USMC to Buy 2.4 Million Rounds of Polymer-Cased .50 Calibre Ammunition

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Wendell

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A sole source solicitation ordering an estimated 2.4 million rounds of polymer-cased .50 calibre ammunition has been awarded to MAC, LLC of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The order for the new ammunition comes from the Marine Corps Systems Command and will include both ball and API ammunition. MAC, LLC recently became part of the Norwegian defence company Nammo, known for their development of ammunition. According to their old website, MAC had previously focused on “development and commercialization of lightweight, polymer-based solutions.” In January, Nammo announced that they had taken majority ownership of MAC, with Reijo Bragberg, Executive Vice President of Nammo Small and Medium Caliber Ammuniton. The contract represents one of the first major orders for polymer-cased ammunition by the US military.

<https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2019/04/04/usmc-to-by-2-4-million-rounds-of-polymer-cased-50-calibre-ammunition/>
 
MAC claims that it's product offers a greater degree of headspace safety margin to users of adjustable headspace machine guns (such as M2HB) and thus may potentially prevent catastrophic failures common with legacy brass ammunition when the machine gun is set up incorrectly.

MAC Lightweight Ammunition offers greater safety headspace margin
Published to YouTube on Jan 22, 2016, by MAC AMMO
MAC lightweight ammunition, in addition to saving 25% of weight, also offers the users of adjustable headspace machine guns (such as M2HB) a greater degree of headspace safety margin. Polymer case is much more resistant to the incorrect headspace setting and can potentially prevent catastrophic failures common with legacy brass ammunition when the machine gun is set up incorrectly.

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Judging by how hot a .50cal round is when it is ejected after sitting in the chamber for a couple minutes (there is actually a real possibility of cook off) I would hope that these polymer rounds are able to handle some significant heat without melting. I've seen the Norwegians using polymer cases with their blank ammo but not with ball. Since the Browning M2 fires from the closed bolt there is always a round in the chamber once the weapon is made ready and they take some serious heat from a hot barrel.
 
gyates93 said:
Judging by how hot a .50cal round is when it is ejected after sitting in the chamber for a couple minutes (there is actually a real possibility of cook off) I would hope that these polymer rounds are able to handle some significant heat without melting. I've seen the Norwegians using polymer cases with their blank ammo but not with ball. Since the Browning M2 fires from the closed bolt there is always a round in the chamber once the weapon is made ready and they take some serious heat from a hot barrel.
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I have a feeling they can solve the cook off issue with primer chemistry but another problem is receiver heat removal. Brass carries away heat when ejected, polymer maybe not so much, so chambers designed around brass may get a lot hotter. I guess they probably tested that once or twice before ordering though.
 
Cranky Pants said:
Maybe I'm wrong but if your platform is toting a 50 call MG (tanks, ships, armoured vehicles) I wouldnt think saving weight would be a huge concern? Now a guy tramping for miles, that's who wants to save weight.
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It has to get to your tank first (i.e. logistics.)
 
There has been training Dag plastic ammo for years , granted it`s all plastic ,projectile and case ,( not shure but it could require a special barrel ). The tround project had a plastic/Polymer caseings Experimentals and a few others were under trials . I believe that the Abraham tanks Use expendable case Ammunition for thier main guns so time will tell .
 
2.4 mil. rounds isn't really that much when you consider testing and training use for auto weapons. I would guess it would all remain State-side for now, and any follow-on orders would be approved for field use.
 
Looks similar to the blank training ammo the the Australians were using in the 60's, except the base is longer and not aluminum.

The blank ammunition used different colour plastic for each type of ammunition, .30-06, .308, etc.
 
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