Latest Russian 6x41 Cartridge

[BluntForceTrauma]

Russia has been tossing around a 6mm military cartridge for decades and has apparently circled back to it, yet again. Kalashnikov announced on December 14, 2023, a 6.02 x 41 cartridge.

Yet another fat case, sleek bullet design concept pioneered by the 6.5 Grendel. The world is slowly coming around to the sound cartridge engineering we recognized way back in 2003. Matter of fact this is the time of year in 2003 when David Fortier released an article in Shotgun News about what was at first called .26 Grendel.

Anyway, you think Russian military will officially adopt Kalashnikov's new cartridge?

[Lemonaid]

[biodsl]

Ha! The new 'arms race'. We'll see your 6ARC and raise you one!




Seems a lot easier than developing, say, the X5.

In conjunction with this development, the Kalashnikov Group has engineered the AK-22 automatic rifle and a semi-automatic sniper rifle specifically tailored to this new caliber

Smart. To answer your question, BTF, yes, they should adopt it.

Fair point, to which I would add how few optics are being employed in the Russia/Ukraine war. A new rifle in this new caliber is of no benefit without the optics to leverage it's better ballistics.

[lazyengineer]

Neat!

Will Russia adopt? No. They lack the financial resources; but more to the point, the fundamental question on adoption isn't "Is it a better performing round?" The question is: "Is it materially better that it make a meaningful impact on battlefield outcomes?" or "is it of similar or otherwise acceptable efficacy while freeing limited wartime resources that can now be used on other priorities?" or "is this coinciding with related material upgrades being planned already, and so of minimal additional cost and logistics impact?"

This is my problem with M855A1. Because the answer is not yes to either of those, and is actually a negative to a no, on the last two. Instead M855A1 answered the only USA question of: "Does it minimize the environmental impact on the battlefield of the people we're trying to kill?"

That's not entirely true, as M855A1 arguable has improved armor piecing impacts, and with the common issue of body armor, it's possible that M855A1 will affect the outcome on the battlefield. This isn't to say the outcome of any particular gunfight, but the actual battle, and change the outcome on the battlefield. I would argue no, and that the resources could have been better spent on an extra 200 rounds of aimed fire with M855 (or M193) - is my own opinion.

And so, on that logic, will a Russian 6mm Grendel version of 6ARC, incorporate an improved armor piecing capability that materially enhances capabilites to counter common battle field armor? If the answer is "Yes", then that's a solid Smaybe that they will adopt anyway.

[VASCAR2]

[grayfox]

The only fire over there at say150+ m is artillery or tank, lol.
That 6.02 bullet looks like a secant, sleeker ogive which is different, for them I think.

[BluntForceTrauma]

[LRRPF52]

----------------------------5.8x42---------------- 5.45x39-------- 7.62x39------- 5.56x45---------------- 6.5 Grendel

[65Carcano]

New article on this just came out:

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2024/01/10/new-russian-6-02x41-cartridge-and-prototype-rifles-ak-22-mini-svch/

[Timitus]

New article on this just came out:

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/...-22-mini-svch/

Thanks for posting this.

[Fess]

They mention that the bullet weighs 6.7grams or 103.4 grams. With the form factor shown, it needs a tungsten core to weigh that much. Similar to the 5.45 7N39. Then again, Russia ranks #2 in the world for tungsten reserves (second only to China).
The lack of tungsten resources in the US is one of the reasons I suspect behind the 6.8x51 was chosen vs a 6mm option. With a given bullet form factor, sectional density goes up with bullet diameter, so the less dense steel/copper US General Purpose bullet needed to be larger to provide reasonable barrier defeat and BC.