David at Defense Review has the skinny on this new AR-15 rifle ...
DefenseReview (DR) got to see the latest Smith & Wesson (S&W) M&P tactical AR (AR-15) rifles/carbine/sBRs developed for Special Operations Forces (SOF) at SOFIC 2010 (Special Operations Forces Industry Conference 2010. The new guns incorporate ambidextrous controls and advanced coatings.
USSOCOM's decision to cancel the transition from the M4 to the FN SCAR Mk. 16 must have been the worst PR disaster to hit FN for quite some time. The FN SCAR was being proclaimed as the preferred rifle of the elite warriors of a superpower. It is now the rifle which was dropped by the elite.
FNH USA found themselves in the unfortunate position where they could not afford to not release a statement but also could not afford to annoy their biggest customer, so they did what any other firm would do in their position: say a lot without saying anything at all ...
(McLean, Va.) July 1, 2010. FNH USA is cautious in releasing any information due to the nature of the pledge to our customers.
We can, however, reiterate that the MK 16 (5.56mm variant), MK 17 (7.62mm variant) and the MK 13 Enhanced Grenade Launcher Module (40mm), which make up the SCAR family of weapons, have each met, and in our opinion exceeded, all of the USSOCOM program requirements. It is also a matter of record that the SCAR has been proven to be superior to existing legacy assault rifles after numerous Department of Defense tests in both lab and field environments.
FNH USA believes the fact that the SCAR program recently passed Milestone C and was determined to be operationally effective / operationally suitable (OE/OS) for fielding, highlights the tremendous capability the weapons system offers deployed special operators.
FNH USA believes the issue is not whether the SCAR, and specifically the MK 16 variant, is the superior weapon system available today ...it has already been proven to be just that. The issue is whether or not the requirement for a 5.56mm replacement outweighs the numerous other requirements competing for the customers’ limited budget. That is a question that will only be determined by the customer.
While we know that the MK 17, to include the "common receiver" and corresponding 5.56mm conversion kit is an option, other Services and SOF components will have the ability to procure the MK 16 stand-alone rifle under the contract if it better meets their mission requirements.
In conclusion, the management and employees of FN are proud to provide this generation of special operators their first, entirely new assault rifle that meets and, in our opinion, exceeds the demands of today's battlefield.
USSOCOM will still be buying the 7.62mm SCAR Mk.17 but as a designated marksmen rifle it will be purchased in much lower numbers that the 5.56mm Mk. 16.
AccurateShooter reports on the Army's new 5.56mm ammunition ...
The 62-grain bullet for the new M855A1 ammo is a completely new design. While it may appear to have a plastic “ballistic tip”, that’s deceiving. The new bullet created for M855A1 ammo has a bismuth-tin alloy core with a steel “stacked-cone” penetrating tip. The photo at right shows the version from last year; the final production version may be slightly different (e.g. the final version tip is a different color). Apparently the latest bullet design is a winner. During testing, M855A1 ammo performed better than current 7.62mm ball ammunition against certain types of targets.
Hard target penetration is supposed to be better than the lead-core M855. I just hope it is effective in combat and not just adopted because these days lead bullets are considered by some to be politically incorrect.
The latest beauty to emerge from the Wilsom Combat factory is the Wilson Combat Elite X-TAC. The X-TAC has been designed to operate well in both wet and dry conditions with or without gloves. To achieve this the front and backstrap feature a grip pattern that looks like it was inspired by tire treads and the slide features new cross-hatch style serrations. Other features include ...
- Full-Size Carbon Steel Frame
- Unique X-Tac Frontstrap/Mainspring Housing Treatment
- High-Ride Beavertail Grip Safety
- Tactical Thumb Safety
- 3 ½# - 3 ¾# Crisp Trigger Pull
- Contoured Magazine Well
- G10 Starburst Grips
- 5” Carbon Steel Slide
- 1911 Battlesight U-Notch Rear Sight
- Front Sight with Heavy-Duty Fiber Optic Insert
- 5” Stainless Match Grade Barrel & Bushing
- Unique X-Tac Rear Cocking Serration Treatment
- Black Parkerize Finish
- De-Horn for Carry
- Test-Fire and Zero
The cost for this package is just under $2400.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Caliber | .45ACP |
| Magazine Capacity | 8 Rounds |
| Barrel Length | 5” |
| Overall Length | 8.7” |
| Sight Radius | 6.6” |
| Height | 5.6” |
| Width | 1.3” |
| Weight Empty | 38.1 oz. |
| Weight Loaded | 46.2 oz. |
| Accuracy Guarantee} 1 “ at 25 yds. | |
| MSRP (Price) | $2,395 |
More photos after the jump ... Continue Reading »
Might be useful if you ran out of regular ammo 
Citizen Times has the story about this contraption.
[ Many thanks to Fred for emailing me the link. ]
