Barret M468

[kepiblanc]

Barrett [of Murfreesboro, TN], previously producing only .50 BMG rifles, is one of the first manufacturers to offer a rifle chambered for the Remington 6.8mm SPC cartridge. It offers both a full rifle and an upper. In addition to promoting it for military and law enforcement use (the M468-LE with selective auto/semi fire and collapsible stock), Barrett is 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 rifle weighs 7.3 lbs., according to the web page, with no accessories.




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. 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 several ACE articles on the 6.8mm SPC and the Grendel by clicking on the WEAPONS AND FIREARMS category in the right sidebar].
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, 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
the effective range (for terminal incapacitation) as 600+ yards.

[Kapchar]

It's very Dangerous Sniper rifle....

[scotto]

Also, It could be very SWEET deer rifle....