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Marines Getting New 50 Cal Rounds-

FrancFFrancF Member Posts: 35,279 ✭✭✭
edited September 2011 in General Discussion
Lighter And With A Polymer Caselet.

The round in a Marine's .50 caliber machine gun weighs about 114 grams. MAC Ammunition out of Bay St. Louis, Miss., has produced a round that weighs about 92 grams.

It's 25 percent lighter because instead of a full brass casing, and it's made partly with a polymer caselet (which you can see in the photo just below the link on each round).

P1010921.jpg

It's designed to work just like the round Marines use now.

"There's no new training," said Clint Smith, a retired Marine officer and executive consultant for MAC. "When the Marine picks up a can of ammo, it's lighter and the operation of the machine gun is the same."

The commandant has said he wants to lighten the Marine's load. This round is being tested now at Marine Corps Systems Command.

http://tinyurl.com/627snx5

Comments

  • 4627046270 Member Posts: 12,627
    edited November -1
    they were trying to make a caseless round for the 20mm in the
    F-15, F-16, F-18, F-22, F-35.
    the case was to be solid propellant, what ejects would be just the
    primer end, about 1 inch. I got to see some of these when I was
    still in, if the ever can get it right, safe alot of weight in the
    aircraft.
  • buschmasterbuschmaster Member Posts: 14,229 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I can't believe trying to bond a plastic caselet to the base of a .50BMG is not going to have issues.

    melting, cracking at the mouth, brittle after so many years in storage....
  • EhlerDaveEhlerDave Member Posts: 5,158 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Will a lighter round cause the bolt to slam home harder and maybe cause it to wear faster?
    Just smile and say nothing, let them guess how much you know.
  • roswellnativeroswellnative Member Posts: 10,188 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Polymer is my friend
    Although always described as a cowboy, Roswellnative generally acts as a righter of wrongs or bodyguard of some sort, where he excels thanks to his resourcefulness and incredible gun prowesses.
  • v35v35 Member Posts: 12,710 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I hope it works out but I'm a skeptic on limitations.
    Ammo in the field takes rough handling and then there's clearing of bent or jammed cases that if they separate in the chamber, disables the gun until the barrel is removed.....hopefully there is a spare barrel at hand.
    Not bad on the ground but a problem in a wheeled vehicle turret.
    Caseless ammo projects were discarded due to dimensional inconsistencies.
    Any kind of plastic in a mad hot machine gun barrel doesn't sound good to me: residue, cook=off yuck.
    I'd like to read technical tests on the stuff.
  • MercuryMercury Member Posts: 7,836 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I got some junk from Federal? I think it was that was like this, but for the .223. What a pain! Don't bother with that crap!

    Merc
  • Joe DreesJoe Drees Member Posts: 2,953 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    All that means is the poor grunt will have to carry more ammo.
  • MaxOHMSMaxOHMS Member Posts: 14,715
    edited November -1
    How many cases will a melted Glock make?
  • ltcdotyltcdoty Member Posts: 4,183 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Joe Drees
    All that means is the poor grunt will have to carry more ammo.





    +1000
  • shilowarshilowar Member Posts: 38,811 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    How will this effect the design of all brass cased ammo??? I see a wave of change that could drop the price of ammo.
  • buschmasterbuschmaster Member Posts: 14,229 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by EhlerDave
    Will a lighter round cause the bolt to slam home harder and maybe cause it to wear faster?good point. not about wear though. during extraction and feeding the bolt has the case going with it- effectively they just took 22 grams off the weight of the bolt during that process.
  • lksmith03lksmith03 Member Posts: 1,742 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by shilowar
    How will this effect the design of all brass cased ammo??? I see a wave of change that could drop the price of ammo.

    don't bet on it!
    All it will do is kill or severely hurt the reloading market and with plastics/polymers typically being oil based it'll increase dependance on foreign oil since you know the EPA won't allow significant new drilling
  • HandLoadHandLoad Member Posts: 15,998
    edited November -1
    Yep! On the Nose, lksmith! Non-Reloadable cases = Higher costs for the consumer, therefor LESS Folks shooting. Their goal.
  • chollagardenschollagardens Member Posts: 4,614 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I bought some German 7.62X51 blank ammo just like what is pictured. So this is not new.
  • perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,105 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
  • Mr. PerfectMr. Perfect Member, Moderator Posts: 66,404 ******
    edited November -1
    what an utterly ridiculous idea.
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    And fiery auto crashes
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    While sifting through my ashes
    Some will fall in love with life
    And drink it from a fountain
    That is pouring like an avalanche
    Coming down the mountain
  • gesshotsgesshots Member Posts: 15,678 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    How much does .50BMG Lite cost?
    I'll wager it's more than .50 BMG Full Flavor! [;)]
    It's being willing. I found out early that most men, regardless of cause or need, aren't willing. They blink an eye or draw a breath before they pull the trigger. I won't. ~ J.B. Books
  • mark christianmark christian Member Posts: 24,443 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by EhlerDave
    Will a lighter round cause the bolt to slam home harder and maybe cause it to wear faster?


    No. During the actual firing phase the bolt cartridge and case will travel together for less than half an inch. At this point the breech lock is pushed off it's cam and the bolt is unlocked allowing free travel to the rear. The bolt, barrel and the spent case will the move together until the combined unit strikes the buffer. When compared to the bolt and barrel, the weight of the spent cartridge case is negligible and a reduction of less than 3/4 of an ounce (22 grams) to the weight of the case is insignificant. It won't ht any harder or cause undue wear to this reduction. In the event of some sort of problem the buffer itself is made heavier than is actually necessary in order to prevent any such additional forces from being delivered to the weapon.
  • givettegivette Member Posts: 10,886
    edited November -1
    Bolt cycling velocity increased.

    Can you spell 'case head separation', boys 'n girls?
  • Alan RushingAlan Rushing Member Posts: 8,805 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Interesting information posted. [:0] [:)]

    I'm oneof those that would appreciate more information on this subject when available. [;)] [^]
  • SWAT 50SWAT 50 Member Posts: 4,074 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    " I came all the way to Afghanistan and all you have is............................... Lite BMG ROUNDS?"
  • yoshmysteryoshmyster Member Posts: 21,974 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Is 22 grams per round make that much of a difference? I for see bits of poly melting, cracking, leaving residues in the chamber and making the thing in to a jam-o-matic. Or just leaving the whole plastic shell in the chamber.

    Now if they made the shell shorter and smaller with more punchy powder to throw out the bullet at the same velocity as a standard 50 cool. Personally it seems a bad thing to try new things out in the battle situation.

    Say is there a shortage of brass? If not I really don't get this new hair up some R/D guys *.
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