Flannel Daddy likes as a stand-alone rifle. Thinks it’s fantastic. However, he’s not sure if it’s right as an infantry replacement for the M4.
I don’t normally watch his videos, but took the time in this case. His thoughts mirror mine: great rifle, really cool cartridge, pretty sure it isn’t a good choice for standard issue.
In the battlefield of the future, apparently everyone we engage at CQB distances will be fully encased in level 4 body armor and all the walls of structures we fight in will be made of 4 inch thick steel. Definitely won’t be any civcas when this butt stomping cartridge blows through a bad guy and half his kids a few rooms over, or when guys miss the follow up shots and send a not so controlled pair through several houses.The MCX spear is definitely a great rifle. The suppressor is great too.
Its the 6.8x51 I doubt. In some other cartridge, I'd probably be an enjoyer.
I think 6.8x51 is a wonderful 7.62x51 replacement and strongly support its adoption for that purpose. I am actually holding off on a new short action hunting rifle because I want it to be chambered in this. Would love a 12-16” suppressed light weight bolt action for hunting anything up to elk out to 400 yards. But for shooting bad guys, this is a weird choice. Especially since the war in Ukraine has shown us that Russian troops put cardboard in their plate carriers. That leaves China, except their unofficial stance on body armor is that having to use it “demoralizes the troops” (aka we don’t want to pay for it and they aren’t going to wear it anyway).
Whatever, we’re sticking with intermediate cartridges for now, kids 20 years younger than me can lug this crap around.