stancrist said:

SP = Special Purpose

Thanks! What does that translate into?

graylion said:

Thanks! What does that translate into?

My guess:

SP = Special Purpose = ADVAP (ADVanced AP) = tungsten carbide core EPR,

GP = General Purpose = steel core EPR = ball.

graylion said:

What does that translate into?

See Msg 3309.  Why the Army decided to use "SP" instead of the traditional "AP" term, I do not know. 

I would guess it's perhaps because, unlike traditional AP, the SP is designed to fragment in soft tissue.

The US Military budget document shows almost $8 million allocated this year for SP rounds and 354,000 SP rounds expected.  These groups are very good at spending all their allotted funding, so I would be astounded if nothing has been made and tested. 

 page 80 of this pdf:  https://www.asafm.army.mil/Portals/72/Documents/BudgetMaterial/2023/Base%20Budget/Procurement/AMMO_ARMY.pdf

Again, it’s not that I don’t think SP exists. It’s that the production qualification weapons are not being issued with SP. The reason for production qualification testing is to detect any defects in the finalised design while adjustments are possible. The production qualification testing will be completed without firing SP, according to the published information. The design will be locked in for mass production without large scale use of SP. After that, it will require approval of an ECP and the recall and modification of issued weapons or else their replacement with an A1 version to address any deficiencies later discovered. I don’t see that as a positive outcome.

Just like EPR chewing barrels

zackly.

Expensive legacy ammo given its manufactured by the million.

You could buy a LOT of 5.56 for training for the cost of a NGSW loadout!

Working on some little 'NGSW at a glance' images. 

Does anyone have a better image of the Sig rifle with the NGSW-FC mounted?

This is currently the best one I had, which makes the text only meh as far as legibility.

And here's the weight vs the current M4A1 loadout. 

XM7 w/ Suppressor= 9.84lbs

Loaded 20rd Mag 6.8 = 1.4lbs

NGSW-FC = unknown, estimate 2lbs

= 13.24lb

M4A1 = 6.36lb

4x ACOG = 0.94lb

PEQ 15A IR = 0.5lb 

30rd 5.56 PMAG= 1.1lb

= 8.9lbs

= + 4.34lb individual rifle weight 

Rifle + 7x mags:

NGSW = 21.64lbs

M4A1 = 15.5lb

= +6.14lb weapon/ammo weight