04-13-2014, 07:41 PM
cory Wrote:...the question here is do you think we need a new LMG in a larger caliber? If so, can we obtain that without chambering the carbines in the same caliber? If not, is it worth replacing the 5.56 NATO with the Grendel, in all carbines?Therein lies the rub.
I think we get to a partial answer by looking again at the frequency belts are de-linked to provide carbine ammunition. The second answer may come from looking at ammunition resupply challenges faced by marksmen equipped with the 7.62 NATO.
If the answer to the first question is rarely or almost never, then the cartridge used by an LMG does not need to match that used by the carbine.
If the answer to the second question is characterized by "few or non-existent" then the same conclusion holds.
That brings us to the question of whether the DM needs to have the same ammo as the LMG if neither is the same as the carbine?