6.8 SPC

The 6.8 SPC, aka 6.8 Special Purpose Cartridge, aka the 6.8 mm Remington SPC has received a ton of chatter from Couch Commandos and Backyard Brigadier Generals in the past couple of years. For those who do not already know, the 6.8 SPC was created due to input from the U.S Special Operations Command and Remington as an attempt to increase the lethality of the M16 family of weapons using current 5.56 ammunition. The bullet is larger and heavier then the 5.56 and has more energy at all distances.

-6.8 SPC..Max Diameter 0.422 inches, Overall length with 115 gr bullet 2.315 inches. Muzzle velocity 2625 ft/sec, Muzzle energy 1759 ft-lbs..Bullet diameter .277

-5.56 NATO..Max diameter 0.38 inches, Overall length with 62 gr bullet 2.26 inches. Muzzle velocity 3100 ft/sec, Muzzle energy 1309 ft-lbs..Bullet diameter 0.224

--7.62 x 39..Max Diameter 0.445 inches, Overall length with 123 gr bullet 2.197 inches. Muzzle velocity 2300 ft/sec, Muzzle energy 1480 ft-lbs.. Bullet diameter .311

As you can see, the 6.8 SPC is between the 5.56 Nato and the 7.62x39 is bullet diameter and is only marginally more powerful then the old Soviet round. The 6.8 SPC, while more powerful then the 5056 at all ranges, was heavily criticized for accuracy issues past 300 meters..ok, but most engagements occur at 100 to 200 meters.

Seems to me that SOCOM and Remington were trying to reinvent the wheel. The 6.8 SPC, while a step up from the 5.56 in all things but accuracy, just doesn't fill the bill either. To me, it would have made more sense to modernize the old 7.62 x39 with updated powders and bullets. There have been 7.62 x39 uppers for AR15's for years now and the ammo was plentiful around the world. Why would SOCOM and Remington waste so much time and energy designing a new cartridge that would be poor substitute for an already widely accepted 7.62x39 design? With modern powers, the potential for the 7.62 x39 eclipses the 6.8 SPC. Plus, whatever upper was used on the M16 would be instantly backwards compatible with older less potent ammo.

Two of the criticisms about the AK is that the rifle is not controllable at full auto nor was it accurate past 200 yards. Well the bullet is plenty accurate with the right barrel and since M16's are limited to 3 round burst controllable won't be a factor. Even with the SAW's, the much heavier weapon will alleviate much of the supposed barrel rise. The 7.62 x39 case is very efficient and has been used to create several benchrest cartridges, including the 220 Russian, and 6 mm PPC.

Hell, the 6 mm PPC is an extremely accurate cartridge and probably could ahve been easily converted into usage on the M16, over designing and entirely new cartridge like the 6.8 SPC.