True Velocity, Inc., designers of lightweight composite-cased ammunition, have announced a new partnership with FN America. The partnership will look to test True Velocity’s conversion kit which can chamber the M240 in the proprietary 6.8TVCM composite-cased cartridge with the change of a barrel.

Back in June 2021, True Velocity announced they had successfully chambered several 7.62x51mm weapon systems in the new 6.8mm TVCM round. Among them was the M240. Earlier this month True Velocity and FN America embarked on a three-month test program to evaluate the conversion kit, aiming to fire 30,000 rounds.

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In March last year, the US Army launched a solicitation for a 6.8mm conversion kit for the M240B and M240L machine guns. The sources sought notice stated that the conversion kit should convert the weapons from 7.62x51mm to the 6.8mm round which wins the Next Generation Squad Weapon program. This indicates that the US Army is looking at the potential of converting legacy 7.62x51mm chambered weapons on the NGSW round. While 6.8 TVCM was not part of the winning NGSW submission, perhaps True Velocity’s conversion system has the potential to be submitted to a similar tender.

Here’s True Velocity, Inc.’s announcement in full:

Texas-based advanced technology company TV Ammo, Inc. (“True Velocity”) announced today a strategic development partnership with FN America (“FN”) that would enable one of the most prolific machine guns in the world to fire its proprietary 6.8TVCM composite-cased cartridge.

The partnership is aimed at the development and qualification of a conversion kit that would allow existing M240 machine guns initially chambered for the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge to convert to True Velocity’s advanced 6.8TVCM composite-cased cartridge with only minor modifications, including a barrel change.

“This is the tip of the iceberg,” said True Velocity Chairman and co-CEO Kevin Boscamp. “We are working with top weapon manufacturers like FN America to change the paradigm for our soldiers and ensure that they have access to the very best technology that America has to offer. This level of innovation will not only breathe new life into a fantastic weapon system like the M240, but it opens the door to entirely new systems like True Velocity’s .338 Norma Lightweight Medium Machine Gun.”

The two companies commenced an extensive First Article Test of the 6.8TVCM M240 conversion kit at FN’s Columbia, SC, facility on May 8, 2023. Over the course of three months, 30,000 rounds of True Velocity’s 6.8TVCM ammunition will be fired through a single M240 weapon system chambered for the proprietary cartridge. Upon completion of the First Article Test in August 2023, the two companies will then begin three additional 50,000-round endurance tests to fully qualify the M240 chambered for True Velocity’s 6.8TVCM cartridge.

“The performance implications of this ‘switch-barrel’ capability are eclipsed only by the magnitude of the business opportunity associated with it,” said True Velocity co-CEO Chris Tedford. “We’re talking about improving the effective range of one of the most prolific machine guns in the world by as much as 50 percent, providing our warfighters with a significant advantage on the battlefield.”

The U.S. Army has tested more than 700,000 rounds of True Velocity’s 6.8TVCM cartridge, resulting in its designation as the first and only lightweight cartridge to meet or exceed all U.S. military specifications, including performance across the entire temperature spectrum required by the U.S. Department of Defense. Additionally, True Velocity has fired in excess of 1 million rounds of 6.8TVCM in its internal testing, including more than 10,000 rounds through the M240.

The cartridge offers an approximate weight reduction of 30 percent as compared to traditional, brass-cased 7.62x51mm cartridges and delivers muzzle velocity in excess of 3,000 feet per second, while maintaining safe operating pressures. As a result of these performance attributes, the cartridge is capable of delivering significantly greater effective range than traditional 7.62x51mm NATO ammunition.

“FN’s partnership with True Velocity and the rigorous testing we are accomplishing highlight the rugged and capable design of the M240,” said Jim Williams, Vice President, Military Programs for FN America, LLC. “The adaptability of the M240 design to accept new calibers to address emerging threats and requirements provides more capability to the warfighter. We look forward to the results of this First Article testing and the bright future ahead for this proven weapon system.”

FN America is the preeminent manufacturer of the M240 machine gun, which is currently fielded by all branches of the United States military as well as dozens of foreign militaries around the world. The weapon system is capable of a cyclic rate of between 600-900 rounds per minute, depending upon which variant of the M240 is being fired.

True Velocity and FN America intend to market the M240 conversion kit and composite-cased 6.8TVCM ammunition to the U.S. and Allied militaries and have participated in multiple military live-fire demonstrations displaying the enhanced capability.