Marines Adopt Enhanced Combat Cartridge

by
posted on March 13, 2018
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
marine_cartridge.jpg

Battlefield demands on today’s service cartridges are greater than ever, so when the U.S. Marine Corps noted deficiencies in its M855 (5.56x45 mm NATO) during the past dozen or so years, it determined to seek an upgrade. It found one in the 62-gr., copper-core M855A1 Enhanced Performance Round (EPR) already in service with the U.S. Army. According to Marine Corps Times, citing Chris Woodburn of the Corps’ Combat Development command, “The M855A1 provides improved performance over the current M855 5.56 mm round in a lead-free form factor and provides improved steel penetration, hard- and soft-target terminal effects, with more consistent terminal effects than the M855 at ranges out to 600 meters.” marines.mil   GuySagi.com image

Latest

Sight Alignment
Sight Alignment

Sighted Fire vs. Point-Shooting

A long-standing argument among handgunners revolves around the concept of sighted fire versus point-shooting. A more productive approach is to understand the problem each is trying to solve.

Derya Expands TM22 Family with Timekeeper & Pump Models

Derya continues the expansion of its rimfire line with two new models for 2026, an update of the original semi-auto TM22 and a new pump-action version.

Gun of the Week: Taurus RPC

The Taurus RPC is a welcome addition to the growing marketplace of PDWs, or personal defense weapons, a concept that pairs pistol-caliber cartridges with larger-format firearms.

The Armed Citizen® Nov. 13, 2026

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Review: Kimber 2K11 Pro Comp

Kimber expanded its 2K11 line with the Pro Comp in 2026, providing a Commander-length slide and barrel topped by an integrated compensator.

New for 2026: Bear Creek Arsenal Bear Bolt Pro

North Carolina-based Bear Creek Arsenal, a prolific maker of AR-10 and AR-15 pattern firearms, is combining the modularity of the MSR platform with a traditional turn-bolt action with its Bear Bolt Pro.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.