Designed from inception for ultra long-range shots that require high ballistic coefficients, the 6mm Creedmoor round hasn’t found the same widespread acceptance of its slightly-larger big brother.
Retired Army Maj. Gen. Bob Scales, who heads the secretary of defense' Close Combat Lethality Task Force, challenged industry and government leaders to do better and deliver a leap-ahead rifle in less than two years.
The top Special Operations Forces snipers will replace their 7.62mm sniper rifles with a the 6.5mm Creedmoor, which doubles their hit probability at 1,000m, increases their effective range by nearly half, reduces wind drift by a third and has less recoil.
The Department of Homeland Security plans to get rid of all its 7.62mm NATO, or .308 caliber, long-range rifle ammunition and replace it with an intermediate caliber that Special Operations snipers will field next year.