I saw a TV program where they showed the Army testing a new light machine gun by LSAT which used a type of caseless ammunition. The magazine for this Light Machine Gun was shorter than a 5.56 ammunition mag or belted ammo. Test have supposedly been conducted comparing the LSAT to the M-249 SAW.
Some of the caseless ammo had the bullet encapsulated into a case formed by the powder which is consumed during firing (cased telescoped ammunition). One article I read indicated there have been test on 6.5 & 7 MM projectiles in this caseless ammo. If the technology of keeping the caseless ammo from cooking off could be achieved this could provide the opportunity for a new intermdiate cartridge. With the volume of military contracts the production cost might be able to compete with the cost of brass cased ammo.
Wikipedia is not always the best source but here is an article. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LSAT_light_machine_gun
Some of the caseless ammo had the bullet encapsulated into a case formed by the powder which is consumed during firing (cased telescoped ammunition). One article I read indicated there have been test on 6.5 & 7 MM projectiles in this caseless ammo. If the technology of keeping the caseless ammo from cooking off could be achieved this could provide the opportunity for a new intermdiate cartridge. With the volume of military contracts the production cost might be able to compete with the cost of brass cased ammo.
Wikipedia is not always the best source but here is an article. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LSAT_light_machine_gun