Ghost Dog wrote:Wildcatter, I've been reading a lot about the Grendal lately. Dawg and Hoot perked my interests, so I had read about the Saami stuff earlier.
There's a lot of politicking and other movements in the Grendal, 6.8, etc world going on.
Being totally out of my realm, what's the importance of being Saami certified to Bill? And this seems all related to government contracts.
It's (saami) a standardization thing, clearing the way for normal relations with DOD, for possible adoption, etc. As the 6.8 has been saami approved for years and the gov hasn't formally adopted it either, the saami spec on the Grendel is prolly only a feel good step, in the final analysis, because the gov doesn't want either one. Those two cartridges couldn't live up to the initial hype, that fact highly ticked off SOCOM, after they spent several fortunes on the escapade. In other words, though the 6.5/6.8, do improve the performance, it's not enough to justify scraping the 223 and thus inheriting the enormous, associated, over-all tactical/logistics problems.. or so they tell me.. Think about it, the 6.5g is now down to a 95g bullet to make it work, so says socom. Compare the 6.5, 95gr, Hornady Amax, at 2800fps, in the Grendel, to the 223, 90gr Sierra at 2650fps, both from 24" barrels and both straining to achieve these results. Keep in mind the designated marksmen program was supposed to be shooting 300-1000yd rigs, from a M16 platform.
On a graph, which I just did, out to 1000yds, you can't readily see that they fly any much more differently from each other, until you hit about 600yds, then the 223 starts to slightly pull away from the 6.5g. AND, though the 6.5g starts out with some numbers better than the 223, in the energy department, at about 300yds, the 223 catches the 6.5g and fly's past it, with somewhat noticeably increased energy numbers. The Taylor Index is where the 6.5 shines, but not enough for me, but it would make a difference on a varmint at say 0 to 00yds, but again, the 223 catches the 6.5 at about 775yds and both loads are up to taking coyotes at that range.
So, you can split hairs, if you want, and you'd be correct, but those numbers, do not thrill the DOD, into taking on the monumental task (to say nothing of the astronomical financial outlays), of a switch-over.
All this is why BD and I, who have extensive experience with the 6.5's, in the hunting fields, say you need, at least the powder capacity of the 6.5x55, to really kick those stream-line bullet in the pants..
..t