The 30 round AR form factor gives a 25 round capacity in 6.8. The Barrett 30 rounders for 6.8 are about an inch and a half longer.
The feed lips are a different contour, the front rib is shallower and the follower is different. Making a 5.56 mag work in 6.8 is possible, but it's not worth it if you can just buy them. Behind enemy lines it might be worth the effort.
The funny thing about 6.8 working in a 5.56 mag is that was one of the original goals, it was found to be unworkable almost immediately. Yet interchangeability became a fact that took a look of effort to correct.
Even STANAG is a misnomer. The magazine standard was proposed but never adopted. Zee Germans objected strenuously when it became apparent that the M16 mag would be the STANAG model and not their steel mag they developed for the L85; that killed it right there. Belgium was unhappy their magazine for the FNC was not going to be the model either.
Any commonality between "STANAG" weapons is almost accidental. Only the guns that were deliberately made to take the bog-standard M16 magazine have true commonality. A good test for this is "does it take a normal PMAG?" If the answer is 'no' then it wasn't designed for the M16 magazine. Guns like the H&K 416, L85 and FNC all have almost identical magazines that will work in an M16 and will mostly accept M16 magazines; but not always. The FNC also has a different bolt hold-open that the USGI magazine will not trip and the FN mag doesn't trip the AR hold-open.
The Korean K1 and K2, however were designed from the get go to accept that USGI mag. Because they were ditching their M16A1's, had lots of those mags in the supply chain and have a strong motivation to be interoperable with US stuff.
The FN SCAR 16 takes the M16 mag because we ordered that way. That had to piss FN off because they will certainly assert theirs is better.
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Love the rubber ducklings!
ReplyDeleteBTW is the blue tape designates 6.8 followers in the mag?
The tape is for 6.8 mags.
ReplyDeleteSame diff.
DeleteBTW do you lose any Mag capacity (or are the bodies a different shape) with the 6.8?
Yeah I was just mumbling about that when 6.8 SPC first hit the scene it WOULD work in a 5.56 STANAG mag, but ideally with a special follower.
At least that's what I've read. I have no such experiences as STANAG mags are too short to hold a 7.62x51mm cartridge....
The 30 round AR form factor gives a 25 round capacity in 6.8. The Barrett 30 rounders for 6.8 are about an inch and a half longer.
ReplyDeleteThe feed lips are a different contour, the front rib is shallower and the follower is different. Making a 5.56 mag work in 6.8 is possible, but it's not worth it if you can just buy them. Behind enemy lines it might be worth the effort.
The funny thing about 6.8 working in a 5.56 mag is that was one of the original goals, it was found to be unworkable almost immediately. Yet interchangeability became a fact that took a look of effort to correct.
Even STANAG is a misnomer. The magazine standard was proposed but never adopted. Zee Germans objected strenuously when it became apparent that the M16 mag would be the STANAG model and not their steel mag they developed for the L85; that killed it right there. Belgium was unhappy their magazine for the FNC was not going to be the model either.
Any commonality between "STANAG" weapons is almost accidental. Only the guns that were deliberately made to take the bog-standard M16 magazine have true commonality. A good test for this is "does it take a normal PMAG?" If the answer is 'no' then it wasn't designed for the M16 magazine. Guns like the H&K 416, L85 and FNC all have almost identical magazines that will work in an M16 and will mostly accept M16 magazines; but not always. The FNC also has a different bolt hold-open that the USGI magazine will not trip and the FN mag doesn't trip the AR hold-open.
The Korean K1 and K2, however were designed from the get go to accept that USGI mag. Because they were ditching their M16A1's, had lots of those mags in the supply chain and have a strong motivation to be interoperable with US stuff.
The FN SCAR 16 takes the M16 mag because we ordered that way. That had to piss FN off because they will certainly assert theirs is better.