Some guesses in the comments think it's due to the extractor design.

Maybe a combination of that and ensuring that it can be used with a bipod? Probably doesn't bode well for ergonomics when prone though.

I have disagreed with her a lot, but comparing her to republicans and propagandists of dictatorships is really low. - An idiot

The positioning of the Bulky Thing ( I like that term ) and the way it looks suggests it's a mounting point for a bipod that eschews the standard placement that puts more weight on the barrel end of the weapon by having it mounted all the way forward. I could be wrong but it appears to be spot on the point of balance of the weapon as well.

Probably the extractor/feeding mechanism. CT rounds can't really use the conventional extractor claw mechanics. No rim or impressions to grab onto. So you have to use a push/pull and/or lever mechanism to flick em out and whatnot.

Presumably if they are serious about making a CT carbine in 6.5, they'll figure out a way to make that mechanism smaller and lighter. The current model demonstrated seems to be a mock up demonstrator rather than production ready version.

Looking at it again. It is unusual for a carbine at its loaded weight at least compared to weapons like the M4. The rounds are not exactly lighter intermediate rounds but are 6.5mm rounds that are more comparable to the 7.62mm CTA. They share the same case as well. The loaded clean weapon weight is comparable to the HK-417 13 and 16" barrel "Carbine Rifle" variants of said weapon. Maybe that is what they aiming for?

edited 29th Sep '16 5:26:47 PM by TuefelHundenIV

Who watches the watchmen?

Meanwhile the Serbians have quietly adopted the 6.5mm Grendel round and are issuing it to some of their Sneaky Beaky type soldiers.

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2016/09/29/serbia-first-nation-adopt-6-5mm-grendel/

6.5mm Grendel Zastava? Me likey.

Wonder why nobody else has.

Oh really when?

I remember reading a few articles shared in both gun threads that both 6.5mm Grendel and the 6.8mm were highly over rated.

The 6.5mm CT round is a different critter by comparison to those rounds.

Who watches the watchmen?

The point of the US adopting the 6.5 Grendel and 6.8 SPC died when the 5.56mm M 855 A 1 and the SOST were adopted, because both those 6xmm rounds were meant to deliver close range lethality at close and mid ranges, which the new 5.56mm rounds do wonderfully.

Now the 6.5 CT is a much longer round than the those two 6xmm.

Inter arma enim silent leges

The main issue with CT rounds is all that brass and ammo and logistics chain for all those 5.56mm rounds. And the 30 round mag being the center of Army infantry doctrine.

Textron might have overreached: the 6.8mm and 20 round mag combo might have flown if the weight was under 7 pounds.

Nine pounds is the weight of a fully loaded M 16 A 2.

Now most real service members only put, at most, an optic and a light on their service weapon. Some have the laser/light combo along with a bipod. Magpul or other aftermarket furniture (stock, rails, grips etc). Only mall ninjas put the laser, camera, grips, optics, backup optics, can opener, etc on their "weapons" (if they are not airsoft).

Now this new CT carbine has about 1.2 pounds of freedom more than the M-4.

If (a big if) CT ammo goes forward at 6.8mm, I can see big army just telling the Joes to suck it up. It's not like there are free gyms on post or anything.

If anything, Textron is either going out on a limb or Big Army has some interesting plans. They liked the LSAT SAW and LMG.

All night at the computer, cuz people ain't that great. I keep to myself so I won't be on The First 48

Covered this before the logistics commentary is a non-issue. The US has repeatedly demonstrated an ability to rapidly adjust both manufacturing and logistics lines on the fly.

Who watches the watchmen?

I wish, the MRAP and body armor issues, hell getting a cammo pattern that works....but some in Big Army might have come around. We'll see if Textron can get this puppy off the ground...

All night at the computer, cuz people ain't that great. I keep to myself so I won't be on The First 48

All of those are not a failure of the logistics or manufacture arms but almost pure politics. Gates took a machete to the red tape barricade to get MRAP out despite the powers that be dragging their heels deliberately.

Who watches the watchmen?

And yet the LSAT machine guns are stuck in proverbial limbo, neither adopted nor rejected and both Big Army and Marines are dragging their asses on it.

No Tom that isn't what is happening either. In case you missed they only recently conducted assessments of the first round of ready to fire weapons and ammo. Only the caseless arm of the LSAT program has been bogged down and not reached a ready to test stage.

Who watches the watchmen?

Do you have something new I don't know of? Because the newest stuff I can find says more or less what I'm saying.

For example:

http://kitup.military.com/2015/05/textron-unveils-ultra-light-7.html

https://www.army.mil/article/148002/New_light_machine_gun__M249_put_on_weight_control/

I have no follow-up info available or otherwise known to me on that mentioned timetable.

Even the manufacturer Textron makes no mentions of new info beyond what is mentioned.

http://www.textronsystems.com/what-we-do/weapon-sensor-systems/LSAT

http://www.textronsystems.com/sites/default/files/resource-files/TS_US_LSAT-_CT_Datasheet.pdf

So if you have something new, please let me know.

Yeah your lack of checking the dates and facts. They tested in 2011 and 2013 and plan to test the next iteration likely before the end of next year.

Then there is this.

They presented said design just last year and are expected to either produce a fully functional prototype by the end of this year or sometime earlier next year.

Here is a hint for you Tom. A project in "limbo" doesn't receive continued funding.

Who watches the watchmen?

I think it's less limbo and more general issues with our procurement system as usual.

Plus if this thing works out it's not gonna be a small change. Like at all. The adoption of a 5.56 CT round could change our entire inventory. NATO's too actually given how we're the primary player there.

I'm sure they don't wanna rush into things.

Oh really when?

That is a far more accurate assessment. Things like political climate and likelihood of having military spending to back it are a lot more likely to derail or kill a project then anything else.

Who watches the watchmen?

Citation Needed. My links mention the 7.62mm version of the (now-called) CT LMG. That Textron has a working version ready for further evaluation and/or adoption. The problem is Big Army still considers it in development despite the numerous tests and evaluations and that it can't go any further before becoming a program of record.

Did you not read any of that?

Tom: You provided it yourself try actually reading what you post for a change and not cherry picking only or outright ignoring obvious information.

Only the 5.56mm has had those ten rounds of tests something made plainly clear in the Kitup article that you clearly couldn't be bothered to read all the way through or only cherry picked as per usual. That would be a detail Tom and we all know how allergic you are to those.

The 7.62mm CTA was part of additional funding to further fund a multi-part project to develop it further which included the 7.62mm prototype. They literally just delivered the 7.62mm Cartridge design and earliest working cartridge last year with the working prototype for full on field testing expected end of this year or early next at the earliest. Kind of hard to test a weapon that hadn't even been made yet but that would yet again be a detail. Your reading comprehension and attention to detail is deplorable.

Here let me show you the detail since someone has to hold your hand as usual with details.

Not that hard it is single line with no way to misinterpret the info but somehow you manage to do so spectacularly. From one of the articles you linked yourself. Really Tom stop being so damn lazy and start paying attention.

Who watches the watchmen?

And cue the outrage of .45 fanboys in 3....2...1....

All night at the computer, cuz people ain't that great. I keep to myself so I won't be on The First 48

Took them long enough

Oh really when?

I think the big difference is that double-stack 9mm pistols just carry more ammo than the single-stack 1911 does.

Do they even have double-stack .45s?

Oh you sweet summer child, questioning the might of the awesome .45 Fist of God. LOL!

Yep, it does come in double stack magazine form. There's a few of them too:

http://www.armoryblog.com/firearms/hand-guns/rock-island-double-stack-tactical-1911/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNrshHcLXwg - Para Ordnance's take.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-idPkbdpy-8 - if you want to spend the same amount of money that a decent shed would cost that's Kimber's take on the thing. And they already have people who wear funny clothing for Uncle Sam using their kit already.