$49.9M US Contract for 300 Win Mag Ammo
 

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...493/#more-5493


ATK subsidiary Federal Cartridge Co. in Anoka, MN received a $49.9 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for .300 Winchester magnum ammunition. Maximum quantity is 80,100 boxes of 480 rounds each, minimum is 117 boxes. This ammunition will be used by U.S. forces engaged in combat, and by the US Navy in Match Team competition.
300 Winchester offers longer range, better accuracy, and more hitting power than standard NATO 7.62�51 mm rounds. The MK248 MOD 1 cartridge grew out of the .300 Winchester Magnum Product Improvement Program.

The .300 Win Mag PIP aimed to improve the cartridge�s range from 1,200 yards to 1,500 yards, decrease the effects of wind on bullets in flight, and offer a reduced flash propellant that remained stable at temperatures from -25F to 165F.

The .300 Win Mag cartridge is already in wide production for competition use. As one might expect, Winchester 300 Magnum ammunition is equally popular with law enforcement specialty teams, and sport hunters like it, too. That popularity helps .300 Win Mag rounds offer considerable cost savings over the larger .338 Lapua round favored by other sniper systems like Britain�s L115A3. The other advantage is that the MK248 MOD 1 can be fired by snipers in the field armed with existing rifles.

D.E. Watters of The Gun Zone adds that .300 Win Mag is used in the Mk13 sniper rifle, another Remington 700 long receiver derivative that�s assembled from parts at NSWC Crane. The most recent version is the Mk13 MOD 5, which allows the use of the same sound suppressor as the Knight�s Armament Company SR-25/MK11 sniper rifle.

Meanwhile, there is movement within the Army to modify their Remington 700 derived M24 sniper system to .300 Win Mag, starting with individual units. Some Special Forces units have already made this conversion. The concept of wider .300 Win Mag conversions is now being explored by Picatinny Arsenal.

Re: $49.9M US Contract for 300 Win Mag Ammo
 

Both of my long range hitters are 300 win mag.

Never liked the 308 win ( 7.62x51 ) in a long range precision weapon.

Don't get me wrong....Its a great round for a main battle rifle or even better
in a belt feed.

Re: $49.9M US Contract for 300 Win Mag Ammo
 

Wow...talk about the wheels of progress turning slow !!

I bought a Winchester Model 70 bolt action chambered for 300 WinMag ammo right after I had to put 4 rounds of .308 into a charging wild boar.
The bad boy almost ran me down...that 4th shot was at 25 yards !!
It was like trying to stop a freight train...that particular wild hog was extra tough.
That was circa 1974 and now the military wants to jump on a proven hot caliber 35 years later...???

BTW:
Next trip I left the .308 at home and was taking down wild hogs at 200 yards with a single shot...the 300 WinMag did the job exceptionally well...but, it's sort of a toss up caliber if you prefer the Remington 7mm Mag.Both can be reloaded so hot they become downright painful to shoot after a dozen rounds.

These calibers ( 7mm Mag and 300 WinMag ) are serious firepower amigos...a sniper's dream because they both shoot so flat.

Dang,that's a lot of military ammo for a simple upgrade to a hotter caliber.

:bear_w00t::biggrin::bear_w00t:

I wonder why the 300 WinMag won out over the 7mm Mag...they are both quite popular with big game hunters.

I have no preference...I own rifles in each caliber...both deadly.

Re: $49.9M US Contract for 300 Win Mag Ammo
 

It's peanuts. I'm currently working on an Army base and I have witnessed firsthand that these people burn through ammo all day every day. 38.5 million rounds wouldn't last a year on this base alone much less distributed across the nation. Granted, the majority of what I see being sprayed is either 5.56 or REALLY big stuff. There does happen to be a sniper school at this base, though. Maybe I'll start seeing trucks of .300WIN rolling by?

Re: $49.9M US Contract for 300 Win Mag Ammo
 

http://www.snipercentral.com/m24.htm

The M24 system that has been in service for decades was purposely built on a long action so that the .300WM could be incorporated with very little tooling.

Re: $49.9M US Contract for 300 Win Mag Ammo
 

It felt good going in any store to purchase 300 mag even with
all the ammo frenzy that was going on I could always pick up as many
boxs as I wanted.

I wonder if that order will increase cost for 300 mag in civilian market ?

Another reason I like the 300 is you can reload using military 30cal projectiles
such as armor piercing, incendiary, tracer

Re: $49.9M US Contract for 300 Win Mag Ammo
 

That is if you can still find any.

Re: $49.9M US Contract for 300 Win Mag Ammo
 

Actually that is a LOT of ammo for something that is really only chambered in one weapon system (M24 Sniper Rifle)