New caliber and rifle to maximize terminal ballistics and power

In the upcoming April 2014 issue of SPECIAL WEAPONS FOR MILITARY & POLICE, author Will Dabbs, MD, writes, “The quest for the optimal MSR really begins with some foundational geometry. Bullet design, case capacity, weight and downrange ballistics all must be considered in producing a single rifle system that can genuinely be a little bit of everything for all operators. The fact that AR platforms in 5.56mm NATO already dominate the landscape defines the structural envelope. While rifle manufacturers and handloaders have hit around this idealized goal for decades now, the Sharps Rifle Company may finally have connected.”

Click here to see a video of the new new .25-45 Sharps cartridge in action!

Dr. Dabbs got his hands on some new .25-45 Sharps ammo—designed for the AR, but much more powerful than the 5.56mm—through the AR-platform rifles made for it. He writes, “The engineering mantra behind the development of the new .25-45 Sharps cartridge is indeed fascinating. For starters, it was mandatory that the casing be that of a standard 5.56mm NATO round. This allows unfettered use of existing M16 magazines without adjustment or modification to their standard capacity. This decision also allows the use of all standard M16 and M4 bolts as well as buffer systems. As a result, the only thing required for a caliber conversion on an existing 5.56mm M4 or AR is to swap the barrel. Sharps offers both upper assemblies as well as complete rifles for sale, but it is the barrel that is the only real departure from the parent weapon. The company’s rifle systems run the gamut from basic, no-frills direct impingement guns to high-end, piston- driven offerings with billet-cut receivers.”

To learn more about the Broadsword he took to the range and how it performed, check out the April 2014 issue of SPECIAL WEAPONS FOR MILITARY & POLICE, available on newsstands and digitally February 18, 2014. To subscribe, go to /special-weapons-for-military-and-police