F.y.i. us army orders $50 million barrett mrads in 300 prc

I am an avid desert tech guy have an SRS in 338 Lapua and think it's a much better system 5-25x 56mm US Optics with Horus reticle for its weight it's much better for shooting in position. It doesn't have folding stock, so was disqualified from psr trails and it's shorter than anything else. Just saying. Awesome with can too.
 
My nephew was a marine sniper in Iraq, he said most of the time they just used there M4 with match grade ammo because if you had a bolt rifle you were just a high value target.
 
Having worked with the MTU, USA Soldier Systems program office and The MARCOSYSCOM Rifle Squad Program Office, I can say that these decisions are not always made by the guys who know better. Often in the acquisition process, the guys doing the testing and evaluation give their recommendations and are promptly ignored by the Logistics side of the equation. Sure, the $50 mil covers initial acquisition, fielding, support equipment and parts and armorers kits and such. But the total cost is way north of there when you consider that Hornady did not make changes to tooling and production equipment to not plan on charging those costs back eventually, be it initial ammo supply or follow on contracts. Its a business, it makes no sense a lot of times, but he who has the best lobbyist wins the golden egg. Courtesy of the same folks that brought you the Gen 1 Bradley Fighting Vehicle!



Space Shuttle: Best spec-one piece booster.
Morton ThioKol, Best lobbyist- two piece booster.


Nuff said?
 
My nephew was a marine sniper in Iraq, he said most of the time they just used there M4 with match grade ammo because if you had a bolt rifle you were just a high value target.

Yeah, another item to throw into the mix beyond bullet weight.

Another fact that will drive this crowd wild...the average distance of a kill is much, much closer than any technology that exists.

The number of kills at extreme long range is infinitesimally small.
Everyone likes the idea of reaching out....but enemies have this nasty habit or moving around....a perfectly winded, doped and executed shot at beyond 1000 yards misses because the target suddenly gets the urge to swat a fly, tie his shoe, or trip on a rock.

Take a look at stats from wars...kills at less than 100 yards are the norm.

Want to prove it to yourself? spend a few hours playing a simulation.
Even on a vid game...where your life is not actually on the line...you will control your perimeter, you will make the kills at 30 to 100 yards 100x more often than you will at 600 to 1000.

Again, this is simply on a vid game....you can take all the time in the world and use perfect technology for aiming....any your average shot distance will still come in at less than 100 yards average when you are playing as the dedicated sniper.
 
I did not know that. It was my understanding the initial chambering was 276 Pedersen which was in fact 7mm.
However you want to look at it....idea was small round and lighter weight.

Since 276 is bt. modern 284 and 264, calling it 7mm is just at correct as calling it 6.5.

but calling it 276 is the best for sure...just trying to make the point that 30.06 was definitely not the first choice.
 
From Ryan Cleckner's "Gun University"

"The ASR Contract called for "a modular, multi-caliber bolt action sniper rifle capable of engagements to beyond 1,500 m." Because it pays to be connected in the military contracting and long range shooting communities, we also broke the news that the 300 Norma was selected as the cartridge for the ASR."

I would agree with a point he made in the podcast... why not go with the 338 Lapua, being already supported by NATO forces?

I get that they are all just a barrel change away, but why on earth would anyone want to hump a barrel change on anything other than a crew served?
 
Didn't the DOD/ SOCOM just contract to make this platform in 300 Norma? How did they get to 300 PRC?
They didn't they bought a few on speculation to test out the 300 PRC which wasn't rolled out until after the bidding process. Besides, it's just a barrel swap away... if you want to want to deal with that.
 
Since 276 is bt. modern 284 and 264, calling it 7mm is just at correct as calling it 6.5.
Not quite. Bore diameter was 276, bullet/lands was .284 so yes our 7mm. I do get your point though, and got to wondering if that initial chambering held on would the .308 even exist today? Would the 30-06 have seen a decline in popularity? Makes you wonder how far reaching some of these decisions are.
 
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