TerraN_EmpirE
Tyrant King
The 6.8x51mm the US just adopted doesn’t have an AP round just yet only an EPR the XM1186. Which would likely not penetrate modern level IV armor but would probably hurt a lot more on the back face deformation then 5.56x45mm or 7.62x51mm.
The EPR round is basically the modern take on the FMJ. It’s a steel cored round designed to penetrate cars, Doors and walls, cinder blocks and bricks, plywood, trees ecta… it’s an anti barrier round. The norm for the worlds military as until the last decade Body armor able to stop FMJ was mythical. The few AP rounds that were introduced were rarely if ever used and never by main line infantry by anyone. For valid reasons. IE why issue anti-Unicorn rounds if Unicorns don’t exist? The few AP types that have been produced were for the potential of Unicorns being created. Rounds like the M993 but that was created in 1992. As material science advanced it’s generally considered that it’s hit the point where that round is probably insufficient as the possible threat of the 1990’s era Unicorn isn’t anything as sophisticated as the 2020’s more realistic Unicorn. Basically the material science of 1990s body armor didn’t justify widespread issue. Where in 2022 the science of materials means not only is it more protection but frankly easier to make.
Ergo as Body armor is both better and more available the chances of AP ammo being issued widespread increases too.
Using older AP rounds that China likely tried to build against to compare against the in development 6.8x51mm AP (likely to be the rumored XM1184) round I think is a poor choice. The ammo is lighter that 7.62x51mm round but that in the casing not the bullet or propellant load. commercial loads are between 138 grain to 140 grain
The pressure point, velocity and energy of commercial .277 Fury is already higher than 7.62x51mm. Meaning it looses energies and translates a ballistic energy transfer dramatically differently than 7.62x51mm everything indicates this may be a round designed to partner with a hardened Tungsten type penetrator to Defeat modern armor and not just a modernization of 7.62x51mm. This all said infantry are just part of the combat system of systems.
