30.
Of course, a country with such an army budget puts its soldiers in modular systems with the ability to change pouches. But there are also full-fledged vests, which will have to be abandoned. Or, as an option, sew new ones.
Verdict.
At first glance, the program to change the caliber, cartridge and rifle / light machine gun looks very expensive. But further on, such an interesting dependency diagram may appear that even the budget of the US Army will shudder.
To replace M4 in the US Army: not HK416! 23 October 2019 21 943 71.
Now it’s the turn of the cartridges. After all, such a simple thing as a cartridge is a serious component in any army in the world. And it’s not as simple now as it seems.
We start with the table that was already placed in the above material.
Here, it is perfectly painted over the years when, what ammunition will be given time and (most probably the most important) money. It’s probably worth introducing the participants to make it clearer.
Combat Projectile - combat ammunition.
Reduced Range Ammunition (RRA) - Training Ammunition.
Combat Tracer - combat tracer.
RRA Tracer - training tracer. Training, if we understood correctly, with a reduced powder charge, since the literal translation of RRA is a reduced-range ammunition.
CCMCK - training kit for training in conditions close to real.
This ammunition will become the object of close attention, because it causes us simply a mountain of questions. And we will certainly return to it. In the meantime, here is a video that explains the mechanics of SSMSK, it is clear from it why we are so excited.
Well, now let's go on the ammunition.
The fact that the guys at Devcom are not stupid is beyond doubt. The development plan for an innovative US Army soldier rearmament program is well written and takes into account all aspects of preparation and use.
The order for new ammunition was completed by all companies participating in the competition. Now we will try to understand in more detail what the best gunsmiths of the world came up with.
Conventionally, all presented cartridges can be divided into two main categories - hybrid and telescopic.
Hybrid Ammunition:
Its distinctive feature is a two-component sleeve, which consists of a metal capsule, a bottom and a polymer body of the sleeve.
It is difficult to say which concrete polymer is used in the manufacture, naturally, all this is kept in the strictest confidence by the manufacturers. But if you delve into the relevant literature, you can draw some conclusions.
To plastics with a high melting point include fluoroplastics and polyamides, as well as heat-resistant plastic Niplon. For example, the melting point of the fluoroplastic is 327 ° C (for fluoroplast-4 and 4Д). Polyamides (caprolon, caprolite) have a softening temperature of 190-200 ° C, and the melting point of such a plastic is 215-220 ° C. Glass and carbon fiber Niplon has a melting point above 300 ° C.
Of the entire variety of polymers, plastics based on silicone resins are suitable for operation at high temperatures. The maximum operating temperature of such plastic can reach 700 ° C, which, in principle, is quite suitable.
Again, in addition to temperature conditions, it is also necessary to combat the expansion of powder gases, which, in addition to heat resistance, also adds strength problems. For some reason, no one wants to see the swollen sleeve in the bore after shooting.
However, we can say with confidence that this is not cheap, not cheap at all. Of course, in the pursuit of weight loss, the price issue fades somewhat, but with the same success it is possible to fold sleeves from evergreen pieces of paper with the presidents.
Telescopic cartridge:
That's true, reminiscent of "innovative" ammunition. In the last article, we showed his work.
Of course, a lot of questions are left by the concept of how such weapons. Although, if you look at it from the other side, you get only one moving part that does not bear axial load. Looks pretty reliable. Yes, and the recoil seems ridiculous, because now you do not hit half a kilogram of iron in the shoulder when fired.
The system is interesting precisely because it combines the German development of a cartridgeless cartridge, where the bullet is embedded in the powder charge. There was such a development on the prototype rifle of the future G11.
In the new cartridge, the primary propellant charge “sends out” the bullet, while the secondary one accelerates it. Well, there was a time when we joked about “pocket artillery” ... Apparently, this time has come.
Please note that the sizes of the 7,62 and 6,5 sleeves (subsequently changed to 6,8) are identical.
This suggests that the NATO-loved element of modularity has not disappeared, and now, after simply replacing the barrel with the required caliber, you can get a more powerful rifle or even a “Marxmen”.
And for a machine gun, this is generally a regular procedure.
A telescopic cartridge looks more preferable for use, as more innovative and with fairly balanced performance.
Now about what entails a change not only in ammunition, but also in caliber.
Re-equipment is an expensive business, new weapons, new ammunition. A wider and longer cartridge needs a magazine, a longer and wider one. And with the change in the size of the store, we begin to think about the size of pouches. If you even figure it out “by eye,” it becomes clear that the standard cartridge pouch for the 5,56 x 30 store, which allowed it to be used for two stores, will now deal with only one 6,8 * 30.
Of course, a country with such an army budget puts its soldiers in modular systems with the ability to change pouches. But there are also full-fledged vests, which will have to be abandoned. Or, as an option, sew new ones.
Verdict.
At first glance, the program to change the caliber, cartridge and rifle / light machine gun looks very expensive. But further on, such an interesting dependency diagram may appear that even the budget of the US Army will shudder.
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