It appears DOD is getting ready to spend a big pile of $$ on small arms in the next few years. In recent weeks we've seen the Army and USMC announce studies of a new service round, and a USMC solicitation for a new rifle design to fire it. The Marines have also been buying a sizable number of M27s as what appears to be a partial stopgap replacement for the M4 in Marine infantry units. Now comes word that USMC and SOCOM are seeking a belt-fed .338 magnum weighing under 24 pounds and capable of engaging point targets at ranges past 2000 meters. It will be interesting to see the finished product on that one!

http://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/socom-and-marine-corps-move-closer-to-ma-deuce-r...

"belt-fed .338 magnum" That just sounds like too much fun!

The thought of a belt-fed .338 belted magnum makes my heart race!

Otony

for perfection. They may after spending a great big pile of our money find a decent supplement. There is absolutely no replacement for Ma Deuce.

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Amen!

bob

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....a belt fed .338 magnum sounds interesting.....

Otony

(of course they could manufacture the cases without the belt)

It's not "man portable" in any realistic sense of the term. You can pack one from arms room or CHU to vehicle, but that's about it. What SOCOM and the Marines seek is something that can be used by dismounted forces.

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For one guy to carry? Up a mountain in Afghanistan?

Maybe with cloth belts. :)

Solar powered?

Perhaps M60 type links or other push-through, but 1919 metal links work like cloth belts - pull-out to the rear.

On the other hand, a belted cartridge seems kinda useless unless it simplifies headspace on the MG design?

Titanium, Carbon fiber barrels. carbon fiber reinforced polymer, ceramics, niobium magnet brushless motor, Solar rechargeable 24v Lithium battery pack, 25 pounds easy peasy. The beast would be a hungry critter though, ammo @30% lighter than 50bmg, but a Cyclic rate 2 to 3 times that of a Ma Deuce. Possibly a multi position switch or variable drive speed. Long .35 caliber ELD bullets would be more effective than any .338 at 2000 yards. Could probably, design tool up, and produce a 1000 units for half the money Uncle Suger is going to spend thinking about what to do.

I wonder if having a slight body taper wouldn't help with reliability on removing them from the links and on feeding.

In this case, the availability of a couple of different non-belted .338 mags simplifies things

http://www.gd-ots.com/armament_systems/ics_lwmmg.html

in a single shot rifle the shooter has time to get the rifle back in position before shooting it again. In a full-auto running 450 rounds per minute a 25 lb rifle is totally uncontrollable unless solidly mounted to a vehicle or fixed mount of some kind. A bipod or tripod just isn't enough. They have tried several times since the Vietnam war, hydraulic recoil cylinders, pneumatic systems, mechanical springs, none have ever proved to be able to tame the recoil and let the gunner keep on target.