} Therein Lies the Rub.

&--Wednesday, May 27, 2009 ; 8:59 PM
EldwinSchrodinger @ Barrett M468 review

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Although its old news from a couple of years back i would like to share a short review to promote Barrett. Barrett [of Murfreesboro, TN] which was previously producing only 50 cal BMG rifles, is now one of the first manufacturers to offer a rifle chambered for the Remington 6.8mm SPC cartridge. This 6.8mm lies between the 5.56 Nato round used in the M16 and the 7.62 round used on the ak. However, this round packs a punch which i will go into a detailed explanation later. Barrett, currently promoting it for their law enforcements and military use is now selling a civilian version (the M468 with semiauto only and fixed stock), saying it "opens new hunting opportunities in states where the 5.56 is too small for larger game."

The rifle

Barrett's M468 (the name derived from M4 and 6.8) is a virtual clone of the Mk-12 Variant "Recce" (a Navy Seal designation). It's an M4 rifle made in both selective-fire (for military or law enforcement) and semi-automatic-only versions (for the general public).

Like the "Recce" rifle, the M468 uses the mid-length (piston) gas system developed by Mr. Mark Westrom, of ArmaLite. The M468-A1 comes equipped with the A.R.M.S. Mid-Length Selective Integrated Rail (S.I.R.) System and #40-A low Profile front Sight. The M468-A1 also uses the SOPMOD Folding Front Sight from Precision Reflex, Inc. along with PRI's new 6.8mm magazine.

The M468 has a muzzle brake and suppressor mounting threads just in front of the front sight. With the suppressor, the report was much like a .22 short.

Barrel length is 16 inches (6 groove, 1-in-10 RHT). Barrels are match grade. Overall length is 35.5 inches for the civilian semi-automatic with fixed synthetic stock. The LE version's stock can be collapsed to reduce overall length to 32 inches.

According to the web page; 5, 10, and 28-round magazines are available. [The article mentions a 26-round PRI magazine.]

The rifle weighs 7.3 lbs., according to the web page, with no accessories. [The article says 7.5 lbs.].

The 6.8mm SPC round

Whether the 6.8mm Special Purpose Cartridge (SPC) will ever be used by the military remains in doubt. Johnston says "the enemies of the project are coming out like insects from the woodwork."

The 6.8mm SPC was a grass-roots initiative originating in the Special Forces, 5th Group - Airborne, and the Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU). It is based on the obsolete .30 Remington case. It may be the victim of "not invented here" thinking by military program managers.

[While XM8s with 6.8mm barrels have been tested, it seems more likely the standard issue XM8, if adopted as the replacement for the M16/4 family of rifles, will be chambered for 5.56mm. The military is currently scrambling to set up larger 5.56mm contracts, as the next post notes.]

Johnston feels the round is here to stay for LE and civilian use.

Johnston claims the 6.8mm SPC "out shoots" the 7.62x39mm, 5.45x39mm, 5.56x45mm, and 6.5mm Grendel; but the article offers no data to substantiate this claim in this article. Perhaps he did in his 2-part story in the March and April issues of SOF.

I know some people who would take issue with the assertion the 6.8mm SPC is superior to the Grendel -- especially at longer ranges. See this earlier ACE post.

[See several ACE articles on the 6.8mm SPC and the Grendel by clicking on the WEAPONS AND FIREARMS category in the right sidebar].

Johnston says the cartridge fires a 115-grain Hornady Match or Sierra Match .270 caliber bullet at 2600fps from a 16-inch barrel M16-type rifle, and has the same trajectory as the M118 7.62mm NATO Match cartridge.

Ammo availability

Remington sells the 6.8mm SPC now (Johnston says it cannot make it fast enough), and Hornady and Federal will soon offer it. Other manufacturers, such as Winchester and Wolf, are considering offering it.

Magazines

Some AR-15 magazines will feed 6.8mmm SPC satisfactorily for practice, and there may soon be a program to modify AR-15 magazines to reliably feed either 5.56mm or 6.8mm cartridges.

Barrels

All chamber reamer manufacturers now have 6.8mm chamber reamers, and most major barrel manufacturers will have 6.8mm 1-in-10 inch twist match-grade barrels available.

Accuracy

Firing was limited to 25 yards, so no accuracy data was obtained. Johnston expects 1 MOA accuracy, equivalent to a PRI 6.8mm rifle he has fired.

Optics

The demo rifles at Las Vegas sported the Trijicon ACOG sight, the Eotech Military/Police Reflex sight, the Aimpoint Comp M2, and a Leupold sight (to signify the rifle can be used for sharpshooting).

Range

Johnston quotes the effective range (for terminal incapacitation) as 600+ yards.

Thanks to SOF from Airborne Combat Engineer for the information listed.

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