Military to consider a .338!

[Charles A]

BH, interesting. Where did you hear that the USMC let an RFI/RFP for a .338 service wide?


If a .338 is adopted it will be the Lapua.

[BountyHunter]

Xtreme Engineering got a solicitation for a Corps wide contract recently.

338 Lapua is great but couple other ones coming in that might give it a run, such as the 338 Norma (standard mag box with 300 SMKs at 2800+) and the 338 Xtreme for sure. I was highly impressed with their systems and so was the USMC when they shot it at Quantico a couple months ago.

BH

[ebd10]

Originally Posted by teddy12b

I don't get too excited anymore when I hear the military is considering a new round. The 6.8mm SPC was going to fix many of the problems, but never really got off the ground. The 45acp was going to make a come back, but who knows. Maybe the 338 will have better luck getting into service and staying there, but military doesn't change it's mind on calibers very often.

The 6.8SPC is dying out because of politics; the SF guys that developed it went "off the reservation" and didn't go through proper channels. That means that the usual suspects didn't get any bribes, and no one managed to land a "cost plus" contract that could be milked for huge money.

The .338 Lapua is the logical choice as it has already got a proven track record. It's being used by the IDF in a sniper system made by HS Precision. No doubt a whole bunch of eyes are watching how that goes.

[Kobra]

Only makes sense when British have been using an AI .338. Hell even my local police have them in inventory to supplement their .308's. I agree with the philosophy of both semiauto .308s and a bolt action .338 in any group's inventory.

[BHP9]

Originally Posted by ebd10

The 6.8SPC is dying out because of politics; the SF guys that developed it went "off the reservation" and didn't go through proper channels. That means that the usual suspects didn't get any bribes, and no one managed to land a "cost plus" contract that could be milked for huge money.

The .338 Lapua is the logical choice as it has already got a proven track record. It's being used by the IDF in a sniper system made by HS Precision. No doubt a whole bunch of eyes are watching how that goes.

The 6.8SPC is dying (another reason) because Remington dropped the velocity by 200fps, due to pressure problems, and didn't tell anybody.

You have to remember that the .338LM was conceived by RAI for the US Navy.

.338 Lapua Magnum - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As previously stated, Israel, British and Canada are using sniper rifles in .338LM .

[jwp475]

Originally Posted by BountyHunter

Xtreme Engineering got a solicitation for a Corps wide contract recently.

338 Lapua is great but couple other ones coming in that might give it a run, such as the 338 Norma (standard mag box with 300 SMKs at 2800+) and the 338 Xtreme for sure. I was highly impressed with their systems and so was the USMC when they shot it at Quantico a couple months ago.

BH

Yea, that makes a lot of sense to go with a non establish 338 that none of our allies are useing

[BountyHunter]

JWP475

This will be such a specialy item that "use by allies" will probably not even be a factor. LR performance and the providors cabability to produce accurate guns and ammo will be the factors. The 338 Lapua will be hard to beat, but there are a couple of interesting twists hitting the street now.

338 Norma has good brass, standard mag box length and supposed same velocity with 300 SMKs. 250,000 first run of brass to hit US in Sept.

338 Xtreme has sub moa accuracy with bullets ($1.40 each) that are supersonic at over 2600 yards. Plus no coppering like the other lathe turned and can shoot the SMKs too. Their only hang up will be two mftrs for the ammo per the contract.

Will be interesting and interesting upgraded LR capability no matter who gets it.

BH