Army planning on a new rifle

[rudder]

Maybe the next generation will look like the ones used in the movie Aliens. Check out the pick toward the bottom of the article.

Text


The rifle.

 

[RagingBITCH]

Old news - they've been planning the switch to XM8 for a long time now.

 

[MacBaine]

Looking forward to it. Just the fact that you won't have to clean it for a few thousand rounds would make it worth every penny. That and the modular nature =

 

[Cable God]

They've been thinking about ditching the 5.56mm (.223 Rem) for a while, and it's about time. I wish they'd go with something on par with a .260 Rem or go back to the trusty 7.62NATO.

 

[MacBaine]

Originally posted by: cablegod
They've been thinking about ditching the 5.56mm (.223 Rem) for a while, and it's about time. I wish they'd go with something on par with a .260 Rem or go back to the trusty 7.62NATO.

That would require a hell of a lot more money... 5.56 is pretty universal, and widely available. If they switched to something else, it'd only make sense that they'd have to rechamber the M249, along with other weapons that use 5.56... interchangability of ammo is a big plus.

However, I remember hearing somewhere that the XM8 has interchangeable barrels/receivers which allows rechambering pretty easily. I might be mistaken though.

 

[chocobaR]

What's up with the color?

 

[TallBill]

Looking forward to it. Just the fact that you won't have to clean it for a few thousand rounds would make it worth every penny. That and the modular nature

Haha, you made a funny. I guarantee that these rifles will still be taken apart and cleaned daily. At least by units that have half a brain. I know I'll be cleaning my xm8 nightly.

 

[Calin]

They say something like:

Training time is reduced since it's a single weapon that can be modified to fire short distances, long distances, launch grenades, etc.

But there should be differences in firing mode for short distances/long distances and especially grenades? The training time won't change much
I like the fact that the weapon has adjustable stock length... but no bayonet and I don't think the stock of the rifle would be as solid as the classic ones

Calin

 

[Pudgygiant]

What's the difference between the XM8 and the OICW?

edit
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/oicw.htm for those that don't know about the OICW

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: MacBaine

Originally posted by: cablegod
They've been thinking about ditching the 5.56mm (.223 Rem) for a while, and it's about time. I wish they'd go with something on par with a .260 Rem or go back to the trusty 7.62NATO.

That would require a hell of a lot more money... 5.56 is pretty universal, and widely available. If they switched to something else, it'd only make sense that they'd have to rechamber the M249, along with other weapons that use 5.56... interchangability of ammo is a big plus.

However, I remember hearing somewhere that the XM8 has interchangeable barrels/receivers which allows rechambering pretty easily. I might be mistaken though.

The barrels are supposedly swapped out easily for different lengths.

 

[MacBaine]

Originally posted by: TallBill

Looking forward to it. Just the fact that you won't have to clean it for a few thousand rounds would make it worth every penny. That and the modular nature

Haha, you made a funny. I guarantee that these rifles will still be taken apart and cleaned daily. At least by units that have half a brain. I know I'll be cleaning my xm8 nightly.

Well they've made mention that carbon build up is supposed to be virtually eliminated though some means, and outside elements like sand/dirt aren't going to cause nearly as many problems as they do now, so cleaning probably won't involve much more than swiping the barrel and giving the rest a wipe down.

 

[MacBaine]

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: MacBaine

Originally posted by: cablegod
They've been thinking about ditching the 5.56mm (.223 Rem) for a while, and it's about time. I wish they'd go with something on par with a .260 Rem or go back to the trusty 7.62NATO.

That would require a hell of a lot more money... 5.56 is pretty universal, and widely available. If they switched to something else, it'd only make sense that they'd have to rechamber the M249, along with other weapons that use 5.56... interchangability of ammo is a big plus.

However, I remember hearing somewhere that the XM8 has interchangeable barrels/receivers which allows rechambering pretty easily. I might be mistaken though.

The barrels are supposedly swapped out easily for different lengths.

I know I heard that.. I'm just not sure on the rechambering part.

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: Pudgygiant
What's the difference between the XM8 and the OICW?

edit
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/oicw.htm for those that don't know about the OICW

No fancy grenade launcher on the XM8.

 

[AnyMal]

Originally posted by: Pudgygiant
What's the difference between the XM8 and the OICW?

edit
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/oicw.htm for those that don't know about the OICW

OICW is too bulky and has a very high profile which is undesirebale for prone firing.

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: MacBaine

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: MacBaine

Originally posted by: cablegod
They've been thinking about ditching the 5.56mm (.223 Rem) for a while, and it's about time. I wish they'd go with something on par with a .260 Rem or go back to the trusty 7.62NATO.

That would require a hell of a lot more money... 5.56 is pretty universal, and widely available. If they switched to something else, it'd only make sense that they'd have to rechamber the M249, along with other weapons that use 5.56... interchangability of ammo is a big plus.

However, I remember hearing somewhere that the XM8 has interchangeable barrels/receivers which allows rechambering pretty easily. I might be mistaken though.

The barrels are supposedly swapped out easily for different lengths.

I know I heard that.. I'm just not sure on the rechambering part.

I don't think they can be easily rechambered for another round.

 

[MacBaine]

Originally posted by: Pudgygiant
What's the difference between the XM8 and the OICW?

edit
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/oicw.htm for those that don't know about the OICW

Those look big, bulky, and ugly. They also apparently failed.

 

[Horus]

XM8- Looks like a prettier version of the G36...Plastic mag, that hand-grip/Optical sight...I LOVE the extendable buttstock though. Oh man, that thing would make house-clearing and OBUA SOOOO much easier. Using a full-sized M16 for that= Teh suck.

Oh, and 5.56NATO is more used than 7.62NATO because it's lighter, it has more hitting power, cheaper, and doesn't leave such big holes in the enemy. 7.62NATO will blow a rather large hole in Ivan Ivanovitch, Ahab the camel-jockey...whoever you wanna kill.

 

[ShotgunSteven]

They were test-firing some ACRs up here at the local army post about fifteen years ago, to see how well they worked in artic conditions. The weapons were pretty interested, but nothing like the current batch. I'm not even sure which company made them, the main thing I remember was transparent magazines so you could see how much ammunition you had left, the fact that the ammunition was caseless, and the "bullets" were basically fin-stabilized nails.

 

[andylawcc]

dude, with that paint and design, it looks like a toy made by Fisherprice; sh1t, i maybe able to snuck one into O'Hares...

and boy that OICW looks bulky.

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: ShotgunSteven
They were test-firing some ACRs up here at the local army post about fifteen years ago, to see how well they worked in artic conditions. The weapons were pretty interested, but nothing like the current batch. I'm not even sure which company made them, the main thing I remember was transparent magazines so you could see how much ammunition you had left, the fact that the ammunition was caseless, and the "bullets" were basically fin-stabilized nails.

Styer and HK were the main contenders, IIRC

HK's system evolved into the HK G11, which I really like.

 

[ShotgunSteven]

Originally posted by: Horus
XM8- Looks like a prettier version of the G36...Plastic mag, that hand-grip/Optical sight...I LOVE the extendable buttstock though. Oh man, that thing would make house-clearing and OBUA SOOOO much easier. Using a full-sized M16 for that= Teh suck.

Oh, and 5.56NATO is more used than 7.62NATO because it's lighter, it has more hitting power, cheaper, and doesn't leave such big holes in the enemy. 7.62NATO will blow a rather large hole in Ivan Ivanovitch, Ahab the camel-jockey...whoever you wanna kill.

You might want to read THIS.

 

[ShotgunSteven]

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: ShotgunSteven
They were test-firing some ACRs up here at the local army post about fifteen years ago, to see how well they worked in artic conditions. The weapons were pretty interested, but nothing like the current batch. I'm not even sure which company made them, the main thing I remember was transparent magazines so you could see how much ammunition you had left, the fact that the ammunition was caseless, and the "bullets" were basically fin-stabilized nails.

Styer and HK were the main contenders, IIRC

HK's system evolved into the HK G11, which I really like.

I think I still have the article around somewhere, I seem to recall clipping it out of the paper. They were funky looking weapons, not something you would expect from the likes of H&K or Steyr.

 

[GoingUp]

What is OBUA?

What is the point of the split barrel at the end? does it make the gun quieter?

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: ShotgunSteven

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: ShotgunSteven
They were test-firing some ACRs up here at the local army post about fifteen years ago, to see how well they worked in artic conditions. The weapons were pretty interested, but nothing like the current batch. I'm not even sure which company made them, the main thing I remember was transparent magazines so you could see how much ammunition you had left, the fact that the ammunition was caseless, and the "bullets" were basically fin-stabilized nails.

Styer and HK were the main contenders, IIRC

HK's system evolved into the HK G11, which I really like.

I think I still have the article around somewhere, I seem to recall clipping it out of the paper. They were funky looking weapons, not something you would expect from the likes of H&K or Steyr.

The Styer.

The HK G11.

Either of those look familiar?

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: Gobadgrs
What is OBUA?

What is the point of the split barrel at the end? does it make the gun quieter?

It acts as a flash hider.