Armed forces converting to .300 WM?

O

oneshotOG

New member
Ok so I don't know if this is just gossip or if it's true, but lately I've heard from multiple people that the military may be switching from the trusted .308 round to the much larger .300WM for their basic sniping round. Has anyone else heard about that? How will snipers send hundreds of rounds per day in sniper school with the recoil of a .300win mag?? If anyone has heard anything about this, some clarification would be much appreciated.
 
Oh gotcha. Ya that seemed pretty hard to believe that they would just trash all their .308s. Alright, cool. Thanks man I'll look into it
 
Oh gotcha. Ya that seemed pretty hard to believe that they would just trash all their .308s
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They are not "trashing" the M24s they are just rebarreling them to 300 WM.

The M24s were built on long actions with the .300WM conversion in mind from the beginning.
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That's true.

I ran sniper schools for the NG using M1C/Ds. In the mid 80s I was offered the chance to switch out the M1s for M24s. OR switch them for M21s and wait for the 300 WM version of the M24.

I elected to take the M21s wanting the 300s. At the time we were using (the AK NG Rifle Team) Model 70s in 300 for 1000 yard shooting. It was costing a mint to load 300 WM Match ammo.

I was trying to cheat, if I got the 300s I could increase the ammo orders and skim off ammo for the long range rifle team.

Sure enough 25 years later they're coming out with the M24s in 300 (or doing the conversions).

Didn't really matter, as a 308 sniper system there was nothing wrong with the M21s.
 
Here something on the contract
September 20, 2010 5:02 PM

US Army Awards Contract to Reconfigure M24 Sniper Weapon Systems to Remington Arms

Madison, NC – Remington Arms Company, Inc. (“Remington”), a member of the Freedom Group of Companies, is pleased to announce that the United States Army’s Joint Munitions and Lethality Contracting Center has awarded Remington a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Indefinite Delivery/ Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract (W15QKN-10-R-0403) for the upgrade of up to 3,600 M24 Sniper Weapon Systems (SWS) currently fielded to the Army pending type classification as the “M24E1”. The major configuration change for this system is the caliber conversion from 7.62mm NATO (.308 Winchester) to .300 Winchester Magnum to provide soldier’s with additional precision engagement capability and range. The contract is for a 5-year period and has a potential value of up to $28.2 million. This award follows a full and open competitive evaluation lasting 9 months, which began with the release of the Army’s Request for Proposal (RFP) on 13 January 2010. The program will be executed under the authority of Project Manager Soldier Weapons, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ, and managed by its subordinate unit, Product Manager Individual Weapons.


Here is another contract for sniper 300mag rifles

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com...-gets-2-million-to-build-navys-mk-13-actions/
 
Hey guys, thanks for all the great responses, I read all the links and they were very informative. But Noreaster said that marines use the 6.5 Lapua? I thought they used short action m40a3s and a5s with the 7.62x51mm?
 
I don't think .308 is being phased out, it's being supplemented. Adopting the .300 WM is adding one more tool in the toolbox, and that's always a good thing.
 
From a friend (former SEAL involved with rifles and marksmanship) said the .300 Win. Mag. was the only cartridge that made successful hits in recent accuracy tests out to 1500 yards. 'Twas better than the .338 Lapua Mag.

Not surprising as the 30 caliber magnums have been very successful in long range matches since the 1960's, both NRA prone and benchrest disciplines.
 
Bart,
Do you have a link or reference to said tests? I've always heard that .338 LM is best for targets at and over 1500m
 
I don't have a reference but it is my understanding that the 338 Lapua did offer very slight performance advantges, but not enough to justify the added expense and recoil. The 308 is fine for most applications, but was just not enough gun for the extreme ranges encounteded in Afghanistan. Exactly which diection this will take is unclear right now. Just a guess, but I'd not be surprised to see both 308 and 300 mag used according to the situation. I know the Army experimented with some AR rifles set up for intermediate range sniper use. Don't know if they are in regular use at this time or not.

I believe all branches of the miliary have been taking advantage of the war to field test as many different weapons systems and tactics as possible. I think that after we get everyone back home there will be more standardizaton on what proved to work best
 
I wouldn't go so far to say the 300 WM is more accurate then the 338 L.

I think the average shooter can shoot it better. Quit a difference in noise and recoil. Those two will get you.

Recoil is handled by the fancy brakes they have now days, but those brakes also produce more noise on the shooters side of the rifle. I know that would get to me.

I think a good 338L will out shoot my 300 WM, but not with me shooting it.
 
RT asks:
Bart, Do you have a link or reference to said tests? I've always heard that .338 LM is best for targets at and over 1500m.
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No link available. And the internet is full of claims that the .338 LM's best for long range targets. In my opinion, it would be; if its recoil before the bullet leaves the barrel could be reduced without having the rifle weigh 40 pounds or more. It's the lighter barrel-time recoil of the .300 Win. Mag. in equal weight rifles that makes it much easier to hit small, distant targets more consistantly with the first shot. There might be 2 or 3 people on this planet who can dope the wind good enough to make the first shot strike within 10 inches of the intended point of bullet impact at 1500 yards.

That info was sent by private email from a friend to several USN folks with former SEAL team and other service related marksmanship histories. It mentioned different rifle cartridges and their results at 1000 through 1500 yards. He's now retired from the Navy after 23 years of service in SEAL teams, but stays in touch with folks in the program.

I used to shoot rifle matches with him years ago. He also was Officer in Charge of the USN Rifle Team for several years. Was recommended for the Medal of Honor from his actions in Viet Nam using a .45 M1911 dispatching a dozen or so Viet Cong up to 100 yards away saving his chopper crew in a firefight but got the Navy Cross instead.
 
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